How to Hire a Social Media Manager? 7-Step Process & Tools

Hiring the wrong social media manager can cost your brand more than just dollars. Poor engagement, missed trends, and off-brand messaging can cost you reach, leads, and reputation. Yet, many hiring teams still rely on gut feeling or portfolios alone to hire.

In a competitive digital job market, top social media talent disappears in days; you can’t afford to misfire on this key marketing hire.

This research-backed hiring guide is for startup founders, marketing leads, and hiring managers. From defining the role to sourcing, screening, and onboarding, here’s how to hire a Social Media Manager the right way.

7 Proven Steps to Hire a Social Media Manager

A structured hiring process helps reduce mis-hires and ensures you're building a brand that connects. Here’s a 7-step roadmap on how to hire a social media manager used by top recruiters.

1. Define Your Hiring Needs and Set a Budget

Before posting a job, get clear on what you want a social media manager to achieve. Is this role focused on brand awareness, lead generation, or community building?

Define:

• Target platforms (e.g., Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok).
• Content scope: strategy only, or also execution?
• Reporting expectations and KPIs (engagement rate, reach, CTR, etc.).

After you are clear on your requirements, set a realistic budget, which should cover:

• Salary is benchmarked using tools like Glassdoor and PayScale.
• Bonuses for KPIs (e.g., follower growth, conversions).

Stat: In the U.S., a social media manager earns an average of $59,000. But with experience and skills in multiple channels, salaries can go beyond $80,000.

2. Write the Perfect Job Description and Post It Online

Your Social Media Manager job description should clearly distinguish whether you need a content creator, strategist, or both. Focus on outcomes, not just tasks.

A high-performing JD includes:

• Specific job title (e.g., “B2B Social Media Strategist”).
• Purpose of the role and KPIs.
• Daily/weekly responsibilities by channel.
• Must-have skills (e.g., copywriting, analytics) and tools (e.g., Buffer, Meta Business Suite).
• Benefits, salary range, and work setup (remote/hybrid).

Now, your job description needs maximum reach to attract top talent. You should post the job on platforms like:

• Skima AI (AI-distributed posting to top boards)
• LinkedIn
• Marketing job boards like MarketerHire and We Work Remotely
• Your careers page

Stat: Around 70% of employers saw increased applicant volume when including pay ranges in the JD.

3. Source Social Media Experts and Parse Resumes

To hire the best social media manager, don’t just wait for applications. Proactive sourcing is key.

Here’s how to find qualified social media talent:

• Search your internal resume databases in seconds with AI tools like Skima AI Search.
• Ask for referrals from marketing team members, content creators, or influencer partners; they often know strong candidates.
• Browse Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok for active creators and strategists who manage branded accounts or personal channels with proven growth.
• Explore communities like Marketing Twitter, Slack groups (e.g., Online Geniuses), and Facebook groups focused on social media jobs.

Once you’ve gathered CVs, use Skima AI’s resume parser to turn raw resumes into a structured and searchable form. It extracts key details like skills, experience, education, social profiles, contact information, and more.

4. Screen Applications and Shortlist the Best Profiles

Now that you have structured resume data, screening them one by one is a time-consuming process. Top recruiters use Skima AI Search to screen candidates in seconds, based on your job requirements.

It then automatically ranks social media manager profiles according to relevance, assigning each a match score out of 100, along with clear explanations.

When you do it manually, look beyond years of experience, focus on measurable impact, and content quality. The best social media managers combine storytelling, brand alignment, and strategic thinking.

Prioritize candidates who can:

• Show ROI-driven results (e.g., “Grew Instagram followers by 60% in 3 months”).
• Demonstrate consistency in tone and visuals across platforms.
• Have worked with similar audience types or industries.
• Use social analytics to refine strategies (not just to schedule posts).

Insight: The average recruiter spends 23 hours screening resumes for a single hire. AI scoring tools like Skima AI cut this down to minutes.

5. Conduct Structured Interviews to Assess Strategic and Creative Skills

Now that you've shortlisted top candidates for the social media manager role, it’s time to reach out. Use Skima AI campaigns to automate personalized outreach across email, LinkedIn, and even SMS.

Let candidates know they’ve made it to the next stage, that is interview. Schedule their interviews and outline what to expect.

Avoid asking generic questions. Ask structured questions that test real-world social media marketing insights.

You can include:

• How would you plan a 10-day campaign for [insert product or launch]?
• Which of our recent posts worked well (or didn’t) and why?
• How do you balance brand voice with platform trends?

Assess with:

• A mock content plan brief (e.g., LinkedIn + Instagram campaign for an event).
• A 10-minute caption rewrite or visual critique.
• Portfolio walkthrough: ask for the “why” behind top-performing content.

