Now boasting 740 million users worldwide, LinkedIn has become the go-to platform for recruiters.
This makes sense, since LinkedIn publicly displays virtually every piece of information a recruiter would need to make an informed hiring decision. It should be every recruiter’s dream, right? However, research shows this might not be the case.
52% of hiring managers claim that passive candidate recruitment has been less effective because recruiters on LinkedIn are all competing for the same candidates (source).
So what does this mean for recruiters? We’re happy you asked. Let’s look at how LinkedIn is changing and how it impacts the way you do your job.
LinkedIn Is Crowded
Whether you’re a professional LinkedIn recruiter or just another person with a LinkedIn profile, you’ve likely noticed an uptick in the number of recruiting messages you receive on LinkedIn. Sometimes the messages are relevant, and sometimes they’re not. Regardless, there are so many messages a day, that many get ignored.
This poses a clear problem for LinkedIn recruiters. How are you supposed to compete with thousands of other recruiters to connect with the same handful of candidates? How can you make your recruiting efforts more effective as the platform becomes increasingly saturated?
Here are a few tips and tricks you can use to stand out and reach qualified candidates.
LinkedIn Recruiting Workarounds
Let’s be clear. We’re not saying LinkedIn is dead, or even dying. What we’re saying is that as the platform becomes more crowded, it’s progressively more difficult to connect with high-quality job candidates on LinkedIn.
Fortunately, we’ve found a few workarounds.
1. Instead of LikedIn recruiting, secure direct contact information.
The targeted search capabilities offered by LinkedIn are top notch. If you’re having success, continue using LinkedIn to identify quality candidates. But rather than reaching out to candidates directly within the platform, use their direct contact information.
Candidates are less likely to ignore a direct recruiting email or phone call because it’s less expected. Partner with a corporate contact database or B2B data provider to research the different candidates you identify on LinkedIn. Then, reach out using their personal email or direct dial phone number.
When you use direct contact information and bypass the LinkedIn messaging system, your outreach is less likely to get lost among countless messages from other LinkedIn recruiters.
2. Rely on other, less populated channels.
This may sound like a no-brainer, but we’re going to say it anyway. If LinkedIn is too crowded, rely on platforms and channels that are less frequented by recruiters.
Try using one of the following:
Other Social Channels
Whether we want to admit it or not, a lot of us spend a significant amount of time using social media. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter offer recruiters a unique avenue through which they can connect with candidates.
The next time you identify the perfect candidate on LinkedIn, try to contact them on an alternate platform. Explain that you don’t typically reach out to candidates through social media, but that you have the perfect opportunity for them. The number of positive responses you receive might surprise you.
B2B Data Companies
As mentioned in the previous section of this post, B2B data providers offer a wealth of information that recruiters can use to source more high-quality candidates. Many offer advanced search capabilities, direct contact information, and a completely different talent pool.
Networking Events
If you notice that many of your ideal candidates attend certain events, you should attend them, too. This includes networking events, career fairs, conferences, online events, and more. If your top candidates plan to attend, that’s a good indicator the event will offer an opportunity to network with a pool of qualified professionals.
3. Get your employees and coworkers to do your dirty work.
You’ve heard the saying, “It’s about who you know.” When it comes to recruiting, it’s true! Employee referrals are an excellent way to secure high-quality job candidates. Ask your employees or coworkers to leverage their personal LinkedIn networks to secure referrals for open positions.
Draft a LinkedIn post advertising an open position and ask others to share it from their own accounts. Not only will this help your message reach a larger audience, but qualified candidates are more likely to respond to a message from someone they know.
Give your employees or co-workers even more incentive to share job openings by creating an employee referral program. Offer a monetary reward for every hired candidate an employee recommends.
Employee referrals pay off in the long run. Consider these statistics:
- Referred hires accept offers 15% more often than non-referred candidates (source).
- Hired referrals perform up to 15% better than non-referred candidates (source).
- Referred hires are 3-4x more likely to be hired than non-referral candidates (source).
Final Thoughts For LinkedIn Recruiters
Although recruiters may find it increasingly more difficult to reach candidates on LinkedIn, the platform still holds a valuable place in any B2B recruiter’s arsenal of tools. But, rather than conducting all research and outreach within the platform, you should use other tactics and tools to support your LinkedIn recruiting efforts.
Using a variety of tools and candidate sourcing techniques will diversify your candidate pool and make it easier for you to find high-quality candidates. Use the tactics explained above and you won’t have to constantly compete for a candidate’s attention.
If you’re struggling to reach candidates on LinkedIn, consider testing out one of our tools. The ZoomInfo Growth Acceleration Platform and our Reachout plugin allow recruiters to search and contact candidates from a very large pool of talent. Contact ZoomInfo today to learn more.