If you have not yet embraced Instagram as a hiring tool, then dive into the world of it, be active and commit yourself to build an employer brand and seize the right talent.

Firms such as Floating Canvas Company, Epsilon, and Instamojo are hiring through Instagram and companies like Schneider Electric, Starbucks and Verizon are using Instagram to post job ads

Instagram is gaining popularity as an effective hiring tool, as startups share that sourcing talent through Instagram reduces hiring costs by 15-25 percent.  Companies and HR networks are particularly leveraging the platform to get hold of freshers for creative roles and for social media management. As Instagram is most popular among the younger generations, it works best for entry-level jobs or for hiring interns.

 "The average age group of users on Instagram is from 14 to 22. So, getting better access to newbies is possible. Plus, the millennials spend more time on platforms such as Instagram and Snapchat, rather than Facebook or LinkedIn. This form of hiring is suitable for social media-savvy profiles such as marketing, or creative roles like the design," saidSubhendu Panigrahi, co-founder, Skillenza, a community-hiring platform.

Aagam Mehta, co-founder of art-based startup Floating Canvas Company, shared his experience of hiring artists in Mumbai and how Instagram came in handy for targeting the right audience. Also, Instagram enables to check the quality of the work as most of the accounts are public and the recruiter can easily look through their work. Companies are using the platform in varied ways, some post about job vacancies through puzzles while other share videos on a day at work, to entice employees. For instance, Fintech startup Instamojon has dedicated its Instagram account to showcase how the company is employee-friendly.

 "We have had comments on how Instamojo is a cool place to work in and also had referrals linked to the post. We aspire to have potential employees look us up on Instagram before they decide to apply," said Akash Gehani, co-founder, Instamojo.

Instagram was already popular among the marketers but now it is gaining traction as a social recruiting tool as well. From building an employer brand to attracting active and passive job seekers, it is being embraced as a part of HR strategy. Here are two reasons why Instagram could be considered by companies:

For Reach and Diverse Engagement

As of April 2017, there were 33 Million Instagram users in India and 85% of them were younger than 45. Globally, in September 2017, the mobile photo-sharing network had reached 800 million monthly active users, up from 600 million in December 2016. Considering this rapid growth in the number of active people on the platform, besides Facebook and Linkedin, companies have another medium where a pool of great candidates could be lying. As the younger generations are more engaged on Instagram, it is suitable for hiring interns. The best-suited roles to hire for on Instagram would be social media roles and creative roles.

For Employer Branding

As the recruiter roles have now evolved and have become more about creating an employer brand, Instagram can be leveraged to create the pull by sharing photos and videos giving the audience an insight of the work culture. The people who relate to the brand will reach out to the company, ensuring that more culturally fit people turn up for the interview.

Amidst several drivers of change, Social Media is also influencing the hiring process and the companies who are able to identify this as an opportunity could be the ones leading the pack. If you are already making most of the platforms like Instagram share your story with us and our readers in the comments below. If you have not yet embraced Instagram as a hiring tool, then dive into the world of it, be active and commit yourself to build an employer brand and seize the right talent.