How to Source and Recruit on Reddit

Jonathan Kidder

7 years ago

You may have heard of the popular online forum Reddit.com as a go to place to get answers to your questions or find the latest news stories. One area you may not have associated with the fourth largest website online today is it’s potential for recruiting. Yes, you can use Reddit to source and recruit potential candidates online.

Millennials and technology gurus use this site daily to get news and research different topics. There are specific topics dedicated to the job search and if you are not utilizing this for recruiting you are missing out on some great advertising for your job (Example Below).

Go where your candidates are and get to know the methods they are using to gain information. To get started with using Reddit for recruiting, here are some tips:

1. Know Your Platform

Before you jump into Reddit for recruiting, take some time to get to know the platform. If you have used it before, you are ahead of the game. Start by checking out subreddits like r/forhire to see what is currently being posted for roles. Reddit is different from other platforms you may use for posting jobs, so you will want to make sure you are using it properly.

If you are brand new to Reddit, start with the FAQ wiki to familiarize yourself with how to use it. Generally, you want your post to be upvoted so people see your post at the top and one that is vetting by other group members. You also want to get your Karma score high so Reddit users respect you. It is very different from LinkedIn or Facebook, so take the time to really learn how to use it for the best results.

2. Know Your Audience

Reddit is a fantastic place to recruit and source candidates for the tech industry. If you are looking for Programmers and Developers, they are very likely hanging out on Reddit. If your jobs are on this platform, you may get a more passive candidate that isn’t’ actively checking out traditional job posting sites.

There are certain protocols for recruiting on Reddit that you need to follow to avoid alienating the candidates you want to attract. In this LinkedIn post from Daniel Allen, he explains various things that you should avoid as a recruiter.

No spammy posts and super obvious advertising language. They will ask questions and expect you to have honest answers about the job.

3. Post Your Job

Decide which sub-reddit you are going to post your job to. Here is an index of all the current job sub-reddit topics. Choose topics that are relevant to the job you are posting to attract the best candidate.

Every sub-reddit has specific guidelines, so the first step is to carefully read these and follow them. Don’t assume the rules are the same for every sub-reddit you are using, you may find your post in the spam folder. In some cases, they may even ban you from participating in the future.

Formatting in Reddit is unique to the platform, so ensure you are doing this correctly. Check out Reddittext.com’s guide for formatting to make sure your posts are on the right track. It’s also a good practice to review the subreddit you are interesting in posting to for examples of jobs that are highly upvoted by users with good karma ratings. See what they are doing and mirror their approach to get similar results.

4. Follow Up

Reddit is all about getting your questions answered, so you need to do this for your job as well. Posting and forgetting about it isn’t going to provide you much return. People may ask questions directly in the sub-reddit or private message you.

Be available and actively participate in the sub-reddit you are posting in. This will help readers know, like, and trust you. Then they will give your job a more realistic look. If they feel like you are only there to promote your job and not help the community, they may be less likely to consider the opportunity. Workable mentions caring about your potential candidates goes a long way on Reddit and can help you achieve great results with recruiting.

Make sure you are honest in your answers, as Reddit users are no non-sense when it comes to being lied to. It’s just good practice, to be honest about the job anyway. Candidates should come into a job knowing what to expect, so they can be successful.

If you aren’t using Reddit as part of your Technical Recruiting strategy, it’s time to check it out! Ere.com states that “Eighty percent of traffic comes from a desktop computer”. This makes it great for candidates to check out your job and apply on the spot. Unlike other platforms that are usually viewed on mobile devices, where candidates either have to save a job for later or try to apply via their iPhone.

While using Reddit for recruiting is a bit more involved than posting to Monster, it can lead to fantastic results. For hard to source roles, like those in the Technology industry Reddit can aid in finding the best candidate for your role. Taking this approach will focus your extra energy on the roles that are difficult to fill. The best part? It is a free resource to market your jobs, so take advantage today!

Here’s some tools to use on Reddit:

MetaReddit: Use this site to search all the subreddits and tags.

RedditMetrics: Track what is subreddits are trending on Reddit.

RedditInsights: Track users and other data using this site.

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