Web 2.0 technologies have impacted the way information is absorbed on the internet. People can now view other people’s videos and photos, read blogs and reviews, as well as get RSS feeds for their favourite blogs, podcasts and video blogs. All these new technologies can also be applied to HR and recruitment.

This is part two of my series, whereby I delve into some more unconventional social media tactics and how they can be used effectively and efficiently in the recruitment process.

As employers increasingly start to experiment with innovative strategies for spreading their recruitment messages and screening candidates online, web-savvy job hunters are taking advantage of online resources that are aimed at helping them make better career decisions.

Some great new avenues that are increasing in popularity are video, podcasts and interactive media.

Until recently, few employers produced online videos describing what it’s like to work for them. But now, video is finally catching on with employers, as they can be tailored to address a variety of job hunter interests.

Some employers are using video technology to have candidates meet hiring managers in faraway locations. Video interviewing really accelerates the hiring process and employers are even conducting first interviews with candidates over the Internet. Because most computers have built-in video capabilities, this strategy helps employers save time and avoid recruiting expenses.

A growing number of employers are also creating podcasts, voiced by employees, on all sorts of career-related topics. These include podcast interviews with hiring managers and employees alike, and address interesting topics that employees and employers might find useful.

Some podcasts describe employers’ current hiring needs while others discuss what characteristics employers seek in candidates. They may also talk about a company’s culture, job benefits and other workplace attributes.

A great example of this is the Accenture Employee Podcast Series where you can hear the “inside story” from Accenture employees about what it’s like to work in the company.

The Internet has opened up a whole new way of networking for job candidates. LinkedIn is the most popular professional social network currently in use; they recently reported 20 million plus users.

By joining the LinkedIn community, you add yourself to a massive networking matrix. Once you are in, you can search the extended network of contacts to find out who your contacts know.

LinkedIn operates on the principle of there being no more than six degrees of separation between any two people. The idea is that any person can be linked to any other person through no more than six other people. As you search for contacts, you will get an indication of the strength of your connection to those candidates. It’s a really great tool that works on so many levels.

Most recruiters search the internet for personal information about their job applicants, often prior to sending the job interview invites. That brings me to the next benefit of LinkedIn, personal branding. This ensures that the first information that gets found when a recruiter does a “Google search” is your relevant professional information.

HR Professionals are also using LinkedIn Jobs, which is basically an online job board within the LinkedIn social network that allows users to picture how many “degrees of separation” lie between them and potential job candidates.

Beyond professional networks like LinkedIn, the answer is simply to invest time into social networks that consider the audience you want interact with, whether they are clients or candidates.

As technology evolves, so do our human interactions. Social media provide tools to do just that and as we can deduce, these tools can prove to be extremely useful in the recruiting process. If you don’t jump onboard now, you will get left behind.