@RecruitingAnimal
I’m not sure the audience needs anything terribly “concrete” here to realize that the talk takes place regardless of the “permissions” granted an employee.

You don’t give the audience enough credit.. but I’ll bite anyhow.

http://www.indeed.com/forum?q=company+sucks&l=

http://www.glassdoor.com/Reviews/index.htm

http://www.vault.com (dig on your own here)

Looking for more solid evidence… I’ll even share one I’m playing in… over 2000 posts about a single job title with a single company and all the makings of a TV drama. We’ve got love, hate, adultery, passion, and lies…
http://www.topix.com/forum/dallas/TR37JEH86FO62J943

I’ve been jumping in and out of the thread for almost 2 years and we’ve even made several hires from people that have posted there – but you see how quickly the negative can catch on AND how quickly some can respond positively and change the direction of a conversation – even if only temporarily.
Lots of the discussion takes place offline or via email – after posting my contact information I’ve received ~50 direct inquiries and have helped people as recently as last week as a result.

@Julie – Thanks, Julie. Smart response. When employers do things like http://www.att.com/socialmedia they’re showcasing where they “get it” and how they’ve started to embrace social media not only from a PR or brand perspective but from an employment reputation drive as well. (btw, if you know of any other social media directories I’d love a link!)

@Karla – I think the win on any level is from persistence and telling the story appropriately – with measurement – and with good leadership. I’ve worked at both large and small companies and the challenges are evenly distributed across different channels, I feel. Thx for commenting!

Chris Hoyt
aka: RecruiterGuy
http://www.RecruiterGuy.net

Not every company is sold on the latest and greatest and because there is a lot of resistence to change conservative ones are slow to adopt change. Chris has the great fortune to work with a technology based progressive company that allows him to act as a business owner and “lead” responsibly. It’s your responsibility to make a business case for any tools you need to use to do your job and present it to your employer if you want to be seen as a leader. If it’s sound logic usually you’ll at least be given an opportunity to pilot it.

Make it work and you’ll be a champion.

I liked the note: don’t forget that encouraged communication and involvement could just as easily foster positive messages …

I hear way too often the closed door / closed mind mentality from candidates @ their employers and clients about their staff. It boils down to trust and not micro-management.

Fact is, if an employee is happy and feels a sense of empowerment and ownership in their position, a recruiter is going to have a tough time turning their head no matter how the connection is made. By allowing freedom to connect via social media, employers showcase their culture and the messages are above and beyond.

It’s easier to recruit when the candidate is “evolved” as well, but if their company is equally “evolved” it makes it that much more fun!

JH

It seems like a no-brainer that corporate recruiters can and should use social networks to create a talent pipeline they can draw on when needed.

However I don’t understand this:

“The idea is that if the employees want to complain they will.”

Does that mean that if I don’t give you a corporate vehicle for complaint, you’re going to do it anyway through some other channel with the same effectiveness?

I think you have to spell that out in concrete terms.

Otherwise it is just more of the same abstract unprove verbiage you get on any blog or seminar.

We, your public, deserve a bit more of a business case than that.