Social media has transformed the way companies connect with customers, and has created new opportunities for people to work in marketing. If you’re an aspiring social media professional, it’s not easy to break into this field. This guide will show you how to get your foot in the door with your first social media job, and then how to advance your career once you’re inside.
Do your research, and create a portfolio
The best way to get a job at a company that uses social media is to first understand the field and then create a portfolio of great work. To understand the field, read blogs, listen to podcasts and join online communities where social media is discussed.
To create a portfolio, use your blog (if you have one) or start a new one. Start a Twitter account and tweet interesting things. Join Facebook groups and LinkedIn groups related to your interests. Write guest posts for websites that are related to your interests.
Start applying
Once you’ve created a portfolio of work, start applying for jobs. The best place to find job listings are on social media networks- Twitter has lists of jobs using hashtag# Jobs, Facebook has Jobs pages, LinkedIn Jobs has job listings, as well as other networks, have job listings as well.
How to stand out
To stand out from the crowd, write an interesting cover letter that explains why you’d be good for the job and what the company can gain from hiring you. When applying for jobs, remember that it’s always good to get recommendations from people who know you well because they can vouch for your skills and abilities more than someone who just knows you by your portfolio or resume alone.
In order to advance your career you should focus on
- Building relationships with people outside of your company (social media professionals in other companies or individuals with large audiences)
- Working hard at your job
- Being creative with social campaigns and measure the impact you are having
- Keeping up with changes in the industry so that you can stay on top of the latest trends while still doing great work at your job.
- Network with people in other departments at your company so that they see how hard you’re working (and also so that they can give you recommendations when it comes time for promotions).
Finally, if all goes well, once you’ve been working in social media marketing for several years it may be time to move on to another company or even open up your own business. It’s never too early to start making plans for this!
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