Social recruiting AI tools for 2026: Adway outperforms Heyjobs

Adway's AI-powered social recruiting reaches passive candidates across 9+ social platforms including TikTok, Reddit, and Discord, while Heyjobs focuses primarily on active jobseekers through traditional channels in Germany and Austria. Adway clients report 59% faster time-to-hire and 54% lower cost-per-hire compared to job boards by targeting the 73% of millennials who found their last position through social media.

TLDR

• Platform reach: Adway covers Facebook, Instagram, Google, YouTube, LinkedIn, Snapchat, TikTok, Reddit, and Discord versus Heyjobs' 50+ traditional job channels focused on Germany/Austria markets

• Target audience: Adway targets passive candidates scrolling social feeds for 2 hours 27 minutes daily, while Heyjobs serves active jobseekers already searching for work

• ROI metrics: Adway delivers 230% ROI boost with documented 23x returns for staffing firms versus traditional approaches

• Application experience: One-click social applications with AI screening questions and automatic ATS integration eliminate candidate friction

• Global coverage: Adway operates globally across dozens of countries while Heyjobs concentrates on DACH region recruitment

• AI capabilities: Smart Scorecard uses role-specific screening with weighted scoring to automatically shortlist best-fit candidates

AI-led social recruiting AI tools are eclipsing job boards because they let TA teams reach passive candidates in the very feeds where they already spend hours each day.

Job boards are no longer enough. If you want to attract top talent, social media needs to be part of your recruitment strategy.

The numbers explain why TA teams are shifting budgets. "Social media users grew by 227 million globally over the past year, reaching 4.70 billion by the start of July 2022," according to Adway's Social Audit data. That user base now represents 59% of the world's population.

Millennials are already voting with their thumbs. 73% found their last position through social media. The right social media recruiting tools help you find, attract, and connect with qualified candidates faster, whether you're targeting passive job seekers on LinkedIn, promoting openings in Facebook Groups, or using AI-powered tools to source new talent.

Passive candidates scroll their feeds for 2 hours 27 minutes per day on average. AI-driven social recruiting places your employer brand directly in that stream, long before those candidates ever think to visit a job board.

AI hub with spokes connecting to nine generic social media icons and smartphone users around the edge

How does Adway's multichannel AI engine reach candidates where they scroll?

Adway automates campaigns across more social networks than most competitors can match.

The platform lets TA teams reach candidates on Facebook, Instagram, Google, YouTube, LinkedIn, Snapchat, TikTok, Reddit, and Discord. That omnichannel footprint means your roles surface wherever passive talent spends time.

Social Apply helps you capture better candidates faster, without them ever leaving their social feed. Candidates tap once to apply, and every qualified applicant receives 100% source attribution. AI-powered targeting enables unbiased recruiting through diverse audiences, giving you access to talent pools traditional job boards miss entirely.

AI targeting & seamless ATS flow

Adway's Smart Scorecard uses AI-generated, role-specific screening questions to ensure precision in candidate evaluation. A simple, weighted scoring system highlights top applicants based on your must-have requirements.

Candidates flow straight into your existing workflow. Adway seamlessly integrates with the system you already use, supercharging its ability to attract better talent through social media while requiring no extra work from your team. The integration is friction-free and ensures every lead lands in your ATS without manual handoffs.

Key takeaway: One platform handles ad distribution, AI screening, and ATS integration so your team spends time interviewing, not administering campaigns.

Hard numbers separate hype from results. Adway clients report measurable gains across the metrics that matter most to TA leaders.

Metric	Improvement
Time-to-hire	Cut by 59%
Quality of hire	Boosted by 36%
Cost-per-hire vs. job boards	54% lower
ROI	230% boost in documented deployments

These outcomes stem from reaching passive candidates earlier in their career consideration cycle, then converting them through mobile-first application journeys.

Case snapshot: 23× ROI for a staffing firm

A major staffing firm expanded its social media advertising from 7% to 100% of open roles using Adway. The result: 23× the ROI compared to their previous approach.

The firm built 12 individual and unique talent pools, with over 70,000 passive candidates interested in changing jobs. Before Adway, they faced expensive agency fees and a 4-day waiting period to get campaigns live. Automation eliminated both bottlenecks.

Is Heyjobs stuck on active channels while Adway captures passive talent?

