Andy Sernovitz

Andy’s Answers: How do I stand out in the social media job market?

By Andy Sernovitz on February 16, 2010 | 4 Comments

When everyone’s a social media expert, it might feel impossible to stand out in a crowded job market. But the employers worth working for know there’s more to social media than having a zillion followers and a self-appointed status.

How to stand out:

  • Prove you love it. You can learn the specifics and details of social media as you grow into your position, but nobody can teach you to love it. Prove your passion by volunteering to build and manage a social media program — even a small one — for your favorite local charity. Do it well and you’re suddenly in top 99th percentile of all the “social media experts” out there.
  • Make smart connections. You don’t have to have thousands of Facebook friends or millions of Twitter followers, but it never hurts to earn a few friendships from some of the respected folks in social media. Great ways to do this include starting a blog worth linking to, attending a few industry events or — because most folks worth knowing in social media are nice — politely introducing yourself online.
  • Proofread. Just like any gig, the fundamentals still matter when applying for a social media job. Typos, unpolished resumes and a weak cover letter are always hard to overlook when companies are searching for fresh talent.

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Responses

  • Posted by social media expert on February 16th, 2010 at 9:28 pm

    yeah.all the three points are really valuable…should try it…

  • Posted by Jon Thomas on February 17th, 2010 at 3:12 am

    Fantastic ideas. Making the first move (ie doing projects for free) really proves your passion.

  • Posted by Phil Novara on February 17th, 2010 at 4:32 am

    I think it is also notable to “Create Something Yourself.”

    Start a blog, make it successful, and I guarantee you will have the chops for any social media position…hopefully by then you wont need it;)

  • Posted by John Bergdoll on February 26th, 2010 at 5:47 am

    Another way to stand out is through great content. Only about 23% of the web is made up of original content. The rest are retweeting this content. Be a leder and write original content.

    Secondly, continually add value and extend the conversation.

    Twitter @JohnBergdoll