How to hire a Social Media Internship

How to hire a social media internship, step by step

Here's a step-by-step social media internship hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a social media internship job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new social media internship
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a Social Media Internship do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your social media internship job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a social media internship for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine Employee vs Contractor Status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A social media internship's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, social media interns from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   Here's a comparison of social media internship salaries for various roles:

   Type Of Social Media Internship	Description	Hourly Rate
   Social Media Internship	Public relations specialists create and maintain a favorable public image for the organization they represent. They design media releases to shape public perception of their organization and to increase awareness of its work and goals.	$11-18
   Content Creator	A content creator is primarily responsible for producing written, verbal, and visual materials that promote products and services to a particular audience. In a company setting, a content creator adheres to managers or senior creators' directives, fact-check and review data, coordinate with other staff such as graphic artists, and participate in developing promotional materials... Show More	$18-47
   Public Relations Coordinator	A public relations coordinator is responsible for developing brand awareness for the organization's brand image. Public relations coordinators work closely with the marketing department to manage marketing campaigns, mainly social media platforms and events, promoting the organization... Show More	$16-28

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common Skills:

   • Instagram
   • Facebook Insights
   • Twitter
   • Social Media Marketing
   • Linkedin
   • YouTube
   • Pinterest
   • Press Releases
   • Hootsuite
   • Google Analytics
   • Social Media Analytics
   • PowerPoint
   • Media Management
   • Social Media Management

   Check All Skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage accounts for clients by monitoring, engaging, digital copywriting, and generating content.
   • Create posts on company's Tumblr blog, manage to gain dozens of notes on posts and followers
   • Reach minimum requirement in sales every month, run social media accounts, and develop and manage online marketing campaigns
   • Develop and manage social media program leveraging Facebook and Pinterest.
   • Manage Facebook account including fielding inquiries and generating overall positive engagement.
   • Help manage the Concrete2Green official blog and create multimedia PowerPoint presentations for promotional purposes

   More Social Media Internship duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your social media internship job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A social media internship salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, social media interns' average salary in louisiana is 39% less than in hawaii.
   • Seniority. Entry-level social media interns earn 38% less than senior-level social media interns.
   • Certifications. A social media internship with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a social media internship's salary.

   Average social media internship salary

   $14.97hourly

   $31,145 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level social media internship salary

   $24,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 17, 2025

   Average social media internship salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. Salary	Hourly Rate
   1	Washington	$37,141	$18
   2	New Jersey	$35,431	$17
   3	District of Columbia	$35,195	$17
   4	California	$34,502	$17
   5	Connecticut	$32,760	$16
   6	Oregon	$32,517	$16
   7	Minnesota	$32,257	$16
   8	Virginia	$31,549	$15
   9	Rhode Island	$31,529	$15
   10	Massachusetts	$31,277	$15
   11	Colorado	$31,121	$15
   12	Illinois	$30,755	$15
   13	North Carolina	$30,590	$15
   14	Tennessee	$30,526	$15
   15	Wisconsin	$30,492	$15
   16	New York	$30,314	$15
   17	Ohio	$29,562	$14
   18	Georgia	$28,546	$14
   19	Michigan	$28,505	$14
   20	Texas	$28,190	$14

   Average social media internship salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average Salary	Hourly Rate	Job Openings
   1	Oracle	$45,359	$21.81	193
   2	The College of St. Scholastica	$39,350	$18.92	2
   3	Community Service Society of New York	$39,039	$18.77	2
   4	Allegheny County	$38,989	$18.74
   5	NextGen America	$38,748	$18.63
   6	International Rescue Committee	$38,742	$18.63	24
   7	Student Conservation Association	$38,034	$18.29	6
   8	Jostens	$37,570	$18.06
   9	Volvo Trucks	$37,044	$17.81
   10	APCO Worldwide	$36,868	$17.73	2
   11	Novelis	$36,517	$17.56
   12	Boston Medical Center	$35,940	$17.28	17
   13	National Renewable Energy Laboratory	$35,675	$17.15
   14	PSEA	$35,615	$17.12	39
   15	Amen Clinics	$35,497	$17.07
   16	Asian Americans for Equality	$35,320	$16.98	1
   17	Lincoln Holdings LLC	$35,124	$16.89	5
   18	American Enterprise Institute	$34,596	$16.63	13
   19	Inspire Medical Systems	$34,364	$16.52
   20	Sheltering Arms	$33,971	$16.33

4. Writing a Social Media Internship Job Description

   A social media internship job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a social media internship job description:

   Social Media Internship job description example

   Girls Who Code is an international non-profit organization dedicated to closing the gender gap in technology. Our organization does more than teach girls to code; we're building a global movement to change culture and challenge systems that have kept girls out of technology. Nearly ten years in, Girls Who Code is a major voice in the fight for gender equality and a thought leader in creating a more fair and equitable society and economy.
   
   The Social Media Intern will work with the team to maintain and grow Girls Who Code's social media channels. Reporting directly to the Senior Manager of Content the Social Media Intern will be responsible for assisting Girls Who Code's Communications and Social Media Associate sourcing content, organizing our analytics reporting system, and helping to produce video content.
   
   The ideal candidate is a team player who thrives in a dynamic and collaborative environment. You have a track record of creating well-performing social media content. You love to write and/or make videos, have an eye for detail, and creative drive. You are energized by and committed to our mission and the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
   This role will be based at Girls Who Code headquarters in New York City.
   Candidates should be able to work up to 15 hours per week through March 31st, 2023.
   Responsibilities:Support drafting daily social media content Working within our social media analytics platform to organize and analyze content performance Pitch ideas for social media content, particularly video-based content Help produce social media content, both in written and video forms
   Qualifications:Strong organizational skills skills; ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously, set priorities with manager, and meet deadlines.Creative drive and willingness to experiment with content Excellent communication skillsA keen visual eye and familiarity with visual design principles Comfort with all social platformsA desire to be on camera to create content themself
   Girls Who Code is committed to building a truly diverse and inclusive organization with a focus on valuing, serving, and understanding our target constituents, while challenging all stakeholders to think inclusively for the betterment of our programs.
   
   Girls Who Code is an equal opportunity employer committed to a policy of equal treatment and opportunity in every aspect of its hiring and promotion process without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sexual orientation, partnership status, gender and/or gender identity or expression, marital, parental or familial status, national origin, ethnicity, veteran or military status, age, disability, or any other legally protected basis. Racial and ethnic minorities and men are encouraged to apply for vacant positions at all levels. GWC is not able to sponsor employment visas.

   Copy This Example

   

5. Post your job

   To find social media interns for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any social media interns they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level social media interns with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your social media internship job on Zippia to find and attract quality social media internship candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as pr news job board, pr council, prsa job center, hoojobs.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting social media interns requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new social media internship

   Once you've found the social media internship candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new social media internship. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a social media internship?