We’re again with the newest version of our collection, @Me Subsequent Time, the place we invite Group Sprout and a few of our favourite social specialists to share how they actually really feel in regards to the newest developments and trade discourse.
This time, we’re tackling a well-known frustration: social media job descriptions that attempt to do an excessive amount of. Manufacturers nonetheless anticipate one individual to handle content material calendars, act as on-camera expertise, report on efficiency, run influencer applications, lead social search engine optimisation and keep on high of each pattern—every single day, all yr. It seems like we’re all of a sudden again in 2015.
However the excellent news is that social groups are increasing. Practically 86% of selling leaders plan to rent for a minimum of two new social roles this yr, in response to The 2025 Sprout Social Index™. And Sprout’s Q1 2025 Pulse Survey reveals a transparent urge for food for specialization, with entrepreneurs saying that the perfect roles they’d add to their staff embody social media intelligence leads, social artistic administrators and influencer advertising leads.
We sat down with somebody who has private expertise carving out their very own specialised social media profession, Sprout’s Social Media Intelligence Supervisor, Olivia Jepson, to seek out out why and the way hiring must evolve. “Clinging to generalist-only roles will result in burnout and churn. The boldest leaders are betting on specialization and they’re beating their competitors,” says Jepson.
Why social media hiring must evolve
Over 80% of respondents to a latest Hyperlink in Bio survey indicated that they nervous about burnout of their social media position. Half mentioned they had been not sure in the event that they wished to proceed working in social or pivot careers totally. The survey additionally discovered that themes like stress, overwork, being unable to log out, and related sentiments persist, even throughout titles and time zones.
Excessive burnout charges additionally correlated with an absence of position readability and mobility. Jepson described this phenomenon and the way leaning into specialization guided her: “I began as a generalist centered on content material creation. However that was a quick monitor to burnout, like it’s for thus many. I noticed what I like most about social is connecting with an viewers, and discovering insights about what actually made content material resonate. Any good chief ought to encourage their groups to seek out what they get pleasure from about their position, and use that to assist them construct fulfilling careers. There’s excessive turnover in social as a result of folks don’t get readability on ‘what’s subsequent.’”
When manufacturers rent social entrepreneurs to do all of it, they usually field them out of significant alternatives for profession development and creating true experience. The identical Hyperlink in Bio survey discovered that solely 1 / 4 of respondents had acquired a promotion within the final yr, regardless of 66% reporting feeling like they’re doing a couple of job.
As social’s affect continues to develop, sticking with an outdated, generalist-only mannequin will price groups in turnover, morale and missed alternative. Leaders who put money into specialization—whether or not by means of new hires or inner improvement—would be the ones to provide extra impactful content material, construct stronger creator partnerships and uncover richer insights. “Different advertising groups have specialised roles. Why not social?” poses Jepson.
The roles next-generation social groups want
Once we surveyed 650 social entrepreneurs throughout the US, UK and Australia, essentially the most in-demand additions to their groups centered on social media intelligence and artistic management. As social platforms develop extra crowded, manufacturers want specialists who can translate conversations into actionable insights, and domesticate a model identification and content material technique that permeates the appropriate corners of the web.
These duties are already surfacing in job descriptions—although usually below broader, generalist titles. Our evaluation of fifty social media job postings final yr revealed that 46% referenced influencer advertising, and most director-level roles explicitly known as out social listening and insights. Specialization is gaining traction, even when it’s nonetheless hiding inside “conventional” job descriptions somewhat than new devoted roles.
There’s no common blueprint for staff development—the appropriate construction is dependent upon your model’s objectives, each on social and past. However investing in expertise centered on artistic course or social insights is a stable start line.
That doesn’t imply there’s no room for generalists in your hiring plans, although. As Jepson put it, “Generalist or semi-generalist positions are nonetheless necessary—particularly for serving to folks chart their profession paths. With out being a generalist, I wouldn’t have recognized that is what I wished to do. It may possibly additionally assist those that need to grow to be social leaders have better perspective.”
But, you shouldn’t ask generalists to do all of it. Their roles ought to nonetheless have a point of specialization. On Sprout’s personal social staff, generalists have focus areas—starting from social search to engagement to worker advocacy.
How AI ought to (and shouldn’t) affect hiring
Headlines about AI changing contractors or decreasing headcount are lacking the purpose. The Index discovered that over half (54%) say AI will allow new roles, not get rid of them. One other 30% imagine it is going to shift duties, not erase them.
AI isn’t right here to switch social professionals. It’s right here to assist them—particularly as groups evolve towards specialization. Even for generalist roles, the growth in AI adoption is making it clearer what ought to (and shouldn’t) be a spotlight in job descriptions. As Jepson places it: “AI can deal with the busywork, liberating entrepreneurs to deal with development and the high-impact elements of their position. However it might probably’t change the a part of your mind that understands your viewers or is aware of what’s beneficial to your organization. AI doesn’t have discernment.”
Although AI can scale abilities like social listening and artistic course, they will’t absolutely be taken over. AI can analyze knowledge, however not inform a cohesive story. It may possibly determine model companions, however not construct relationships. It may possibly take administrative work off your plate, however can’t craft a very distinctive artistic course or model technique.
AI ought to be a device—not a substitute for people. When constructing your future org chart, embed AI into your workflows to scale back burnout, create bandwidth and set staff members up for profession enlargement.
Construct smarter groups, not smaller ones
Social media hasn’t been a one-person job for a very long time. As platforms evolve, audiences develop extra advanced and content material calls for multiply, it’s time for hiring practices to catch up. Clinging to outdated, catch-all job descriptions will solely gasoline burnout and turnover.
Leaders who need to future-proof their social groups ought to deal with readability, specialization and sustainable development. Which means investing in distinct roles, empowering generalists to seek out their area of interest, and utilizing AI as a device to boost—not change—human creativity and technique.
Your staff’s construction displays the significance of social to your enterprise. While you rent with intention, you’re not simply constructing a staff—you’re constructing the muse for long-term affect.
Searching for extra perception into social staff evolution? Obtain The 2025 Sprout Social Index™ studies for assist constructing a stronger enterprise case for social assets and mapping profession paths that match the place the way forward for social is headed.
