Popular social networking website LinkedIn is offering an additional option for those in search of employees, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
The company's hiring solutions section includes online job postings and the ability to pick out passive candidates – those who have the necessary background, education and skills but are not actively searching for employment.
In some cases, recruiters can pay LinkedIn for HR services to find information about people outside of their networks, and contact them to see if they're willing to consider a change of scenery.
The website Recruiter adds that in a recent survey conducted by talent management firm Lumesse, 82 percent of candidates respond positively to contact via social media, making it an ideal option to target passive candidates.
Despite the success of LinkedIn's recruiting services, it more than likely won't replace outside staffing agencies or headhunters.
"You still need to hire a headhunter to build a relationship with people," Aisha Guler, managing director with recruiting firm The Mergis Group, explained to the media outlet.
Dan Stumpf, senior corporate recruiter for McKesson, adds that companies shouldn't exclusively rely on virtual networks, and that internet recruiting doesn't replace good old-fashioned meeting people at events or functions.
