What is social recruiting?
Social recruiting—also known as social media recruiting—is the practice of using social media platforms to source, attract, and engage job candidates. Instead of relying only on traditional job boards or internal referrals, businesses leverage networks like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and even TikTok to reach a wider, often more targeted, talent pool.
For small business owners, social recruiting can be a cost-effective and powerful tool to find candidates who are already active in your community or industry. With a hiring platform like Homebase, you can streamline the recruiting process and even promote job listings where your audience already spends time online.
Why social recruiting matters for small businesses
Most job seekers today—especially younger candidates and hourly workers—spend more time on social media than on job boards. Social recruiting lets you meet them where they are, promote your business as a great place to work, and humanize the hiring process.
Benefits of social recruiting include:
- Lower hiring costs – Posting jobs on social is often free or inexpensive
- Faster candidate engagement – Reach people instantly and encourage direct messages or quick applications
- Higher quality hires – Attract people who are already familiar with your brand or community
- Stronger employer brand – Showcase your team, values, and culture to stand out from competitors
- Better referral potential – Employees and followers can share job openings in their own networks
Whether you're hiring a barista, retail associate, or line cook, social recruiting can help you fill roles faster with people who match your vibe.
Where to recruit on social media
- Post jobs directly on your business page
- Use local job groups or community pages
- Boost posts with small budgets to reach targeted candidates
- Engage with comments and messages in real time
- Share “we’re hiring” posts in your feed or Stories
- Highlight your team and workplace in behind-the-scenes content
- Use location and industry hashtags (e.g., #austinjobs, #baristajobs)
- Link to your job posting in your bio
- Post jobs for professional or administrative roles
- Highlight company values and team achievements
- Ask employees to share openings in their networks
TikTok
- Share short videos about your team or workplace
- Use creative content to reach younger candidates in hourly roles
- Partner with influencers or team members to spread the word
The right channel depends on your audience—but many small businesses find Facebook and Instagram especially effective for local recruiting.
What to include in a social recruiting post
Your post should be brief, visual, and easy to share. Focus on what makes the opportunity—and your workplace—worth exploring.
Include:
- Job title and location
- Pay range and perks (like flexible hours, tips, or free meals)
- How to apply (link, QR code, or “DM us”)
- Team or workplace photo to add personality
- A short, friendly caption that reflects your brand’s tone
Example:
We’re hiring! Looking for a friendly, reliable barista to join our downtown team
$17/hr + tips | Flexible shifts | Great team energy
Apply now via link in bio or DM us!
Tips to make social recruiting work
- Be consistent – Post regularly and respond quickly to questions
- Encourage sharing – Ask current employees or followers to share the post
- Use visuals – Photos of your team, workspace, or customers perform better than plain text
- Track performance – Monitor engagement, clicks, and applications to see which posts work best
- Link to a simple application – Use tools like Homebase to create short, mobile-friendly applications
How Homebase supports social recruiting
Homebase helps small businesses turn interest into action. Once someone sees your job post on social, Homebase makes it easy for them to apply—and for you to track, screen, and hire efficiently.
With Homebase, you can:
- Create and publish job posts from templates
- Generate a sharable job link to use on social media
- Track applicants from any source in one dashboard
- Message candidates and schedule interviews
- Onboard new hires digitally once they accept the offer
Explore Homebase Hiring and Onboarding to simplify your recruiting process, attract better candidates, and build your team using the platforms your future employees already use every day.