Social Recruiting at Scale: Turning Awareness into Hires

By Christy Bodnar, Assistant Director of TA and Onboarding, XKIG 

Recently, I had the incredible opportunity to represent XKIG at Talent Acquisition Week in San Diego. I left feeling both energized and humbled, energized by the innovation in our field and humbled to have been invited to share my expertise with a talented community of TA professionals. Reelist, our social media recruitment partner, captured a 2-minute video of the conversation.  

Across sessions and conversations, one message rang loud and clear: AI isn’t on the horizon anymore — it’s here. And while the tools are evolving faster than ever, the true differentiator in our work isn’t the technology itself. It’s us. 

At XKIG, growth isn’t a future goal; it’s our current reality. 

Over the past two years, we’ve experienced unprecedented expansion, growing from under 2,000 employees to 7,000. That kind of growth doesn’t just challenge our recruiting function; it redefines it. Traditional approaches alone can’t keep up. We needed something more dynamic, more targeted, and more aligned with how today’s workforce discovers opportunity. 

That’s when “social recruiting” became a critical part of our strategy. 

What is social recruiting? 

For years, social media in recruiting was often treated as a top-of-funnel awareness tool. It was great for visibility but hard to tie directly to hires. We saw it differently. 

At XKIG, we asked a simple question: What if social media posts could drive not only attention but also action? 

The answer required a shift in mindset. Instead of posting broadly and hoping the right candidates would engage, we built a system to reach ready-to-work applicants. These are people actively looking, geographically aligned, and motivated to step into essential infrastructure roles. 

Social recruiting allows us to meet candidates where they are, whether that’s in a rural community where word of mouth still matters or in an urban market where competition for skilled labor is high. 

We’ve focused on: 

• Targeted campaigns in hard-to-fill geographies  
• Content tailored to specific roles, from lineworkers to vegetation management crews  
• Multilingual outreach to reflect the communities we serve  

This isn’t about casting a wider net. It’s about casting a smarter one. 

Telling the right story 

Awareness alone doesn’t convert; clarity does. 

Candidates today want to know exactly what they’re signing up for. They want to know what the work entails, what’s expected of them, and what they’ll gain in return. That’s where employer branding and social content intersect. 

At XKIG, we’ve leaned into: 

• Real job previews from the field  
• Day-in-the-life content that reflects the reality of the work  
• Clear messaging around safety, career growth, and stability  

We’re not just promoting jobs; we’re also setting expectations. That alignment leads to better hires and stronger retention. 

Integrating with a broader talent strategy 

We’ve embedded social recruiting into our broader hiring approach, aligning it with: 

• Skills-based recruiting initiatives  
• Workforce development programs and apprenticeships  
• Local hiring strategies tied to operational needs  

This integration ensures social recruiting isn’t a siloed effort: it’s a connected, measurable part of how we build our workforce. 

Measuring What Matters 

One of the biggest shifts we’ve made is how we define success. It’s not about likes, shares, or impressions. It’s about: 

• Qualified applicants  
• Time-to-fill improvements  
• Retention and job fit  

By focusing on outcomes, not just engagement, we’ve demonstrated the real impact of social recruiting across the organization. 

Building for What’s Next 

As XKIG continues to grow, our recruiting approach will continue to evolve. One thing is clear: the future of hiring is more direct, more transparent, and more closely aligned with how people live and work. 

Social recruiting isn’t just a trend; it’s a tool. When used strategically, it becomes a powerful driver of awareness and action. 

That’s the difference between hiring more people and hiring the right ones. 

Now more than ever, HR needs the human element of our judgment, empathy, curiosity, and ability to build real connections. I’m grateful for the chance to learn, contribute, and bring these insights back to our work at XKIG. And I’m excited for what’s next. 

Christy Bodnar participated in a panel entitled “Executive Thought Leader Case Study: Social Recruiting at Scale: How to Get Hires, Not Just Awareness” with Sean Worden, Co-founder and CEO from Reelist, moderated by Tim Sackett, President, HRU Technical Resources, for Talent Acquisition Week this February in San Diego, CA.