Do you want to land your first dream social media job? This guide contains templates, suggestions, and free online courses to assist you in reaching your goals because here in this article. We will give you How to Get a Job in Social Media in 2022.
Wondering how to achieve a social media job? The path to success in this profession is not as straightforward as it is in more conventional careers (so your relative is a doctor! Who cares?) and gaining a foothold in the field might be challenging.
How to Get a Job in Social Media in 2022: 6 Tips From an Expert
We consulted Hootsuite’s social media specialists, Trish Riswick, Social Engagement Specialist, and Brayden Cohen, Team Lead in Social Marketing and Employee Advocacy, for practical recommendations.
They have given their top recommendations for finding a career in social media, including talents to hone, courses to take, and résumé advice (as well as red flags to look out for when perusing job posts).
Here is all you need to know to launch a social media marketing career
How to acquire employment in social media in 2022
- Expand your own social media visibility
- Complete a social media certification
- employment search with social media
- Understand what to look for in a social media job ad
- Do not fear taking a step back
- Make your resume memorable
What is a “social media” job?
Priority comes first: What does “work in social media” mean?
The duties of a social media expert or manager vary based on the size and nature of the organization for which they work.
Frequently, a single individual handles all social media accounts for a small business and all marketing efforts, including those occurring outside of social platforms.
Larger organizations may have a team dedicated to managing social channels with specialized roles such as social media strategist, community manager, and social engagement specialist.
Here are the primary sorts of social media roles:
- Social media management (includes social media strategy and performance tracking)
- Content development
- Community administration
- Social media advertising
In smaller organizations, these responsibilities may be combined into a single post. Therefore, when applying for a position on a small team, you should likely pitch yourself as a social media generalist with expertise in all of these areas. When applying for a position on a bigger social team, you should emphasize your expertise in one particular area.
Furthermore, daily responsibilities vary from company to firm and even day to day. Trish explains, “There are no restrictions in this position.” Every day, social media evolves, and you must be able to adapt to that.
The following responsibilities may be expected of you as a social media manager:
- Originality in writing
- Graphic design
- Social ad configuration and optimization
- Monitoring performance and data analysis
- Community Involvement and Customer Service
- Relationships with the media
- Complete campaign planning for social causes
- Communication with corporate constituents
- Clearly, a career in social media can include wearing multiple hats.
6 ideas to Get employment in social media: Tips from an experts
1. Expand your own social media visibility
Creating your own social media accounts is a great method to demonstrate your expertise to potential employers, and the best part is that you can develop your personal content about anything you choose.
“Create your own social account for a subject you’re passionate about and devote time to it,” advises Brayden.
Hootsuite offers tips for gaining followers and increasing interaction on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and other social media platforms if you’re just getting started. Practical knowledge is unparalleled, even if it is not “job” experience.
If you are in college (or even high school), you can also serve as the social media marketing manager for a club or organization on campus. “Join a club on campus and lead their marketing efforts,” advises Brayden.
2. Complete a social media certification
There are no hard and fast regulations about qualifications for working in social media (more on this later), but social media certification is advantageous.
“There are so many resources available, including as webinars and Hootsuite Academy courses, that are recognized by those in the marketing profession,” explains Trish.
MUST READ:
- 5 Social Media Marketing Tips to Boost Your Sales – Tips From Expert
- How to Promote a Yoga Class with Social Media: 9 Key Steps
- Marketing Planning Process: 5 Successful Steps You Need To Follow
By utilizing free educational tools, you demonstrate to future employers that you have proactively made the necessary efforts to expand your knowledge base. — Trish Riswick, Hootsuite’s Social Engagement Specialist
Hootsuite Academy has everything necessary for education. Courses include:
- Social marketing credentials
- Social selling certification
- Certification in advanced social advertising, in addition to custom course options, so that you can create a curriculum that best suits your demands.
Numerous social networks also provide their training and certification programs to help social media workers learn the most effective ways to use each network’s unique capabilities, which can be highlighted on a resume. You can gain knowledge from:
- Meta Blueprint
- AdWords certification from Google
- Twitter Flight Training
- Pinterest’s webinars
- Find additional industry courses in our article about social media marketing certifications.
3. Employment search with social media
How can one find employment in social media? Using social media, without a doubt. LinkedIn, the “clever one” in the family of social media platforms (Instagram is the “hot one,” Facebook is the “mom friend,” etc.), is one of the finest locations to land a new job.
Trish says, “I found my job at Hootsuite through LinkedIn.” “The best part is that you can interact with other employees of the company and ask them questions.”
Brayden suggests connecting with marketers in industries in which you are interested in working and setting up informational interviews.
Customize our free, expertly-crafted resume templates to land your dream social media job today. Download immediately.
Download templates immediately!
LinkedIn also includes some job search tools. “Create a search and notification function on LinkedIn for job-related keywords,” Brayden advises.
However, LinkedIn is not your only option. You can join social media community groups on Facebook or follow social marketers on Instagram for leads on positions.
4. Understand what to look for in a social media job ad
The marketing industry is always growing and changing type “social media manager” into a job search engine. You’ll get lots of hits (a quick Indeed search just yielded 109 jobs just in Vancouver, BC — and that’s only one of many online job boards out there).
