There are many people out there who want to work within the world of social media and this means that there is one hell of a lot of competition for any role that becomes available. Luckily there are more and more jobs being created as businesses grasp the importance of working social media in to their strategies. This does not mean it is time to rest on your laurels. Clearly it ‘s important to stand out from the crowd and make a name for yourself. Read on for my tips and advice…
Beat the Competition! (Image - www.bettermondays.com)
Find your voice
It may sound obvious, but if you are going to get noticed by those that count, you need to find your own voice and style. Make sure it truly represents you, as transparency is key.
Grow a thick skin
Operating in ‘the social space’ leaves you wide open for criticism and questioning of your opinions. When you come up against this, always be gracious, address it head on with the originator and make sure you follow up on any further comments. You will learn so much about the fundamentals of this game by being receptive to negativity and gain much from maintaining decorum.
Be original!
It can be all too easy to regurgitate the latest news and opinions and publish them to your blog. Yes it can be hard to maintain truly original content at all times, (nobody does) but by always being true to your opinions and adding your angle you will show that you have conviction and know your stuff. Don’t be scared to be controversial, just make sure you do your research first.
Know your stuff
This sounds obvious but there are not many other fields that move as fast as this one! Take a structured and disciplined approached to your learning and be sure to add new sources from time to time.
Diversify
Social media is just another marketing channel. You need to have wide ranging marketing and business knowledge/experience to truly use the space effectively. Ensure you have a fair level of technical knowledge, you will need to be able to talk at a tech level to your clients and stakeholders as well as wow them with your social media smarts.
Participate
This is a community, no doubt about it, so make sure you participate. Give your opinions on other blog posts that you have found interesting, attend meet-ups (in moderation – see this post for more info) and be willing to share your knowledge.
Get some experience
It can be very hard to get hands-on experience and if you are struggling to find any, why not focus on a business/brand that you like and write some ‘dummy’ social and digital strategies for them? These will be a welcome addition to your arsenal and will show potential employees that you know your onions.
Persevere
Stick in! Keep learning and doing and you will get there.
Bonus extra mega tip – use ‘proper’ English
Text speak is a major no no! I am far from word perfect but in my opinion, using text spk 2 try and communicate ur knowledge totally sux. See what I mean? It’s unprofessional and childish.
Got a top tip to share with social media job seekers?Please do share in the comments below.
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