Social recruiting is something of a hot topic and has become one of the buzzwords of 2011. It can, however, be difficult to know where to start or how to make sure that you get the most benefit from using web and networking sites. There is no right or wrong way to use social recruiting, however. It is a concept rather than a prescriptive way of doing things and as such, employers in many different fields are able to draw on the aspects of social recruiting that work for them.

Social recruiting is essentially a means of identifying and communicating with potential employees and building relationships with them. It is an additional tool rather than a replacement to traditional recruitment methods. It encompasses the basic elements that are required for any recruitment process, using new media as a means of attracting and carrying out preliminary vetting of potential candidates.

The web as a marketing tool
One of the simplest ways to embrace social recruiting is to use the web effectively as a marketing tool. By advertising online on websites that are relevant to the industry or field that you work in, you are able to target a much wider pool of people than by only using traditional methods. Twitter and Facebook can be a great way to advertise jobs, particularly if you work in an industry that is IT or media savvy.

For a more proactive approach to recruitment, it is possible to directly source potential candidates for roles that you are looking to fill. The website, LinkedIn is the largest user-generated database of individuals and holds information on employment history and skills as well as identifying whether the individual is open to approaches. This can be an invaluable way of identifying candidates with a background in areas that are important to you.

It is possible to take proactivity further and fully utilise resources that are already available to you. Many companies regard their employees as their greatest asset yet fail to tap into their knowledge and contacts when looking to recruit. Peer to peer recruitment can be an excellent method of identifying potential candidates. By using employees' social networks, it is often possible to identify candidates with similar values to those already employed. Additionally, such candidates often have a good understanding of the company culture from their existing relationships with your employee.

Degree of caution
This all sounds great but, as with anything, there are some drawbacks and a degree of caution needs to be exercised. Using social recruitment to attract candidates will only ever be successful if your target pool of candidates uses social media themselves. This can depend to a degree upon the industry you operate in. Unless you are employing in an area where aptitude for using social media is essential, it is important to ensure that you don't miss out on attracting excellent candidates. Continuing to use traditional recruitment methods is, therefore, important.

Additionally, whilst using social recruitment gives access to a much wider pool of people than traditional methods, it does not mean that any of them will be suitable for the role that you are looking to recruit for. It is, therefore, also important to have good search and screening criteria in place to ensure that your time is spent concentrating on candidates who have the potential to be right for the role you are looking to fill rather than sizeable numbers of those who aren't.

Notwithstanding these caveats, social recruiting is becoming an increasingly important part of any company's recruitment tools. Whether it is by advertising on social network sites such as Twitter or Facebook, targeting individuals via sites such as LinkedIn or by using employees' social networks, most companies will find that some element of social recruitment is beneficial to their own recruitment process.

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The advent of social media is upon us and with words like 'twittering' and 'facebooking' fast becoming part of our national vocabulary, there are opportunities far and wide for businesses to make the most of social media channels for a variety of means. Marketing, networking and promotion are just a few ways in which the modern business is exploiting the opportunities these new communication channels have opened up, but what about adding something more concrete to our business plans via these new networks?

Recruitment of highly skilled and experienced employees via traditional channels can be a long, tiresome and often fruitless pursuit. Applications from piles of unsuitable candidates have to be sifted through and even after we have made our final shortlist, it is often the case that even these final few have some important shortcomings that deny their suitability for executive positions. Headhunting has always been a failsafe strategy, as long as you have the resources and know-how to find and effectively poach high performers from their existing teams, but with the introduction of the professional networking site, LinkedIn, this method of employee recruitment is fast becoming a popular tool.

New way of networking
LinkedIn is changing the way we operate our businesses across the world. Suddenly, business lunches and endless networking events are not as high on our agenda, as we strive instead to be 'connected' to those people who know the most about our industry and goals.

A completed LinkedIn profile gives us not only the person's current standing but also their CV in what is often an expanded and verified format. Recommendations from past and current employers, clients and colleagues lends a testimony to what the person can say about themselves and makes this social tool a viable forum for headhunting the crème de la crème for our own organisations.

Companies are now asking for LinkedIn profiles to be submitted instead of or in addition to a CV for particular roles. This method of recruitment definitely has its advantages in terms of the streamlining of recruitment processes, but there are some downsides to recruiting via LinkedIn that any potential employer should be aware of.

Firstly, there is the demographic and user numbers on the site. Facebook boasts over 500 million users whereas LinkedIn has just a tenth as many. The average user age of LinkedIn members is 41, which is perfect if you are seeking a director or senior manager, but if you are looking for younger, fresher talent you may need to widen your search. The LinkedIn community is still only semi-active, with many users only logging on if they get a direct message and there are plenty of incomplete profiles out there. In terms of headhunting, it may seem like using social media could be a convenient shortcut to finding highly qualified people. However, in reality, the process of sourcing and identifying candidates can take a while to establish and can be a good deal more time consuming than attracting applications via the more traditional routes.

