With Fall on the horizon, many employers are thinking of recruitment. COVID’s impact on the workplace has added many new factors to consider, like the hybrid office environment and continued virtual recruitment. With our online world, virtual recruitment is still a time-intensive process with many important steps. From identifying the hiring need, to devising a recruitment strategy, writing/advertising the position, as well as evaluating candidate profiles, there are so many digital tools to help simplify that process - one of those tools is LinkedIn.

To learn more about how LinkedIn can support the recruitment process, LD Human Resources’ Founder and President, Luisa sat down with Shelly Elsliger to discuss. Shelly is an engaging and passionate LinkedIn trainer and speaker who coaches executives, leaders, women leaders, departments and corporate teams, inspiring them to maximize their professional branding potential and social influence online. By mastering the art of social reciprocity, and the flow of social engagement, with significant experience in career development within higher education, she also works as a Career Specialist, LinkedIn Trainer, and Equity, Diversity and Inclusion lead for Rotman Commerce Career Services at the University of Toronto. She is driven to create a solid and equitable foundation in culture so that all people feel accepted, valued and worthy. She is the Founder of the “Decide to be Kind” movement, a global mission to spread awareness and trigger global action around bullying on LinkedIn. 

Q&A With Shelly Elsliger: Using LinkedIn for Recruitment

1) As a Senior Career Coach at Rotman Commerce, you help mentor and guide students to be prepared for job opportunities. What are some of the tips that you offer students to help them find the right fit?

Students are looking for work-life balance. They’re also looking to be where the employers are—they want to connect with them. They don't want to be at a distance, but rather be up-close-and-personal so they can understand the culture and make sure there is some connection between themselves and the company beyond just money. We always used to think that money was the driver, but today it’s really about culture—and fitting into it.

2) Having worked with so many talented students, what should recruiters know about that next generation of talent coming through? What are students looking for in companies they are considering to work with?

When students are looking to find out about a company, they want to dive a little deeper than just the job posting. Getting to know the people who work there, the culture, and being able to connect is the opportunity that students really look for. A lot of the time, students will get on LinkedIn, and there will be barriers for them to get to the person who is in charge of that job posting. Students want to eliminate these barriers, making it an easy process to get to where the employers are. They’re looking for companies who are open and able to give them the information that they want, beyond the roles and responsibilities of that job.

3) You are a globally recognized LinkedIn branding expert. In your opinion, what role does LinkedIn play in the recruiting process- both for the candidate and the hiring manager?

LinkedIn plays a really big role because it is the only professional networking site. It’s a place to own your space/voice, and showcase your journey. Employers can get to know students, and students can get to know employers. It’s a site that is meant to go beyond what we would find in somebody’s resume. I always say, “If you’re doing it like a resume, you’re doing it wrong,” because it really is more like a career story. LinkedIn gives the opportunity for people to build relationships, strengthen them, and get to know what they’re getting into. It’s all about match, fit and retention for both the student and the employer.

4) Your LinkedIn bio states that you help people “flex” their social reciprocity muscles and win on LinkedIn. Tell us more about what you mean by that? Why is social reciprocity important?

Social reciprocity is the foundation in everything that I do. Whether it be on or off LinkedIn, networking, being kind, and demonstrating that you are willing to give, builds trust. It’s very important to build trust. On LinkedIn it’s so easy - everything from a like to a comment will make a difference for somebody that you’re trying to get to know. So if you really want to try to get to know somebody, start by giving, and letting people know that you are that kind of person - the kind of person somebody would like to hang out with five days a week.

5) Where can people connect with you further to learn more about your work?

I’m always on LinkedIn at Shelly Elsliger. It’s where I position myself as a role model for the students, showing them what it’s like to engage in social reciprocity, and demonstrate what is involved in building a powerful local and global network.

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At LD Human Resources, we believe strongly in helping to foster a work-life balance with our clients and their employees. It not only helps to build morale but also enhances team engagement, productivity, and innovative thinking.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

As the Founder and President of LD Human Resources, Luisa is a highly motivated and results-driven human resources professional with over 20 years’ experience in HR. Luisa is a Certified Human Resources Professional and holds a BA from the University of Toronto. She also graduated with honours, obtaining her Human Resources Management certificate in 2010.

Luisa’s expertise spans professional and financial services, construction, travel and tourism, IT, not-for profit and retail. Her key strengths include: strategic consulting; performance management, succession planning; recruitment and employee relations; organizational development and learning; and, compensation and benefits. Luisa is committed to high professional standards that link HR best practices to business objectives, delivering results within changing environments. She is a proud mother of two strong-minded young girls, and an advocate for mental health and wellness.