For a long time now, there has been a running joke about how interns are in charge of manning the social media accounts for all of the major companies out there. But in reality, this couldn’t be further from the truth!
While interns might have been responsible for running some social media accounts in the past, companies can’t afford to let just anyone handle their social media presences anymore. They’ve opened up lots of paid social media jobs in order to put social media professionals at the helm of their social media efforts.
Are you someone who thinks you might be perfect for a social media position at a company? If so, you should take the time to learn about the different types of social media jobs. You should also learn why you should work in social media and figure out how to apply for social media jobs.
Here is everything you need to know about paid social media jobs.
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How Many Paid Social Media Jobs Are There?
As recently as about a decade ago, there weren’t that many paid social media jobs to be had in the U.S. workforce. Very few companies had social media professionals on their staffs.
But nowadays, companies can’t afford not to have a strong social media presence. As a result, there are so many paid social media jobs that have opened up over time.
As of right now, there is somewhere in the neighborhood of 500,000 paid social media jobs available, including full-time, part-time, and freelance positions. And that number seems to be going up every year as more and more companies bring additional social media employees on board.
What Are Some of the Most Common Types of Social Media Jobs?
All paid social media jobs are not created equal. There are actually quite a few different types of social media jobs that you can apply for if you’re interested in launching a career in the social media space.
Some of the most common types of social media jobs are:
- Social media directors.
- Brand managers.
- Social media managers.
- Engagement coordinators.
- Content strategists.
A lot of these jobs might sound like they would require people to do the same kinds of things. But the truth of the matter is that each paid social media job is a little bit different and will call for you to take a slightly different approach to working on a company’s social media initiatives.
What Qualifications Do You Need to Have to Get Paid Social Media Jobs?
According to the Pew Research Center, more than 70% of Americans use some form of social media at this time. Because of this, you might be under the impression that almost everyone would be eligible for paid social media jobs.
As long as you’re somewhat familiar with social media and how it works, you should be able to work in the social media space, right? Eh, not exactly!
In order to land one of the many paid social media jobs that are out there, there are certain qualifications that you’ll need to have. Some of these qualifications will include.
- You’ll need to be a strong writer, editor, and communicator.
- You’ll need to know your way around on a variety of social media platforms.
- You’ll need to have some experience managing social media feeds for a small business.
- You’ll need to know how to use different social media analytics tools.
Most of the time, you’ll also need to work to grow your brand on social media. By doing this, you’ll be able to prove that you can do the same for a company.
How Much Do Social Media Professionals Make?
Since many people are still under the assumption that interns run social media accounts for companies, they’re also sometimes under the assumption that paid social media jobs must not pay very much. But this is not usually true.
While there are some small companies that will try to get away with paying social media employees next to nothing, many paid social media jobs could potentially be very lucrative. You could make a nice chunk of change every year if you’re able to add some real value to a company by putting your social media know-how to the test.
Social media managers tend to make just a shade over $50,000 on average. But that’s just the start. It’s not all that out of the ordinary for some people who work in the social media space to crack the six-figure mark as they work their way up the totem poles at their companies.
How Can You Find Paid Social Media Jobs?
Finding paid social media jobs used to be a huge challenge for those who wanted to track them down. They typically had to luck up on these jobs since they were few and far between.
But in this day and age, there are so many paid social media jobs available that it’s almost impossible not to find a few when you’re conducting a general job search. Companies will routinely list their paid social media jobs right next to all of the other positions that they’re trying to fill.
You should keep your eyes peeled for these types of social media jobs when you’re searching for jobs. You should also do your best to try to hone in on the kinds of social media positions that you would be interested in trying to obtain. You should be able to uncover lots of different options without too much effort on your part.
What Is the Best Way to Apply for Social Media Jobs?
Applying for paid social media jobs is just like applying for any other jobs that you might be interested in trying to get. You’re going to have to send in a cover letter and a resume when you apply for a position in the social media space and list all of your qualifications for a job.
But you’re usually going to have to take things a step further, too. Most companies are going to want to see just how involved you are on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. before considering you for a position. So you’re going to have to provide your social media handles to companies and make sure that these handles demonstrate what you can do on social media.
Additionally, you’re going to want to try to wow companies by providing them with some ideas on how you’ll be able to help them if they give you one of their paid social media jobs. You shouldn’t be shy about using your cover letter to let a company what you would be able to bring to the table if they were to hire you.
Why Should You Consider Working in Social Media?
Working in the social media space isn’t for everyone. If you don’t have the slightest interest in spending your days poking around on different social media sites, you’re not going to be a great candidate for paid social media jobs.
But if you’re wondering why you should work in social media, there are many reasons why you should do it. Here are several of the top reasons.
- You’ll get the opportunity to spend almost every free second that you have on social media, which is probably something you’re already doing anyway.
- You’ll be able to find unique ways to help a company build up their brand on social media.
- You’ll get the chance to stay on top of the latest social media trends.
- You’ll be able to try to make as many connections as you possibly can with potential customers for a company.
Working in social media isn’t always easy. You have to spend a ton of time online and be connected at almost every minute of the day.
But a career in social media can be very rewarding. Your efforts could ultimately help to make a company bigger and better than it was before you started working there. It’s not a bad gig at all for an “intern.”
Start Looking Around for Paid Social Media Jobs Today
Does the idea of working in the social media space sound appealing to you? Then you should set out to see which paid social media jobs are available in your area right now.
You might be surprised to see just how many paid social media jobs there are at the moment. Almost every company in the country is always looking to add talent to its social media team.
If you live and breathe social media all the time, you could be a fantastic candidate for paid social media jobs. You could also find yourself making your fair share of money every year thanks to your social media expertise.
Would you like to check out some more informative articles pertaining to social media? Click around on the rest of our blog to see what else it has to offer.
