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With the popularity of social media sites like LinkedIn, more companies and organisations are using a social recruiting strategy to find qualified candidates. One company we’ve recognised as particularly impressive, is the UK’s leading Department Store, Harrods.

Take a look at what they’re doing on Twitter. You’ll immediately notice that they personally replying to all potential candidates on their account @HarrodsCareers.

It’s not a lifeless, automated strategy trying to filter through random candidates. There’s a real person, namely Nicole McLennan, interacting with candidates and consequently transforming Harrods’ public image.

Nicole was interviewed by Smart Recruiters about Harrods’ social recruiting strategy. Here’s what she shared:

What lead to Harrods making the decision to use social media to recruit candidates and why?

Harrods has had a lot of success with social platforms, namely Facebook and Twitter. We noticed the retail industry shifting to social recruiting and we decided to take advantage of this emerging trend. We saw it as a way to give our company a voice and create relationships with candidates. The social platform allowed us to be more personal through photos, stories, company information, and advice.

We started by setting up a Twitter and LinkedIn page with the goal of attracting qualified candidates that were passionate about Harrods. The strategy was to show how getting a job in Harrods was a sought after proposition. It allowed candidates to really get an idea of what it was like to work with Harrods and get insight on who we were as an employer.

What kind of benefits did you see from using this strategy? How has it impacted Harrod’s brand as an employer?

Using social platforms came with many benefits. It allowed us to successfully communicate our values as a company and an employer. We were also able to adapt our strategy by using feedback from potential candidates. The interactive element of social media helped us stay connected and understand what candidates were looking for. The result was that our mission to re-brand Harrods as an attractive employer was a success, as we were able to communicate the benefits of starting and building career with Harrods.

What is Harrods Hiring Philosophy?

For us, it’s all about finding balance. Our goal is to help guide our candidates by listening to their feedback and making the recruitment process as friendly as possible. At the same time, we are looking for employees that have behavioural skills in addition to the necessary technical qualifications for the position. We value candidates with the right attitude and the matching skill sets.

What does being a Harrods employee mean?

At its very core, being a Harrods employee means going beyond what is expected. Our company culture is all about excellence and we firmly believe in our motto that “anything is possible.” Ensuring that our employees grow is just as important as the growth of our business. The success of our business depends on the success of our employees.

Summary:

Harrods’ decision to use a social recruiting strategy has proven to be a smart one. The takeaway here is that big brands need to use a personal approach and take the initiative to recruit the best candidates for their positions. This approach helps translate the benefits of working for a company while also showing that the company cares about their employees from the very beginning.

What do you think? Smart move by Harrods? Ahead of its time? Let us know in the comments below.