With more than 2.5 million websites integrated with Facebook, companies and businesses today find that they rely heavily on social media and internet exposure. On top of that, Twitter is adding nearly 500,000 users a day and YouTube generates 92 billion page views per month. So, it shouldn’t be a surprise that companies have recently been searching for potential employees that can take their social media pages by the reigns and run with it. Furthermore, the social media positions that have been popping up are not just in one industry, but span across them all.
For young adults nationally and globally it means that there are jobs they would excel at and be perfect for. It is generally thought that social media is heavily concentrated with tech savvy, young adults. While people of all ages utilize social media in many ways, it is true that young adults utilize social media more than any other age group with 86 percent of 18 to 29-year-olds using social media sites. Showing much less usage, 60 percent of 30 to 49-year-olds use social media and 47 percent of 50 to 64-year-olds do as well. That said, it’s clear to see that a social media position seems like it would be perfect for a recent graduate looking to put their social media skills to use.
That said, how can you market yourself in a way that shows you are prepared to take on a social media position with a company? Simply using Facebook and Twitter everyday isn’t enough to get you hired as a social media manager. You need to be able to show that you can produce results and have done so in the past. First and foremost, if you expect to be a social media manager then you should have top-of-the-line Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube accounts. To make this easier for hiring managers you should list all of your social media pages in your resume. That way, they do not have to search for you. To show that you are well-versed in the outlet, you should coincide your pages with personal interests. For example, if cooking is something you enjoy you should set up a Facebook group focused on cooking where you post your favorite recipes and can socialize with other people who share the same interests. Make a YouTube account that is dedicated to doing the same thing and optimize it with keywords that will easily lead others to your page. With this, employers can easily see that you know what you are doing and that you can use your skills to expose their company to the public as well.
If you previously held a social media position, you should be able to show that your work there improved their social media exposure. If you created a page for the company and gained users, you should be able to quantify your results. For example, if the company only had 20 followers when you signed on and had 100 by the time you left, you can say that you helped gain 80 users for the company. Hiring managers like to see numbers and hard-core evidence that you will benefit their business. They respond much better to numbers and qualifies you more than simply saying “I improved their social media following considerably and set up pages, etc, etc.” Be able to quantify your past results and it will put you steps ahead of your competition.
Social media management is a relatively new position that companies are hiring for and therefore there are not a lot of job seekers that can say they previously held this position. Companies know this and do not expect job seekers to have a huge resume of experience. Furthermore, these positions are generally entry-level and there is not much experience at this level anyways. However, being on top of all of the latest software and tools is one way you can put yourself ahead. Take an online course or training program in order to make sure you are on top. Adding this to your resume and portfolio will make you stand out and show that you are well-versed in all the latest tools.
You may be the most savvy social media user, but even the most savvy of Facebook and Twitter users can benefit from these tips. With social media booming in the business world, it would be wise to take note and apply these tips when you can. Implementing them into your job search may just help put your resume at the top.
SOURCE: Jeff Bullas
IMAGE: Wiz Marketings
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