JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas – The Air Force Recruiting School assigned to the 344th Training Squadron recently celebrated the grand opening of its brand-new social media room, a space poised to become an integral part of the recruiting schoolhouse curriculum, empowering recruiters with tools and knowledge needed to leverage marketing, communication, and social media strategies effectively.
Tech. Sgt. Shamika Gibbs an Instructor Supervisor who has been in recruiting since 2012, says learning how to properly manage social media will serve as an important tool.
“We’ve been adding real world scenarios to our course to better equip our new recruiters. We’ve identified that social media has become a big way of reaching not just our young applicants but all applicants,” Gibbs said.
The room represents a step toward modernizing recruitment practices. The facility is designed to immerse recruiters in the dynamic world of social media, enabling them to stay ahead of the curve in reaching potential recruits in the digital age.
“It is a big key in the grand scheme of things, it is like leaving a mark,” Gibbs said.
The recruiter instructor supervisor says social media facilitates how recruiters can engage potential applicants by creating a continuous accessible stream of creative content.
“When you have something on social media the recruiter may be doing something else, however, their video is still there, their name is still there, the picture is still there and they are still able to reach individuals without actually being their on-face time,” Gibbs Said.
Recognizing the paramount role that social media plays in communication and outreach, the schoolhouse has seamlessly integrated the social media room into its curriculum. Recruiters undergoing training can now delve into practical applications of marketing methods, communication techniques, and social media campaigns during week six of training.
Master Sgt. Charles Giertz, a recruiting instructor, says the training is really trying to tailor to the potential algorithms that each social media site is operating under in efforts of getting their message out to as many people.
“So, the training that we give them, not only the recording portion aspect of it and the message itself but also how to spruce it up for the algorithm to pick up on a good product,” Giertz said.
The heart of this initiative lies in providing recruiters with a hands-on-learning experience. The social media room is outfitted with tools and software allowing students to fine-tune their skills in crafting compelling content, engaging with online communities, and utilizing various platforms to maximize recruitment efforts.
Senior Master Sgt. Ladiwina Gilly, Air Force Recruiting Schoolhouse superintendent, says there was certainly a need for this objective.
“After receiving the 2022 Recruiter Quality of Life Survey debriefing, I decided to take action,” Gilly said. “In the survey recruiters commented that they felt unprepared and uncomfortable with social media. This sparked me to add this into the curriculum.”