A Guide to Hiring the Right Person to Head Up Your Social Media Team
Social media is one of those things you can handle on your own for a few months. But pretty soon, you’ll find that it consumes valuable hours of your day. That’s when you’ll realize you need to hire a social media manager and offload the responsibilities.
But how do you find the right person for the job? Start by looking for the following attributes.
Experience
Today’s millennials have grown up with social media nearly all their lives. While the platforms have evolved from sites like MySpace to apps like Snapchat, your average 22 to 25-year-old in the job market has had some sort of social profile since the time they were in grade school. In other words, they hardly remember a time when social media wasn’t part of their lives.
The problem with the normalcy of social media is that every millennial thinks they’re a pro at it. Just because they know how to set up a Facebook page, apply a cool filter to an Instagram photo, or explain to a parent what a “Snap Streak” is, they automatically assume they’re equipped to make a living as a social media marketer or manager.
So, when you go to hire a social media manager, be prepared to get an influx of applications from people who are ultimately ill prepared for the job. Experience matters and you should look for someone who actually has a track record of using social media within the context of business marketing.
Independence
According to a recent survey of more than 500 professionals, Dialpad found that 9 out of 10 people prefer to work outside of the office at least one day per week, while 77.5 percent believe having the flexibility to work from anywhere would improve their overall productivity.
The results from this survey reveal just how important independence is when hiring someone to fill any position in today’s job market. Whether it’s a social media manager or a salesperson, you have to trust that they can work on their own – regardless of where they’re located. There’s no room for babysitting and looking over their shoulder. A social media manager must be a good communicator who is willing to work hard when nobody is watching.
Creativity
The key to being successful on social media is to do what others aren’t doing – to stand out from the crowd. Anyone can post a picture or craft a nice little tweet, but you need someone who has the creativity and imagination required to create clever content that will give your brand added visibility.
When you interview people for the opening, try giving them a few prompts or assignments as part of the process. You can see just how creative they are and how their thought process works. Average applicants will merely mimic what everyone else is doing right now. Standout applicants won’t be afraid to try something totally fresh and unique. You won’t have to look very hard to see the difference.
On a related note, discipline must be coupled with creativity in order for it to be effective. There will be times when creativity has to be subdued in order to avoid crossing the line or landing in hot water. If you can find someone who has the wherewithal to know when their creativity is getting the best of them, you’ve found a real winner.
Keep an Eye on Things
It’s natural to breathe a sigh of relief when you finally hire a social media manager but make sure you aren’t completely stepping away. Social media represents one of the more visible and impactful extensions of your brand and it’s imperative that you always keep an eye on things. Let the social media manager do his job, but for best results, you should stay abreast of what’s happening.
