Information in this blog post was obtained from the HubSpot Blog, Digital Marketing Institute, and the Hootsuite Blog.
You’ve walked across the stage, accepted the diploma, and taken the pictures. Now it’s time to take off the cap and gown and trade them for your new working clothes…. If you knew where you’d be working, that is.
If you’re reading this, it’s likely that graduation is fast approaching or may already be in the past. However, it’s never too late to start the job hunt. The challenge is often determining where to begin. In a field as diverse as marketing, finding the perfect career path that matches your skill set and passion can seem like looking for a needle in a haystack.
Let’s start by making that haystack just a bit smaller. Though positions in marketing come in all forms and can allow you to leverage your newfound skills in a variety of ways, consider the sector of this industry that is experiencing rapid levels of growth: social media marketing.
According to an article by Lindsay Cox for HubSpot, the position is part of the larger umbrella of marketing that involves advertising, promotions, and general marketing. As social media platforms explode in popularity and new trends appear seemingly overnight, it’s no surprise that many companies are looking to hire specialists to handle their company’s interactions where consumers are most active.
Enter the position of the “Social Media Manager.” If you’re looking for a place to start your job search, it’s not a bad idea to consider a position that HubSpot predicts will grow by 10% before 2026 (Cox, 2020).
However, a quick search of available “Social Media Manager” positions will reveal that this role is still fairly broad. While it is a smaller haystack, you may still find yourself digging through the straw in search of that shiny needle. This means it’s time to break the industry down even further by identifying three key roles within social media marketing:
Creative Communicator: The Copywriter
Numbers Nerd: The Analyst
Multidimensional Marketer: The Social Media Manager
Creative Communicator: The Copywriter
Do you always seem to have the right words to say and the ability to put them down on paper? If you recognize written communication as one of your strengths, the role of a copywriter might be the social media marketing job for you. This career will offer the opportunity for expression in various forms of written communication specifically related to social media.
According to Cox, you’ll oversee materials for your organization that range from social media captions to blog posts. An article by the Digital Marketing Institute also suggests that a copywriter may be in charge of creating and executing email campaign strategy. Ultimately, your main responsibility will lie in engaging with customers to help them develop a positive image of your organization.
Because of the public nature of this interaction, you’ll need to exercise great care in grammatical awareness. It will also be important to maintain a good grasp of the organization’s voice and tone, while simultaneously developing the ability to shift this voice depending on the platform (Cox, 2020).
Numbers Nerd: The Analyst
If you struggled in English class but excelled at math, social media marketing has the perfect position for you! As a social media metrics analyst, you’ll spend your day sifting through the massive amounts of big data gathered via social media networks. According to the Digital Marketing Institute, the key to success in this position is the ability to interpret patterns from the data and then apply those patterns to the task of creating marketing campaigns.
The same article suggests that this position is recognized as one of the most challenging in the industry (Digital Marketing Institute, 2022). However, don’t let this scare you away. The difficult nature of the job puts the social media metrics analyst in high demand. Besides, many employers recognize that in the constantly changing social media landscape, trial and error are simply part of the process. In other words: you don’t have to know it all when you’re hired (Cox, 2020).
If you’re willing to learn from mistakes and implement the changes required, a position as a social media metrics analyst could serve as an outlet for your mind that is full of numbers.
Multidimensional Marketer: The Social Media Manager
After reading the first two descriptions, you may be wondering, “What if I have a bit of both tendencies?” Not to worry, this third social media marketing position melds people skills with the ability to analyze important marketing information to generate comprehensive marketing strategy.
Laura Wong, in an article for HootSuite, suggests that as a social media manager, you’ll need to be prepared to “wear many hats.” Depending on the day, you may find yourself entrenched in matters relating to customer service, PR, or even sales. However, it’s also important to remember that your role will vary depending upon the organization and its social media marketing needs.
If you’re preparing to apply for a job as a social media manager, you’ll want to sharpen your skills on topics such as photography, videography, graphic design, content calendars, influencer marketing, and more (Cox, 2020).
While many of these abilities relate to the people skills of The Copywriter, you will also need to consider some strategic and analytical tools while applying for the position. Make sure you’re up to speed with a current understanding of how to create SEO optimized content to drive the company’s target audience through all stages of the buyer’s journey.
These positions offer only a small sample of the variety of jobs available for recent graduates seeking to find their first position in social media marketing. You can access full lists and descriptions by visiting the resources section below. However, as you consider these options as a starting point to kick-start your search, keep in mind several key skills that are relevant to any social media marketing position you may pursue.
First, be willing to adapt to the ever-changing social media landscape. Be prepared to exercise your strong communication skills with external customers as well as internal team members to maximize response time to these changes. Creativity and quick-thinking go hand-in-hand with this communication. When you understand the organization, its audience, and the nature of the social media network in which it operates, you’ll be prepared to implement your classroom education to establish yourself in any social media marketing role.
Once you’ve accomplished this, you may realize there’s more than one needle in your haystack of career paths. It’s time to take off the cap and gown and get to work…. Your career in social media marketing awaits.
Resources
Cox, L.K. (2020, October 26). The 8 types of social media community managers (+ job descriptions). HubSpot. https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/best-social-media-manager-job-description
Digital Marketing Institute. (2022, January 17). 7 of the hottest digital marketing jobs. https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/7-of-the-hottest-digital-marketing-jobs
Wong, L. (2021, June 24). How to become a social media manager (free resume template!). Hootsuite. https://blog.hootsuite.com/social-media-manager-skills/
Comments