So how can you compare a good job opportunity to a bad one? Here are some red (and green) flags from our experts.
Red flag: You can’t tell what the company does. It’s crucial to manage social media for a firm you care about, and if you can’t even determine what the company does from the job description, that’s a red flag. “I have seen so many job postings that don’t properly describe the organization or what they perform, necessitating extensive additional research. “Applying for a job shouldn’t be like a treasure hunt,” Trish explains.
Green flag: the work-life balance is healthy. Burnout is a reality in social media, according to Brayden. Work-life balance is a topic you can address with a prospective employer or even a LinkedIn acquaintance employed by the same firm. You can also determine company culture by perusing social media posts.
The job description is excessively lengthy. Trish says that a lengthy job description may indicate that the employer does not know precisely what they want or have reasonable expectations. Five or six specific points demonstrate that the employer is aware of their objectives.
ALSO READ:
- Top 10 Most Controversial Advertising Techniques for Bottled Water Company
- Comparing Facebook Ads Vs Instagram Ads: Which One Is More Effective in 2022?
There are development opportunities. Ask about this during a job interview (you know, when the interviewer asks, “Any questions?” and you forget your name).
There is no budget for social marketing. To ensure your success, your company should provide you with the necessary resources, including money to boost ads and pay for subscriptions to essential social marketing tools.
Green flag: You have the necessary support. Even if you’re taking on the role of social media manager by yourself, you don’t want to feel utterly alone. “If you’re going to be a one-person team, make sure you have the necessary resources and guidance,” advises Brayden.
5. Do not fear taking a step back
Working in social media is unlike working in any other profession; hence, you may not “climb the ladder” in the traditional sense. Trish continues, “We get into this mindset where we’re always chasing after more money or a higher title, but there’s value in taking a step back and trying a role you weren’t expecting.”
Especially if you’re transitioning from another field to social media management, you’ll certainly begin your career at an entry-level position, but you don’t have to remain there forever. Trish adds, “Sometimes taking a step back can open a previously nonexistent door, and I would advise folks not to be afraid of that.” “Most of the time, it’s more of a realignment than a step backwards.”
6. Make your resume memorable
Your CV is the first impression you make on a potential employer, and there is a lot of competition in the job market; here are some recommendations for standing out.
Exhibit your originality and individuality.
“Your CV shouldn’t just be written on a blank paper,” Trish advises. “Show us your originality!” Social media management is a job that involves creativity, thus your resume should reflect this ability. Show rather than tell
Brayden suggests displaying your personality through your resume’s layout, colour, and/or content. “Design your resume with social networking in mind,” he advises.
Personalize your resume for each position for which you apply.
No one said this would be simple. When applying for a job on social media (or any field, for that matter), your resume should be tailored to the job description. Trish recommends, “Always add the talents that the listing requests.”
Read the job description attentively and ensure that your resume addresses all of the relevant criteria. You may even want to duplicate the advertisement’s terminology to make it simple to match your experience with the job’s requirements, especially if the initial sort is performed by software.
Display your industry expertise
To put your best foot forward on your resume, you don’t necessarily need to have paid experience. Brayden suggests emphasizing any relevant practical experience, like social media management for a personal account or school projects related to social media.
Quantify your results
Numerous firms are focused on establishing the ROI of social, so demonstrate the effectiveness of your social marketing strategy with case studies.
Including numbers from actual victories is extremely beneficial.
You might highlight the growth of social channels during your tenure as their manager, the success of campaigns you oversaw, etc.
What credentials are required to work in social media?
This is a difficult question to answer, as it depends on the individual and the organization.
Trish observes that on TikTok, individuals with only a high school background have become incredibly successful social media managers.
With a natural marketing instinct and a little luck, it is possible to succeed with little formal qualifications. However, this is not typical; below are the social media qualifications most hiring managers seek:
A degree from a college or university. A postsecondary arts education is advantageous, particularly in writing-related fields. Trish states, “You need innovative copywriting talents.” The ability to develop non-generic information is more difficult than many people believe.
A certification in social media. The good news is that social media certification is considerably less expensive (and shorter) than a college degree. Hootsuite provides social media training through Hootsuite Academy and free social marketing training on YouTube. Completing these types of courses provides you with a tangible accomplishment to highlight on your CV and bring up in an interview.
When it comes to working in social media, qualifications and talents are equally crucial. According to experts, the following are the most critical social media talents you must possess.
Be adaptable: “This space is always changing! Brayden states, “I’m not joking, there is something new to learn every day.” “You must be comfortable with change and willing to jump on a new trend, algorithm tweak, or content strategy update as if it were nothing.” Trish concurs: “Social media is constantly evolving, and you must be prepared to adapt.”
Be inventive: “The majority of what we do is creative copywriting,” adds Trish. Brayden adds, “There is a lot of commotion on social media.” “There’s no need to reinvent the wheel, but you do need fresh concepts that serve a purpose for your business and engage your audience.”
Be versatile: “Social media managers don’t just do social media. Due to the breadth of their responsibilities, they must have a generalist’s approach to digital marketing, explains Brayden. Trish states that generating films or images is not sufficient.
