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Social media managers are the ambassadors of a brand/business. It’s vital to choose the right person for this responsible position.
Social media management requires a flexible, easy-going candidate with a strong professional, and interpersonal background. The role involves marketing, copywriting, analytics, planning, and customer service skills.
Personal traits such as integrity, flexibility, punctuality, initiative, and leadership are a must. A qualified applicant should be creative and systematic at the same time. Social media specialists have a blend of soft and hard skills.
Here is a list of the key competencies to look for in a social media professional:
Writing
A social media specialist should write concise, engaging, and effective posts. Words are a powerful weapon. Grammar, spelling, and punctuation are the principal. But the ability to understand and play with words is a key to success.
A good writer knows how to convey a message and spread awareness. Creativity and intelligence craft words that engage, persuade, promote, and sell.
Add a pinch of humor and the perfect post is ready.
Look for these particular writing skills in the resume of a social media specialist:
- Ad campaigns copy;
- Sales emails;
- Blog writing;
- Creative writing;
- Proofreading;
- Email copy;
- Excellent grammar skills;
- Research;
- News writing;
- Publications;
- Branding;
- Social media writing;
- Wide vocabulary.
Design
Besides the resume template design itself, design as a skill is essential for quality social media posts. Many platforms allow the user to select the size, font, color, and alignment. The publisher can also insert emojis or other visual elements.
The right design makes posts more engaging and more productive.
Here are design-related skills to look for in a marketing specialist resume:
- Canva;
- Quark;
- PhotoShop;
- Illustrator;
- Branding;
- Sketching;
- Creativity;
- Detail-oriented;
- Graphic design;
- Video and photo editing.
Public Speaking
Social media videos and live streaming are common tools for engaging the audience. You reach a high exposure with minimal efforts. Anyone can post a video but it takes a specialist to go viral. The star of your video stream should be presentable, well-spoken, and charismatic.
Your social media manager should have public speaking skills such as:
- Communication;
- Entrepreneurship;
- Listening;
- Motivation;
- Oral communication;
- Passion;
- Presentation;
Customer Service
There is more to social media than promoting your business. The platforms allow you to give and receive feedback, to take part in open discussions, and express ideas.
The social media specialist knows how to listen and how to approach. It is crucial to show genuine interest in what your customers say. Customer service background and personal qualities such as diligence, empathy, and open-mindedness are a must.
Here is what else to look for:
- Clear communication skills;
- Customer relations;
- Engagement;
- Social networking;
- Relationship management;
- Attentiveness;
- Persuasion skills;
Analytics
The social media channels allow access to your key performance indicators and dashboards. There are public metrics such as likes, plays, shares, and private stats that only you can see. The social media manager knows how to analyze data to maximize effectiveness and improve performance. The specialist understands not only how to read the numbers from social media analytics tools but how to see beyond them.
Good judgments skills and behavioral psychology are vital for a social media manager, as well as:
- Analytical thinking;
- Research;
- Campaign tracking;
- Competitive analysis;
- Data mining;
- Facebook Insights;
- Google Analytics;
- Keyword analysis;
- Metrics;
- Monitoring;
- Ranking;
- Reporting;
Efficiency
There are many tools and systems that help social media managers to improve campaign efficiency. Knowledge of these tools is important for the effective management of your social channels.
Hire an expert with a proven background in using social media tools, so you can rest assured that automation, reports and results are up to date.
Following Trends
Social media channels update often and new platforms appear overnight. Your manager should follow the latest trends and apply them to the marketing strategy of your company. This involves research, following influencers, targeting segments, subscribing to groups and social media blogs, etc.
Check for typical accomplishments statements in the candidates’ resumes.
Example:
“Launched a promotional TikTok video and reposted across Facebook and Instagram which led to a 26% increase in page views in 24 hours”. And you can do well on TikTok because you can also buy cheap TikTok followers.
Communication
There are 2 main forms of communication for social media managers:
- Online: Effective online communication is the key to managing social platforms. Your manager should be able to create and manage digital communication standards. The etiquette and tone of voice should be polite and professional. An effective social media specialist knows how to set up standards and how to ensure that the entire team follows them.
- Internally: Communication within the team and with other teams is a must for every social media pro. The social media manager needs to be a team player and a team leader to achieve productive internal communication.
Creativity
Creativity is what makes a post stand out and leads to more followers and shares. Creative social media marketing strategies lead to higher exposure and productivity.
Giveaways, contests, polls, throwbacks, and live videos are a great way to engage the audience and increase traffic.
Check if your candidates have creative talents such as:
- Innovation;
- Sense of humor;
- Experimenting;
- Networking;
- Research.
Project Management
Social media management is more than posting content. A successful media specialist initiates plans, executes, and monitors the entire project. This involves working with other teams, budgeting, and strategic planning.
Here are some project management skills for social media specialists:
- Leadership;
- Organization;
- Time management;
- Multitasking;
- Team management;
- Negotiation;
- Resource allocation;
Look for accomplishment statements related to the skills listed in the resume.
Example:
“Collaborated with the Web Design team to launch a campaign that led to a 25% increase in inbound traffic.”
Conclusion
When you hire a social media manager look for resumes with clear goals and bold accomplishments. Select a candidate with a proven record of social media literacy. Hire an innovator with a unique approach and stellar communication abilities. Look for a well-designed, concise resume that highlights expertise and achievements.