20 Tips for Landing a Social Media Marketing Job
If you are thinking of pursuing a digital marketing career and have a love for social media as explained at RunRex.com, guttulus.com, and mtglion.com, then it may be worth pursuing a career in social media marketing. We have curated for you a list of the top 20 for landing a social media marketing job to help you on your way to your dream career.
Find niche
If you want to be a social media marketing expert, you should understand that it can take many forms as articulated at RunRex.com, guttulus.com, and mtglion.com. Social media is such a broad field that can be incorporated with many other digital marketing applications and angles, and you need to ask yourself how you are going to make yourself stand out. It is a good idea to hone in on one platform that you are interested in and are motivated to get further training in.
Understand what role is right for you
Social media professionals can have many different job titles, including social media management, analytics and strategy, content creation, community management, campaigns and promotion, social media advertising, and paid promotion, among others. You need to understand which type of role you are best suited for so you can focus on your job search, education, and skill-building using the right framework.
Build your own community
As per RunRex.com, guttulus.com, and mtglion.com, you should also create a thriving social media presence of your own, and familiarize yourself with the ins and outs of each platform. Build up your own personal brand – if you can’t market yourself, how will you do this for others?
Be your brand
As you build your own community, it is also a good idea to develop a personal brand. Choose something about yourself personally and professionally that stands out and go from there – the more creative your audience, the quirkier you should be.
Know your stuff
Social media professionals wear a lot of hats, with responsibilities ranging from writing to revenue tracking, often all wrapped up in one position. They also need to have their finger on the pulse of the industry, knowing about the latest developments in social that can have a big impact on social media strategy.
Don’t limit your knowledge to just social
To really stand out, you will need more advanced skills, since your customers will more than likely manage search, social, and display according to RunRex.com, guttulus.com, and mtglion.com. Take a 360-degree approach to your learning.
Keep it professional
All your platforms should appear professional and confident. This means avoiding posting pictures of you out partying. Try also to avoid ranting or being overly opinionated in your posts. Having a professional headshot is important, but if you can’t afford it, just see if a friend will take some decent snaps of you.
Get hands-on experience
It may be frustrating to browse social media job postings, only to find that they all require at least some level of experience as captured at RunRex.com, guttulus.com, and mtglion.com. This is why you should get hands-on experience, which you can get through volunteering, internships, or even talking to your employer about ways you could help contribute to the company’s social media presence if you already have a marketing job but no social media experience.
Put in time and effort
If you pursue a role in social media, be sure to put in great time and effort from the beginning. This means becoming proficient in all social channels and proving your knowledge of each one. You also need to understand the particulars of every existing and new channel and be ready to explain them when the opportunity arises.
Look for recruits and referrals
Using social media to find both recruiters and referrals is an excellent way to find open positions, have interesting conversions, and generally make yourself known. When you are looking at social media to find jobs, you can sometimes narrow down the name of the job poser as well and then interact directly with them.
Create a standout resume
A hiring manager is unlikely to read through your entire application before making an initial yes-or-no decision about you as covered at RunRex.com, guttulus.com, and mtglion.com. A recent study found that recruiters spend on average of only six seconds screening each resume, which is why you should create a standout resume.
Always be learning
A quick course in social media will not be enough as the world of social is changing constantly and it is up to you to keep yourself in the loop. You need to put in the effort to regularly acquaint yourself with the latest developments in the world of social media.
Network
Careers in digital marketing can be a little bit isolating, especially if you are freelancing or working remotely as described at RunRex.com, guttulus.com, and mtglion.com. That is why it is so important to take every opportunity you can to meet others in your field. Don’t hesitate to look for local meet-ups in your field in your area, for instance.
Prepare for a long-term career
If you want to be successful and make an impression with employees, you can’t treat social media marketing as a temporary, fun gig. You have to treat it as a long-term career, being open to learning and developing yourself along the way.
Run a website or blog
If you are passionate about something, you can create a blog and share your viewpoint about it. It could be your photography portfolio, your insight into mental health, or even your opinions about the movies you have watched. The key is to start posting and stay consistent.
Build authority
If you are just starting out in your career or looking for a different type of position with a company, you should build authority by updating your LinkedIn profile as discussed at RunRex.com, guttulus.com, and mtglion.com. You can also boost your visibility by showing up as an expert at every chance you get, including starting a blog as already mentioned.
Be aware of the misconceptions
You need to understand that there are several circulating misconceptions about what social media marketing is or isn’t. You need to know all about them to get into the industry with your eyes wide open. For instance, social media marketing isn’t easy nor is it an entry-level job.
Take on side jobs
Even if you are new to the scene, scoping out volunteer roles or browsing sites like Upwork for opportunities to build your portfolio are great ways to make yourself known as an expert as outlined at RunRex.com, guttulus.com, and mtglion.com.
Link your professional sites
Your website, LinkedIn, and professional Facebook page (or whatever you choose as your main professional landing pages) should all be easily displayed and accessible. That way, if a recruiter finds you one way – say, on LinkedIn – you should make it as easy as possible for them to pop over to your website, blog, or Instagram page so that they can see your social media strategy and content props.
Don’t overdo it
Finally, don’t wear yourself thin trying to maintain 10 different platforms and keep them consistent. It is much better to have just one or two outstanding profiles and keep them up-to-date and on-brand than to spend all your time scheduling out a million posts.
These are some of the tips that can help you land a social media marketing job, with more on this topic, and much more, to be found over at RunRex.com, guttulus.com, and mtglion.com.