In this edition of BTalk, Peter Noblet from Hays talks about how to involve social networking in the recruitment process — and answers that ethical question, should recruiters snoop on applicants’ Facebook pages?

Peter says social media is just another development of technology, and a tool to reach the passive job seeker — someone who is not actively out looking for a new job but would make a switch if the right opportunity came along.

Hays suggests a seven-point approach on using social media to recruit:

• Research: Find out what is being said online about your organisation, and where it is being said.
• Listen: Continue to listen to what is said about your organisation. You can also use the information as the basis for your future conversations with potential recruits.
• Identify potential audiences.
• Develop a strategy.
• Involve the business — do not restrict your social media efforts to the HR department; candidates want to have peer-to-peer conversations with those in the areas of the business they could work in.
• Select your social media ambassadors well and provide training on appropriate content that will engage potential recruits.
• Do not become preoccupied with a single area of technology. Social media changes rapidly.

In the podcast we talk about the need to integrate social media across the organisation and the danger of the HR team approaching the medium unilaterally.

As you’ll hear, I agree with Peter on almost every count — except when it comes to recruiters snooping on applicants’ Facebook pages.

First published on CBS News