Woo your candidate
As well as this, if you are looking for top talent the advice is to 'woo' your candidate, so instead of jumping right in with a job offer that could be seen as spammy and therefore ignored, recruitment experts recommend taking a softly softly approach. Spending time following the person on Twitter or LinkedIn and 'liking', commenting or re-tweeting their posts can be an effective way to get into their psyche. Again, this is incredibly time consuming and could end up having little to no positive effect on their view of your company.

In addition to these practical issues, there are also some issues with the type of person you could potentially recruit via such sources. If the person you are targeting is already an established professional in their field, chances are they come with a higher price tag than some less well known talent you might come across off the street.

If you are able to poach them away from their current company to work for you, their contacts and networks are still in place, so you will need to keep an eye out for information leaks and spoilers coming from them via their social and real life networks. Also, if you were able to poach them from company A, then what's to stop company B topping your offer and poaching them from you in six months?

While social networks such as LinkedIn have definitely changed the way we do business, some aspects have to be questioned, investigated and taken with a pinch of salt to ensure we are still making the best decisions for our business. A LinkedIn recruitment process has its time and place, but we need to be sure we are doing it in the right manner and for the right reasons.

Pundits have been reacting to a speech by David Cameron in which the prime minister argued multiculturalism had "failed". But what do commentators actually mean by the term? This report from the BBC.

It is one of the most emotive and sensitive subjects in British politics.

But at times it seems there are as many definitions of multiculturalism as there are columnists, experts and intellectuals prepared to weigh into the debate.

The subject has become the focus of renewed scrutiny in the wake of a speech by prime minister David Cameron, in which he told a security conference in Germany that the UK needed a stronger national identity to prevent extremism.

In his speech, which has provoked a political storm, Mr Cameron defines "the doctrine of state multiculturalism" as a strategy which has "encouraged different cultures to live separate lives, apart from each other and apart from the mainstream".

This characterisation is not new. In 2004 Trevor Phillips, chairman of the the Commission for Racial Equality - now the Equality and Human Rights Commission - told the Times that multiculturalism was out of date because it "suggests separateness" and should be replaced with policies which promote integration and "assert a core of Britishness".

But is everyone who uses the term referring to the same phenomenon?

Read the full article.

Pensions jobs basically means working to look after the money that has been paid by individuals or companies to benefit them during retirement. Nearly all major employers and other companies, both private and public, offer pension schemes to their employees. For this reason, pension jobs are an extremely important part of the strength of the economy, and the impact on many peoples’ lives. See the following guide to pension work for more information about this field. There are a number of levels of job that can be worked in pensions jobs, which can be found in a range of different areas. These include: • Pension departments of companies where the company’s own scheme is run. • Benefits and actuarial firms are in place to give advice to businesses that have pension schemes. • Specialist services are available as advisers and offer services like administration that is outsourced. • Insurance companies where a lot of pension work can be found. • Government agencies need an increasing number of experienced pension jobs workers. As pensions jobs come in so many varying forms there can be lots of different skills and experience required for a job. However, generally speaking there are certain traits that will be beneficial for pension work: • Being able to deal with a range of people • Communicating complex and technical details • Ability to take in and analyse complicated information • IT and admin skills • Work with figures comfortably • Good teamwork

Payroll jobs all have the same aim: to ensure all staff are paid with their wages correctly and on time. Jobs in payroll can either be found internally at an organisation, or at an external bureau that provides the service to companies. If you looking for a payroll job see the following guide for more information. An administrator level payroll job could entail: •    Calculating pay •    Calculating overtime and pay increases •    Creating new staff records •    Issuing P45s •    Deducting tax and NI •    Processing holiday, sick and maternity pay •    General admin tasks like filing and typing Jobs in payroll at a managerial level would involve: •    The supervision and training of staff in the payroll department •    Reporting on analysed financial data •    Managing software and computer systems •    Creating procedures and policies •    Advising on pay and tax law •    Wider responsibilities such as running benefit schemes for staff and equal pay reviews Working Environment and Hours Payroll jobs are office-based and most time will be spent at a desk and computer. They are generally worked on a 35-40 hours a week, 9am-5pm, Monday to Friday basis. Payroll Job Salary This type of work tends to start at around £13,000-£18,000 per year and can increase to about £40,000 at managerial level. Entry Payroll jobs can be entered using various different routes. Qualifications in bookkeeping or basic accounting can assist an application greatly. Also, a GCSE of at least grade C in maths is normally a requirement. Computer literacy is a must.

Jobs in payroll have the same aim: to make sure that all staff are paid with their wages correctly and on time. Payroll jobs can either be found internally within an organisation itself, or at an external bureau that provides the service to companies. If you are considering a payroll job, see the following guide for more information. Jobs in payroll at a managerial level would involve: •    The supervision and training of staff in the payroll department •    Creating procedures and policies •    Advising on pay and tax law •    Reporting on analysed financial data •    Managing software and computer systems •    Wider responsibilities such as running benefit schemes for staff and equal pay reviews An administrator level payroll job could entail: •    Calculating pay •    Deducting tax and NI •    Processing holiday, sick and maternity pay •    Calculating overtime and pay increases •    Creating new staff records •    Issuing P45s •    General admin tasks like filing and typing Working Environment and Hours Payroll jobs are generally worked at 35-40 hours a week, 9am-5pm, Monday to Friday. The job is office-based and most time will be spent at a desk and computer. Entry Payroll jobs can be entered using various different routes. Qualifications in bookkeeping or basic accounting can assist an application greatly. Also, a GCSE of at least grade C in maths is normally a requirement. Computer literacy is a must. Payroll Job Salary This type of work tends to start at around £13,000-£18,000 per year and can increase to about £40,000 at managerial level.

