How social platforms can improve hiring

Practical applications

In October, Steve was particularly concerned because he lost a key daytime bartender with little notice and needed a quick replacement. Using Shiftgig, Steve was able to narrow his applicants to those with a Cicerone certification and who would work the specific hours he required. Within minutes he received six applicants that fit the bill and was able to start the interview process immediately.  

Social media is not the only driver of change. Companies such as ZipCar and TaskRabbit have become successful by creating more-efficient, just-in-time resource-sharing platforms that allow only a piece of a resource to be purchased when more isn’t necessary. This trend is continuing into hospitality hiring through platforms that allow unemployed or underemployed job seekers to work a shift at a time. The automated matching features benefit companies with a more dynamic workforce and allow job seekers to find jobs better suited to their skills. Additionally, companies like Innerworkings and Echo Logistics have been successful in their approach to modernize “analog” industries that have traditionally operated with minimal technology automation of their operations and created new platforms for greater profitability and scalability for them.  Steve Palmer uses beermenus.com to keep his online beer menu up to date. He then uses Twitter and Facebook to keep his customers aware of any new beers, because he knows many of them will go out of their way for specialty beers that are not always available.

So, how can an employer solve the social media conundrum without blurring the lines of social and work interactions and embrace the changes in restaurant hiring? Ideally hiring managers need to look to a talent acquisition and measurement platform that facilitates better connections between employers and job seekers through advanced data analysis algorithms. The result is both a significant time savings from more applicable connections and substantial cost savings in reduced turnover through better hires.

Jeff Pieta is president of Shiftgig.