Stat: According to the Harvard Business Review, structured interviews are twice as good as informal ones for predicting job success.

6. Check References and Send a Competitive Job Offer

Before finalizing your Social Media Manager, check references. Focus on strategy execution, deadline discipline, and the ability to handle feedback.

Ask former managers about:

• Content quality and campaign consistency.
• Stakeholder communication (e.g., with designers or paid ad teams).
• Audience understanding and trend adoption.

If the feedback aligns, prepare a strong offer:

• Base salary + performance bonuses (e.g., for engagement or lead KPIs).
• Creative freedom or L&D budgets (this matters to creatives!).
• Hybrid or remote flexibility.
• Clear start date and reporting structure.

7. Onboard Your New Social Media Manager Effectively

Once your offer is accepted, it's crucial to onboard your new social media manager properly. This helps them align their creative and strategic potential right from day one.

A strong start helps them align with your brand and start producing results quickly.

Onboard Checklist:

• Provide access to brand guidelines, asset libraries, and past analytics reports.
• Set expectations for tone, cadence, review cycles, and reporting structure.
• Introduce them to your product, content, and customer personas.
• Assign a buddy from marketing or content to ease collaboration.
• Set a 30-60-90 day roadmap (e.g., audit channels, launch first campaign, own a content series).

Insight: Structured onboarding helps employees stay long-term. They are 82% more likely to remain and 70% more productive in the first 90 days.

Now that you know how to hire a Social Media Manager step by step, the next key move is figuring out what separates a good candidate from a truly standout one.

6 Essential Skills Every SMM Should Have

Hiring a Social Media Manager isn’t just about finding someone who can post daily. You need to find a specialist who can engage with different communities and also drive growth across various social media platforms.

Here are six critical skills to look for:

1. Strategic Content Planning

A top-tier Social Media Manager understands that consistency and timing drive results. 

They should be able to:

• Develop monthly and quarterly content calendars tied to campaign goals.
• Align social media content to major marketing themes like product launches, events, or seasonal offers.
• Additionally, they must know the design and size formats for each channel. 

For eg:

• Short videos for TikTok
• Carousels and reels for Instagram
• Polls for LinkedIn

Why it matters: Without a strategy, even great content gets lost. You need someone who can map social efforts to business outcomes.

2. Conversion-Driven Copywriting

This role demands sharp writing that not only grabs attention but also inspires action. Look for a social media expert who can:

• Write concise, platform-optimized captions that reflect brand tone.
• Craft high-converting calls-to-action (CTAs) that drive clicks, shares, or comments.
• Adapt messaging based on audience and channel; what works on X won’t work on LinkedIn.

Why it matters: Every word counts in social media marketing. A great copy connects with the audience, builds brand trust, and fuels engagement.

3. Social Analytics & Optimization

Qualified Social media experts should understand data well. They need to make decisions based on metrics, not just guesses. Look for a social media manager who can:

• Monitor key metrics like engagement rate, reach, impressions, click-through rate (CTR), and follower growth across platforms.
• Use analytics tools such as Meta Business Suite, Instagram Insights, X (Twitter) Analytics, LinkedIn Analytics, and Google Analytics to evaluate campaign performance.
• Run A/B tests on post formats, headlines, hashtags, and timing to improve content effectiveness.

Why it matters: Tracking likes and shares isn't enough. You need someone who ties metrics to growth and refines them based on real data.

4. Deep Platform Knowledge

Top-performing social media managers should have a strong grasp of how each platform works and how users interact with the content.
Look for candidates who can:

• Understand the core differences between formats like Instagram Reels vs. Stories, LinkedIn Carousels vs. Posts, or TikTok's short-form video vs. YouTube Shorts.
• Stay up to date with algorithm changes. For example, knowing how TikTok’s FYP (For You Page) surfaces content or how Instagram prioritizes engagement can help maximize visibility.
• Use native features effectively, such as pinning posts, using trending audio, or tagging collaborators.
  Schedule content using tools like Buffer, Hootsuite, Later, or native platform schedulers, with awareness of peak posting times.
• Track the rise of new platforms (e.g., Threads) and understand shifts in user behavior that affect content strategy.

Why it matters: A social media manager’s skills with platforms directly impact reach, engagement, and campaign success.

5. Community Engagement & Moderation

Beyond content, great SMMs manage the brand’s voice in the comments, DMs, and replies. 

They should:

• Respond to questions, praise, or criticism with empathy and brand consistency without delay.
• Build relationships with followers, influencers, and brand advocates.
• Use engagement as a tool for retention, feedback collection, and customer loyalty.

Why it matters: Social media is a two-way street. Your manager needs to be present and proactive.

6. Crisis Communication & Brand Control

When a post gets misinterpreted or a customer complaint goes viral, your SMM needs to act fast and smart. 

