How to hire a Social Media Specialist

How to hire a social media specialist, step by step

Here's a step-by-step social media specialist 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 specialist job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new social media specialist
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a Social Media Specialist do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a social media specialist, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine Employee vs Contractor Status

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

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a social media specialist to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a social media specialist that fits the bill.

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

   Type Of Social Media Specialist	Description	Hourly Rate
   Social Media Specialist	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.	$18-32
   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
   Communications Coordinator	A communications coordinator is responsible for overseeing the communications department's operations, developing the brand image, and monitoring press releases, company articles, and other related marketing materials for business promotion and visibility. Communications coordinators actively interact with existing and potential clients, negotiate contracts, and build profitable partnerships... Show More	$16-30

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common Skills:

   • Social Media Marketing
   • Instagram
   • Digital Marketing
   • Facebook
   • Twitter
   • Social Media Management
   • Media Management
   • Linkedin
   • YouTube
   • Customer Service
   • Social Platforms
   • Social Channels
   • Google Analytics
   • Hootsuite

   Check All Skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Develop and manage blogger outreach program and KPIs.
   • Assist in managing the social network pages (Facebook/Twitter) as well as editing the site.
   • Create, curate, and manage all publish content (images, video and written).
   • Develop and help manage online links and search engine optimization (SEO) efforts to drive traffic to sites
   • Manage social media properties (Facebook, YouTube), including daily monitoring, posting, and content development.
   • Manage $15- $75K monthly PPC budget for 90 interactive agencies, totaling $24M annual ad spend.

   More Social Media Specialist duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your social media specialist job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A social media specialist can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, social media specialists' average salary in maine is 40% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level social media specialists 44% less than senior-level social media specialists.
   • Certifications. A social media specialist with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a social media specialist's salary.

   Average social media specialist salary

   $51,584yearly

   $24.80 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level social media specialist salary

   $38,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 15, 2025

   Average social media specialist salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. Salary	Hourly Rate
   1	District of Columbia	$60,436	$29
   2	California	$59,732	$29
   3	New York	$56,127	$27
   4	Virginia	$55,970	$27
   5	Washington	$55,336	$27
   6	Massachusetts	$54,326	$26
   7	Connecticut	$53,962	$26
   8	Oregon	$52,996	$25
   9	Nevada	$52,125	$25
   10	Arizona	$49,308	$24
   11	Colorado	$49,240	$24
   12	Maryland	$48,980	$24
   13	North Carolina	$48,461	$23
   14	Pennsylvania	$47,175	$23
   15	Illinois	$46,846	$23
   16	Minnesota	$46,512	$22
   17	Michigan	$45,611	$22
   18	Florida	$45,494	$22
   19	Texas	$44,608	$21
   20	Georgia	$44,147	$21

   Average social media specialist salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average Salary	Hourly Rate	Job Openings
   1	McKinsey & Company Inc	$78,446	$37.71
   2	Bain & Company	$78,028	$37.51
   3	Earthjustice	$76,304	$36.68
   4	TBWA Worldwide	$74,602	$35.87	2
   5	RPA	$72,724	$34.96	3
   6	Evonik	$71,988	$34.61
   7	Independence Contract Drilling	$69,900	$33.61
   8	Adobe	$68,783	$33.07	16
   9	Zynga	$67,467	$32.44
   10	Constellation Energy Partners	$67,321	$32.37	1
   11	Electronic Arts	$66,871	$32.15	1
   12	Edelman Financial Engines	$65,160	$31.33
   13	Amphenol	$64,703	$31.11
   14	National Grid plc	$64,579	$31.05
   15	Survios	$64,472	$31.00
   16	Helen of Troy	$63,002	$30.29	3
   17	Duquesne Light Company	$62,354	$29.98
   18	Andersen	$62,108	$29.86	1
   19	Panasonic Avionics	$61,152	$29.40
   20	Salesforce	$60,560	$29.12	3

4. Writing a Social Media Specialist Job Description

   A job description for a social media specialist role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a social media specialist job description:

   Social Media Specialist job description example

   Allied Universal®, North America’s leading security and facility services company, provides rewarding careers that give you a sense of purpose. While working in a dynamic, diverse and inclusive workplace, you will be part of a team that fuels a culture that will reflect in our communities and customers we serve. We offer medical, dental and vision coverage, life insurance, 401K, employee assistance programs, company discounts, perks and more for all full-time positions!
   Allied Universal is hiring a Full-Time Security Officer to work at the Largest Social Media site in Menlo Park ! As a Security Officer, you will serve and safeguard clients in a range of industries such as Commercial Real Estate, Healthcare, Education, Government and more. We also offer free guard card training!
   
   Available Schedules
   
   Saturday - Wednesday 9:30 PM - 6:00 AM (Grave Shift) Monday - Friday 5:30 AM - 2:00 PM (Day Shift)
   Pay Rate
   
   $21.05 / hr
   
   On-Site Perks Complimentary breakfast/lunch/dinner Free snacks, beverages, and desserts Free sanitation services Points incentive program Responsibilities: Provide customer service to our clients by carrying out safety and security procedures, site-specific policies and when appropriate, emergency response activities Respond to incidents and critical situations in a calm, problem solving manner Conduct regular and random patrols around the business and perimeter. Working environments and conditions may vary by client site. Minimum Requirements: Be at least 18 years of age for unarmed roles; 21+ years of age for armed roles Possess a high school diploma or equivalent, or 5 years of verifiable experience As a condition of employment, applicants will be subject to a background investigation in accordance with all federal, state, and local laws. Allied Universal will consider qualified applications with criminal histories in a manner consistent with applicable laws. As a condition of employment, applicants will be subject to a drug screen to the extent permitted by law. Licensing requirements are subject to state and/or local laws and regulations and may be required prior to employment.
   *A valid driver’s license will be required for driving positions only Perks and Benefits: Health insurance and 401k plans for full-time positions Flexible part time and full-time schedules that fit with your personal life goals Ongoing paid training programs and career growth opportunities Employee discounts through our perks program to your favorite restaurants, entertainment venues and much more… Allied Universal® is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race/ethnicity, age, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, genetic information, disability, protected veteran status or relationship/association with a protected veteran, or any other basis or characteristic protected by law. For more information: www.aus.com If you have any questions regarding Equal Employment Opportunity, Affirmative Action, Diversity and Inclusion, have difficulty using the online system and require an alternate method to apply, or require an accommodation at any time during the recruitment and/or employment process, please contact our local Human Resources department. To find an office near you, please visit: www.aus.com/offices.

   Copy This Example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right social media specialist for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your social media specialist job on Zippia to find and recruit social media specialist candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting social media specialists 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.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete 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 specialist

   Once you've selected the best social media specialist candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new social media specialist. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

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 specialist?