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

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.