They must:

• Adhere to escalation protocols and maintain clear communication during PR or product crises.
• Maintain consistent messaging across platforms to protect the brand’s reputation.
• Stay calm under pressure and collaborate with legal, PR, or leadership when needed.

Why it matters: One bad tweet can damage trust. A skilled SMM knows how to protect and preserve brand credibility.

How to Test an SMM’s Creative and Strategic Skills?

To assess whether a candidate can drive growth and engagement for your brand, you need more than just resumes. Use role-specific assessments that mimic real-world challenges, check how they plan and execute content that fits your brand

To evaluate these qualities before making a hire, use the following targeted assessments:

1. Give a Role-Specific Creative Brief

Provide a short mock brief based on your brand. For example:

“Create a 5-day Instagram content plan to promote our new product launch targeting Gen Z users.”

Ask them to submit:

• Draft captions and visual concepts (you’re testing tone, originality, and relevance).
• Hashtag strategy and platform-specific adaptation.
• Post timing and frequency rationale.

What to look for: Consistency with brand voice, visual creativity, cultural awareness, and understanding of platform nuances (e.g., Reels vs. Stories vs. Carousels).

2. Conduct a Live Campaign Strategy Walkthrough

Present a hypothetical campaign goal such as:

“We’re launching a webinar for early-stage founders. How would you promote it across LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram over two weeks?

”Let them whiteboard or outline:

• Audience segmentation and platform focus.
• Organic vs. paid tactics.
• Content formats (video, carousel, live sessions).
• KPIs they’d track and how they'd measure success.

Why it works: This reveals their ability to connect business goals with content strategy, budget constraints, and data-driven decision-making.

3. Audit a Real Brand (Yours or Another)

Ask them to do a 10-minute audit of your existing social channels (or a competitor’s). Example:

“If hired, what would you start, stop, and improve in our current content strategy?”

Expect commentary on:

• Visual consistency and storytelling.
• Audience engagement and content mix.
• Frequency, call-to-actions, and use of trends or formats.

What it tests: Critical thinking, pattern recognition, and confidence in recommending improvements.

4. Review Their Portfolio and Ask for Context

• Don’t just look at numbers, ask how they got there.
• What was the goal of this campaign?
• What content worked best and why?
• What didn’t work, and what did they learn?

Tip: If you can, ask them to show their analytics dashboards. Look for Instagram Insights, LinkedIn analytics, or Meta Business Suite. You're testing their ability to extract insights and revise based on performance.

5. Use a Timed Content Rewrite Task

Give them a poorly written or generic post and ask for a live rewrite. Example:

• “This LinkedIn post has low engagement. Rewrite it to make it more compelling for startup founders.”
• They have 10–15 minutes.

What this highlights: Instant copywriting skills, message clarity, tone control, and the ability to write for engagement, not just for impressions.

Cost of Hiring a Social Media Manager & How to Reduce It

In our research, we have not found the exact cost of hiring a social media manager. However, the average cost of hiring an employee often ranges between $4,000 and $20,000+, depending on the role, tools, and approach.

Here’s how you can significantly reduce this cost using an all-in-one hiring solution like Skima AI:

• Eliminates individual job board listings with one click, auto-distributes AI-optimized listings across high-visibility channels.
  Saves 30-40 hours per hire through automated resume screening and shortlisting.
• Replaces costly assessments with built-in skill tests tailored to each role.
• Reduces dependency on external recruiters or agencies by automating sourcing & outreach.
• Includes built-in ATS and analytics. Also, it cuts the costs of multiple software subscriptions.
• Its integrations allow you to connect your existing stack seamlessly.

By streamlining each step of the hiring process, Skima AI helps you hire the right social media manager faster while saving thousands in overhead and effort.

Legal Requirements for Hiring Employees

Hiring in the U.S. involves key federal and state-level legal criteria that every employer must follow. Below are the six essential requirements

1. Get an Employer Identification Number (EIN)

All businesses with employees must obtain an EIN from the IRS. This unique 9-digit tax identification number is required for payroll and tax reporting. You can apply for it online for free through IRS.gov.

2. Verify Work Eligibility using Form I‑9

Every employer in the U.S. must fill out Form I-9 for each new hire. This form confirms the employee's identity and their legal authorization to work.
Both employee and employer portions are mandatory, and Section 2 must be completed within three business days of the start date.

3. Report New Hires to the State

When you hire staff, federal law says you must report all new hires or rehires within 20 days. You need to send this information to the state’s “Directory of New Hires." This supports child support enforcement and unemployment systems.

