You’re Advertising Jobs, But Are You Reaching Job Seekers?

With nearly 28% of the working population in the US are actively looking for a job, the flood of applications pouring into talent acquisition teams might seem like a good problem to have. More candidates mean more options, right?

Not necessarily.

If your recruitment strategy is limited to job boards, you’re only addressing a fraction of the talent landscape. That 28% figure represents the active seekers – those who are proactively scanning job postings, updating resumes, and clicking “apply.” But what about the other 72%? That massive, often untapped group isn’t actively hunting for a new role, but they are watching. They’re curious. And they’re scrolling.

If you’re not showing up in the places where their attention is already focused, you’re not in the conversation. And if you’re not in the conversation, you’re missing out on being considered – especially for hard-to-fill roles, roles that require clearance, or positions where you want to stand out as an employer of choice.

That’s where influencer marketing comes in.

What Is Influencer Marketing, Really?

Influencer marketing is not about celebrities pushing sponsored content with a #ad in the caption. At its core, influencer marketing is about trust. It’s a strategy that leverages individuals with dedicated, engaged audiences to promote products, services, or, in this case, career opportunities. These influencers often shape opinions, spark conversations, and drive action through authentic, relatable content.

In the world of job discovery, influencer marketing shifts from product placement to possibility placement. Influencers become career catalysts or trusted guides who help others discover industries, roles, and employers they may never have considered.

Instead of selling sneakers, they’re sharing how they got into welding. Instead of promoting skincare routines, they’re breaking down how to ace a security clearance process.

Learn more: The Rise of Influencer Marketing in Recruitment Strategies

Turning Trusted Voices Into Career Catalysts

Influencers aren’t just trendsetters. They’re translators. They help their followers make sense of the world through their own lens and lived experience.

And that’s exactly why they’re so effective at job discovery.

Consider these examples:

• A mechanic-turned-creator sharing their day-to-day life in a garage – showcasing what it’s really like to work with your hands, and breaking down the barrier of intimidation for someone who’s never considered a skilled trade.
• A federal employee who holds a security clearance posts about their journey into the world of government contracts – demystifying a process that feels opaque and exclusive to the outside world.
• A sales-savvy content creator who turns 90-second TikToks into myth-busting, confidence-building content for people who think “sales” means cold calling and burnout.

In each of these cases, the influencer isn’t pushing job openings. They’re building awareness. They’re planting seeds. They’re creating moments of resonance that can flip a mindset from “I never thought about that” to “That could be me.”

Why Traditional Job Ads Fall Short

Job boards play an important role in the talent acquisition ecosystem, but they have limitations – especially when it comes to branding, storytelling, and reaching passive talent. A standard job posting doesn’t tell the full story of your culture, mission, or impact. It doesn’t foster trust. And it rarely stands out in a sea of similar listings.

Influencer content, on the other hand, feels personal. It’s human. It’s visual. And it’s delivered by someone who already has the attention – and trust – of the audience you want to reach.

This trust can’t be overstated. According to Nielsen, 92% of consumers trust recommendations from individuals over brands. That includes career recommendations. When an influencer says, “I love what I do,” or “This company helped me level up,” it carries weight, especially when it’s unscripted and real.

Where Job Discovery Really Happens

Let’s be honest: job boards aren’t where most of us spend our time. But social media? That’s a different story.

• The average person spends 90 minutes a day on TikTok alone.
• Gen Z, the fastest-growing segment of the workforce, uses TikTok as their #1 search engine.
• People check Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn daily, often several times a day.

In short: this is where your future hires are.

And they’re not just looking for entertainment – they’re looking for inspiration, education, and real-life content they can relate to. That’s why career-related content from influencers performs so well. It’s aspirational and accessible.

The Power of Influencer Marketing in Recruiting

Influencer marketing works in recruiting for the same reasons it works in e-commerce and lifestyle branding:

1. It’s native. Influencer content blends into the feed. It’s not an interruption – it’s an invitation.
2. It’s relatable. People see themselves in the stories being told.
3. It’s scalable. Micro-influencers with 10K–100K followers often have higher engagement rates than large accounts, and they create targeted reach.
4. It builds brand equity. Even if someone isn’t ready to apply today, they start associating your brand with possibility, innovation, and approachability.

How Employers Are Getting It Right

Forward-thinking employers are already putting this into practice. They’re partnering with influencers who reflect their values, industries, and hiring priorities. Some are creating influencer programs that equip employees to be creators themselves. Others are tapping into niche creators across skilled trades, tech, and government contracting.

They’re not measuring success solely by applications. They’re tracking engagement, reach, click-throughs, and long-term awareness lift. They’re building pipelines, not just filling seats.

And they’re doing it with authenticity, not control.

Get in Front of the 72%

If you’re only advertising on job boards, you’re only speaking to people already in the market. Influencer marketing gives you a chance to reach the ones who haven’t started looking yet but might if the right opportunity finds them.

It’s not about blasting job links. It’s about telling stories, earning trust, and showing up in the places where people are already spending their time.

Influencer marketing for recruiting is the future of job discovery. Not because it’s flashy or new, but because it’s human. And in a world where trust drives every decision – from what to buy to where to work – that human connection is your competitive edge.

Ready to tap into the 72%? Start thinking like a marketer. Start building trust at scale. And start reaching job seekers where they already are – with voices they already believe.

About the author:

Tracey Parsons is Co-Founder of Flockity, where influencer marketing meets recruitment marketing. At every intersection of the talent revolution, Tracey has seized opportunities to push innovation and be a change agent. She is also the president of Parsons Strategic Consulting. Her extensive experience in talent strategy, social recruiting, marketing, thought leadership, brand development, and consulting makes her an ideal partner for up-leveling your talent game.