How Your Personnel Should Use LinkedIn to Recruit Top Talent

Your next hires probably have a LinkedIn account, but on its face, finding those people amid so many others is a daunting task. That said, some students are stars, and you should use LinkedIn to contact them even before they graduate.

That’s the case, especially for rotational programs, which are varied and good for students with a broad range of interests. Researchers say students don’t often have leadership opportunities in the classroom, but extracurricular activities can force many of them into challenging roles.

Those challenges are useful because they help reveal how students respond under pressure. Being in leadership also forces students to think big-picture about their goals and the goals of their student organization.

See who is most active on Linkedin

The students you might see posting and tagging people may already know how quickly the social media apparatus can connect them with people like you.

Posting doesn’t necessarily mean that it would be a good fit for your company, but it could mean that they understand how visibility can play into their attractiveness where the job market is concerned. Arguably, a student who understands that or appears is worth at least an interview in most cases, given that their resume and other materials show they might have the skills needed for a given job.

Interestingly, Crimson Global Academy asserts that this consistent activity on LinkedIn is useful for students entrenched in college and high school students looking to impress before entering college.

Many students don’t have the savvy to tie themselves to professionals in that way or don’t have the time. Take note of the folks who do and keep them close by reaching out if that’s advantageous for you.

See who professionals tag in their posts and who they are connected with

Professionals, especially those in student affairs, always have students’ post-graduate plans in mind, even as they involve themselves in extracurricular activities.

Seeing who they are connected to can help you find students they respect, which can quickly help you find candidates for the positions you want to fill. Utilize social media, particularly the Career Center at your local institution or career services personnel. Universities know that students and families are especially concerned about the return on investment from attending college.

To that end, many institutions nationwide have hired staff specifically to better prepare them for the oft-changing job market.

Those personnel usually hire students, and they are familiar with other students around campus who might already have some job experience in a litany of ways. Create a working relationship with university career center personnel.

This tip isn’t merely for local schools, either. In theory, it fits any institution in the United States from which you might find a student or recent graduate who could be a boon for your employer.

Inside Higher Ed has previously published a guide titled ” Affairs Associations, LinkedIn, and The Power of Professional Groups,” which noted that LinkedIn’s professional feel compared to other networking sites made it especially useful for students and the student affairs personnel they interface with so often.