Facebook is known as a place to post baby pictures, memes and even the occasional rant. Hidden inside its two billion active users is a wealth of opportunity for construction companies looking to tap into new and extremely qualified talent.

While many tech companies use the social media giant to actively recruit great people, less tech-savvy companies often miss this opportunity. Whether it’s because no one in HR has the expertise to navigate the platform or because they simply have never thought of it, all construction executives should make sure their teams are using Facebook to recruit top candidates.

Keep Facebook Updated

Today's job seekers use social media connections and personal connections to research their next employer. They view a company’s website and even the executives’ social media profiles prior to applying--yes, the cyber stalking goes both ways.

When a company's Facebook page isn't complete or is out of date, it sends a message that connecting with potential talent isn't important.

Activate Jobs

Use Facebook Jobs as a way to promote open positions to those who follow the company page. Even if they aren’t looking, it’s likely they know someone who is. Even better, there will now be a Facebook post to advertise to potential job seekers. Too often, we see companies not doing enough to promote open positions. Facebook makes it easy to make sure potential applicants know about open jobs.

Promote the Company’s Culture

An often overlooked promotional opportunity is the company culture. While applicants don’t expect everything to be perfect, they do expect a company to be open and honest about what it’s like to work there. From celebrations to company events, there are many opportunities to share what’s going on behind closed doors. Better yet, ask a few employees to record a quick video telling people why they like working there.

Promote with Facebook Ads

Now is the opportunity to promote the jobs that were activated earlier. Ask the marketing team to target people with interests similar to the best employees. Then, use Facebook ads to promote the company, its culture and its people. Even the simple act of promoting an employee testimonial video can open doors to candidates who may not have previously noticed the company.

Have a Conversation

Invite candidates to connect with the team using Facebook Messenger. Engaging with them before an application will help get their questions answered and may speed up the screening process. Too often, people aren't prepared to apply for an open job on Facebook, so it's likely there will be a lot of incomplete applications. It doesn't mean they are bad candidates. It just means they aren't actively looking and are only considering companies that have engaged them.

Facebook’s Secret Weapon

Specific audience targeting with Facebook makes it one of the most effective advertising platforms to get in front of great candidates. While the rules are always changing, ignoring Facebook means missing on out great candidates. In fact, when combining accurate targeting with effective ads, Facebook will beat most advertising platforms.

The company's web developer or marketing agency will be able to set up some of this tracking on the company's website. By better understanding who is visiting the site, audience targeting will become more effective. While this won't happen overnight, eventually Facebook could become the go-to for recruiting the next group of employees.

Part of the Arsenal

While Facebook is useful for finding construction candidates, it shouldn't be the only way of promoting openings. Other job boards will help get the word out. In fact, adding an applicant tracking system will provide more exposure for opportunities and help streamline the screening process.

When looking for the right people to add to the team, Facebook is an often overlooked platform for finding job seekers. It may not be as easy to post as Craigslist or Indeed, but it’s also not as competitive, which means there’s a better chance of finding good people.