Equal opportunities in the workplace are overseen by personnel staff. Employers must meet certain legal requirements and adhere to legislative policies regarding discrimination and employees. This is where diversity jobs come in. If you are thinking about looking for diversity jobs, see this guide for more information about the type of work involved. Diversity Job Aims These types of equal opportunities roles are in place to eliminate all types of discrimination at work, starting with recruitment and following through to the duration of employment. Almost all public sector organisations require diversity jobs to be included in their staff as the need grows and laws change. The private sector is too incorporates such positions to protect their staff and themselves. The Work Involved in a Diversity Job With equal opportunities becoming more of an issue, companies need to avoid legal action being taken against them. This means it is increasingly important for them to offer diversity jobs. The typical work in this type of position could include: •    Giving advice on recruitment, retention and staff development •    Keeping up with changes in legislation •    Developing equal opportunities policies within the organisation and making sure that all related laws are adhered to •    Striving to achieve a balanced workforce in accordance with these policies •    Keeping in touch with numerous types of organisations that are involved in areas like race relations, gender and disability •    Identifying equality problems within the workplace and working within affected employees to eradicate them in the future

Employment law encompasses every possible aspect of employment in the UK and it is essential that a company sticks to it therefore jobs in employment law with companies are quite common and they involve ensuring that the company and the employee know their legal obligations and rights. To find out more about employment law jobs, read on. Employment Law Jobs

• Everybody with jobs in employment law will be required to have undergone a legal or paralegal course (probably a degree) and have a full understanding on UK employment law. Large companies may have in house employment law jobs while smaller companies may just employ a third party employment law solicitor.

• Those with employment law jobs will assist in drawing up employee contracts to outline exactly what is and isn’t expected of the employee and the employer with regards to pay, working hours, health and safety, benefits, company policies and equal opportunities etc.

• Employment law jobs are not just focussed on drawing up company policies and ensuring that they are stuck to but people with jobs in employment law may also be expected to represent employees or employers with regards to conflict resolution and employment tribunals.

• The large majority of employment law jobs however will involve advising all parties on their rights and responsibilities within UK employment law. Those with employment law jobs will need a degree or equivalent qualification as well as experience within the field of employment law.

• The salaries for employment law jobs can vary. An entry level employment law job will pay anywhere between £30k and £50k per year depending on experience and location but senior employment law jobs can easily earn over £70k per year.

You can search for a wide range jobs in employment law here on Simply HR Jobs.

Jobs in health and safety are a huge part of the modern workplace as more and more attention is placed on making sure that all employees and members of the public remain safe. The health and safety officer is the person that oversees the staff to ensure that policies are stuck to. To find out more about health and safety jobs, read on. Health and Safety Jobs  

• A health and safety officer will be in charge of creating, implementing and monitoring all health and safety policies within the workplace to ensure that the workforce is at the minimum possible risk of harm. Those with health and safety jobs need to have a full understanding of all aspects of employment law and all relevant health and safety legislation.

• In the event of an accident it is the responsibility of those with jobs in health and safety to carry out investigations and to decide whether further action needs to be taken. Large companies may have their own, in-house health and safety officer while others will outsource their health and safety jobs to a third party.

 

• Those with health and safety jobs need to evaluate the workplace and decide where any potential danger could come from and then liaising with various managers to come up with a health and safety policy. Similarly, the health and safety officer will periodically review current health and safety policy in order to keep it up to date.

 

• Jobs in health and safety need to be conducted in an organised and methodical way so these skills are important, as is the ability to be able to communicate effectively with a wide range of people. The health and safety officer will have to prepare reports on any accidents as well as reviews of health and safety policies.

 

• Jobs in health and safety are also concerned with things such as fire drills, fire regulations, noise, substance and waste disposal and the safe installation of equipment. A health and safety officer will be expected to keep up to date on current legislation by reading journals, new legislation and attending seminars.

  There are a number of key entry requirements for the job of a health and safety officer including an NVQ level 4 in Occupational Health and Safety Practice. Some universities also offer relevant degree courses for jobs in health and safety. The average salary for health and safety jobs is anywhere from £25k - £60k depending on experience and position held. You can search for a wide range of jobs in health and safety here on Simply HR Jobs.

A quarter of a million workers at 400 universities, higher education colleges and associated institutions face cuts in their pensions. A range of changes to members of the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) are being proposed to cut a £17bn fund deficit. They include raising the pension age and increasing the amount members must contribute.
» Read more: Pension cuts proposed for university staff