4. Comply with Federal and State Labor Laws

Employers must adhere to:

• The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) governs minimum wage, overtime, and recordkeeping.
• Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) protections.
• OSHA rules for workplace safety apply especially if you have five or more employees in the private sector.

5. Post Required Labor Law Notices

U.S. employers must display federal and state labor law posters in a visible workplace location. Posters include rights under wage, safety, and anti-discrimination laws. The Department of Labor provides these for free.

6. Obtain Workers’ Compensation Insurance

Most states, including California and Florida, require workers’ compensation coverage when you have employees. This insurance helps pay for medical expenses and lost wages from work-related injuries. It also protects you from liability lawsuits.

3 Best Hiring Software to Hire a Social Media Manager 

Top recruiters use intelligent hiring platforms to automate tasks, match candidates, and make smarter decisions. Below are three top-rated tools widely trusted by the best hiring teams in the U.S.

1. Skima AI

Skima AI is an end-to-end AI hiring software built for recruiters who value data-driven, high-quality hiring at scale. Its in-house AI models help you streamline job posting, talent sourcing, resume parsing, candidate matching, personalized outreach, and analytics.

Plus, it is designed to integrate seamlessly with your existing ATS, payroll, VMS systems, and more. Skima AI enables teams to hire faster without sacrificing quality or increasing the learning curve.

Key Features of Skima AI:

• One-click multi-board job posting
• Accurate AI Resume Parsing
• Powerful AI Search (Trained on millions of resumes)
• AI Matching Score & Reasoning
• Custom AI Matching Models
• Local Database Search (talent rediscovery)
• Talent pipeline management
• Branded Careers Page
• Seamless Integrations to ATS, LinkedIn, Job Board, Chrome, etc.
• Enterprise Grade Security & Compliance (SOC 2)
• Advanced Analytics & Reporting
• Dedicated Infrastructure Options (Cloud, On-premises, Hybrid)

Skima AI's Impact: Teams using Skima AI report up to 40% faster hiring cycles and 2x higher-quality applicants, based on internal case studies.

2. Greenhouse

Greenhouse is a leading ATS and recruitment software. It centralises all hiring stages, from sourcing and structured interviews to onboarding and analytics.

The platform includes AI-powered tools, custom workflows, and numerous integrations. These features help companies streamline hiring and enhance decisions with data-driven insights.

Key Features of Greenhouse:

• AI-Powered Recruiting
• Talent Sourcing & CRM
• Structured Interview Management
• Diversity & Inclusion Tools
• Reporting & Analytics
• Onboarding & Candidate Experience
• Integrations

3. Lever

Lever combines an ATS with a CRM, helping hiring teams nurture passive talent just as effectively as active applicants. Its intuitive UI and automation features make it easy for recruiters and hiring managers to stay in sync.

Moreover, businesses can customize workflows to improve collaboration and decision-making. This leads to quality hires and cost savings over time.

Key Features of Lever:

• Applicant Tracking System centralizes all candidate data.
• AI Interview Intelligence provides structured interview guides.
• Recruitment analytics, such as time-to-hire, offer acceptance rates, etc.
• Recruitment tasks automation, like candidate outreach, scheduling, etc.

Summary - Hire the Best Social Media Manager

A skilled Social Media Manager drives brand visibility, audience growth, and engagement across key platforms. Yet many companies still face challenges like unclear role definitions, slow hiring cycles, and mismatched expectations.

This guide provided you with a step-by-step process for how to hire a Social Media Manager. From defining the role to sourcing, evaluating, and onboarding the right candidate. You now have a clear framework to streamline hiring, improve quality, and boost retention.

With the right system in place, you can attract top digital talent and grow your brand online faster. Skima AI helps hiring teams source, screen, and engage social media experts with AI automation. Start your 14-day free trial today.
 

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is a social media manager’s role in business growth?

A social media manager helps engage audiences, grow brand visibility, and generate leads across platforms through content creation, analytics, and strategic campaigns aligned with your business goals.

2. How to find a social media manager who fits my brand voice?

To find a social media manager who aligns with your brand, review portfolio content, give a test brief, and use tools like Skima AI to match candidates based on tone, industry, and style.

3. What qualifications should I look for in social media marketing recruitment?

Look for hands-on experience with platforms like Meta, LinkedIn, and TikTok, strong copywriting skills, campaign performance analytics, and a portfolio showing growth-driven content.

4. What tools can simplify social media marketing recruitment for busy teams?

Platforms like Skima AI streamline social media marketing recruitment by automatching candidates, parsing creative portfolios, and scoring applicants based on content strategy, platform expertise, and engagement-driven performance.

5. What’s the fastest way to find a social media manager for startups?

Use Skima AI’s AI-powered search and outreach to find a social media manager quickly. It screens candidates by their niche experience, the tools they used, and their past campaign results, all in just seconds.