Digital footprints and recruitment: an experimental study on the impact of social media content on hiring decisions

The aim of this study is to reveal the extent to which and the ways in which the content that candidates share on their social media profiles influences the evaluations of decision-makers in recruitment processes.

To that end, an experimental study was conducted with 480 managers and human resources specialists authorized in recruitment processes at four- and five-star hotels in different regions of Türkiye. A fictional scenario was developed to create a realistic recruitment situation. Participants were randomly assigned to a control group and two experimental groups, where they examined résumés of candidates together with social media profiles, manipulated to appear either professional or non-professional, and evaluated their hiring intentions. Thus, the study tested the weight of personal signals perceived from social media posts, alongside the professional competencies and experience stated in the candidates' résumés, in the decision-making processes of evaluators.

The findings show that social media content significantly influences perceptions of professional competence and person-organization fit, thereby altering hiring intention. In particular, negative social media content was found to overshadow the professional competence signal, even for highly qualified candidates, leading to a prioritization of perceived cultural fit. In contrast, professional content enabled candidates to send a positive fit signal, supporting hiring intention.

Social media profiles function as a strategic moderator that reinforces or weakens the technical signals presented in résumés and substantially shapes the perceived suitability of candidates. These results indicate that social media content is not only a supplementary source of information but also a strong signaling mechanism that guides recruitment decisions. The study makes theoretical contributions to Signaling Theory and provides important practical implications regarding the use of social media in recruitment processes.