In September of last year I wrote a blog post on my dream job in social media. When I wrote this post, there were very few job openings in social media. It was still new enough that companies didn’t know that they needed somebody.
Now, after a brief look through Monster, Careerbuilder, and sites like Jeremiah Owyang’s job board, it’s clear that there’s been an explosion in opportunities. Corporations have begun to get serious about hiring someone in social media, and even in smaller markets like Portland, where I live, companies have started carving out specialties within social media.
I’ve seen Community Managers (which have been around for a long time), but also Social Media Community Managers, which in some instances are being distinguished by their emphasis on Facebook, Twitter, and other Web 2.0 sites and not as much on internal communities or message boards. I’ve also seen bloggers, consultants, direct marketers (PPC ad-focused positions for Facebook & LinkedIn), as well as customer service and recruiter positions. Social is finally threading its way into corporate culture.
My Dream Realized
A lot has changed for me in the year since I wrote that post on my dream job. I left the social media consulting department I started for my former employer and have since been doing my own consulting. It’s been a blast, in part because a lot of the consulting work that I’ve done has helped me have that dream job.
I’ve had the opportunity to sit with executives and talk strategic planning at a very high level, and there’s not many business opportunities that are more thrilling than the planning process. The beginning of execution, perhaps, but planning is when you get to dream.
I’ve seen a lot more companies really get that their off-line and non-social advertising works better if they drive people to an engagement platform – Facebook, a blog, message board, or newsletter. They start gaining and retaining attention.
Measurement has gained a lot of traction. People used to say that there’s no return on social media or that it wasn’t trackable. A bevy of tracking companies have sprung up, and measurement stalwarts have entered the social media game.
In other words, a LOT has happened in a year, and the rising tide has lifted many boats – but not all.
There’s Still A TON of Opportunity
A lot of companies need help with their social media marketing. My dream job now looks like this:
- Working with an organization (as a partner or otherwise) that has reach to evangelize social media. While many companies have made progress in Social, there’s still a fair amount of resistance to doing it well – mostly it’s a lack of financial investment and empowering those who are running the effort.
- Fostering creativity and cross-collaboration. I’ve been thinking and writing a lot more about creativity over the last year, and I think that part of the reason social is so good for business is that it breaks down the silos between internal departments. Companies that want to stay relevant need to utilize cross-lateralization of talent. In other words, social is a great way to empower the creative people in your company to have a voice and make a major impact. This can be done both via external networks and internal networks.
- Being a customer advocate. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen companies light on fire now that they’ve figured out ways to have stronger, deeper relationships with their clients. The idea of Social is creating iterative business models that are a lot nimble, and a lot more fun.
- I’d still love to work with a company that was in technology, creative, or entertainment, though I’m having a blast as an independent consultant.
I look forward to seeing what the next year brings in further breaking down specialties and in how pay structures continue to change.