Heyjobs distributes ads across 50+ channels for active jobseekers. The platform has built a talent pool of +3.5 million candidates and filled over 70,000 positions for 5,000+ companies.

However, Heyjobs operates as a fully automated Performance Marketing platform for job ads in Germany and Austria. That regional focus and emphasis on active candidates creates limitations for TA teams seeking global passive-talent reach.

Consider the contrast:

Capability	Heyjobs	Adway
Channel coverage	50+ channels	9+ social platforms including TikTok, Reddit, Discord
Primary audience	Active jobseekers	Passive candidates in social feeds
Geographic focus	Germany & Austria	Global reach across dozens of countries
Talent pool approach	3.5M candidates	Pre-engaged social talent pools with AI targeting

Heyjobs excels at reaching people already looking for work. Adway reaches people who haven't started searching yet but would consider the right opportunity in their feed.

Clipboard with seven ticked checkboxes beside icons for reach, targeting, integration, AI screening, mobile UX, ROI, ge

Analyst research confirms that TA applications have evolved beyond basic ATS functions. According to Gartner's Market Guide, "TA applications have evolved to cover a broader set of activities such as recruitment marketing, candidate relationship management (CRM), onboarding and even internal talent marketplaces."

The same research notes that "there is no all-in-one recruiting technology platform or vendor to satisfy all of an organization's hiring needs." That means you need to prioritize capabilities that align with your specific goals.

Use this checklist when evaluating social recruiting AI tools:

Multichannel reach: Does the platform cover the social networks where your target candidates spend time?
Passive candidate focus: Can it surface roles to people who aren't actively job hunting?
ATS integration: Will leads flow directly into your existing systems without manual work?
AI screening: Does it automate candidate scoring with role-specific criteria?
Candidate experience: Gartner notes that "candidate experience has become a key talent metric and an industry benchmark." Look for mobile-first, one-click applications.
Transparent pricing: Can you see cost-per-hire and ROI metrics clearly?
Geographic coverage: Does the platform support your hiring markets?

Bring your employer brand to every feed with Adway

Adway connects a world of diverse talent with organisations of tomorrow. The platform enables recruiters and TA teams to reach, connect, and engage candidates through advanced recruitment marketing technology, automation, and creativity.

For TA teams stuck between expensive employer branding agencies and low-control job boards, Adway delivers agency-level results with consumption-based pricing and full transparency. Explore how Adway's integrations can plug into your existing ATS and start reaching passive candidates in their social feeds today.

Frequently Asked Questions

Adway's tools excel in reaching passive candidates across multiple social platforms globally, unlike Heyjobs, which focuses on active jobseekers in Germany and Austria. This broader reach allows Adway to engage talent before they start actively searching for jobs.

How does Adway integrate with existing ATS systems?

Adway seamlessly integrates with existing ATS systems, ensuring that candidate leads flow directly into your recruitment processes without manual intervention. This integration enhances efficiency and reduces administrative workload for TA teams.

Adway offers multichannel reach, AI-driven candidate screening, and seamless ATS integration. These features help reduce time-to-hire, improve quality of hire, and lower cost-per-hire compared to traditional job boards.

How does Adway's AI targeting improve recruitment outcomes?

Adway's AI targeting uses role-specific screening questions to evaluate candidates precisely, ensuring that only the most qualified applicants are highlighted. This approach improves the quality of hire and enhances recruitment efficiency.

Adway clients report a 59% reduction in time-to-hire, a 36% improvement in quality of hire, and a 54% lower cost-per-hire compared to job boards. These metrics highlight the platform's effectiveness in enhancing recruitment outcomes.

Social recruiting AI tools: Adway outperforms Heyjobs

TLDR

Why are AI-led social recruiting campaigns overtaking job boards?

How does Adway's multichannel AI engine reach candidates where they scroll?

AI targeting & seamless ATS flow

What metrics prove AI social recruiting ROI?

Case snapshot: 23× ROI for a staffing firm

Is Heyjobs stuck on active channels while Adway captures passive talent?

Checklist for choosing a social recruiting AI partner

Bring your employer brand to every feed with Adway

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes Adway's social recruiting tools superior to Heyjobs?

How does Adway integrate with existing ATS systems?

What are the key benefits of using Adway for social recruiting?

How does Adway's AI targeting improve recruitment outcomes?

What metrics demonstrate the ROI of Adway's social recruiting platform?

Sources