CONTINUED: Social Media Careers Offer Potential Beyond Dull Facebook Updates

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Social media by the stats

If the thought of spending your 9-to-5 workday on Facebook, Twitter or YouTube still sounds about as believable as the Tooth Fairy, consider a few statistics from The State of Social Media Jobs 2010, a report from Social Media Influence. According to its findings, social media is more than just a promising career field; it is positively booming. The study shows that 59 of the Fortune Global 100 companies are social media-savvy, and have either already hired in-house specialists, or are currently advertising to fill positions. One example is AT&T, which has a social media team comprised of more than 30 people and two external agencies. These social media experts can be found in six different departments of the company: customer care, digital marketing, digital advertising, e-commerce, digital media, and corporate communications.

And don’t think that a social media career means getting a sub-standard paycheck, either. According to the study, entry-level positions, such as analysts or strategists, typically provide an average salary of $40,000 to $60,000. Mid-level jobs, including community managers or product developers, range from $60,000 to $100,000. High-powered executive positions can yield a salary between $80,000 and $110,000. And, far from being few and far between, a deeper look into job posting sites shows a fast-growing demand. For example, the online recruitment site Indeed.com went from 3,000 social media job postings in 2005 to more than 21,000 as of the spring of 2010—an increase of over 600 percent! 

Breaking into the social media industry

So, if you are a self-confessed Facebook or Twitter fanatic, how can you turn your addiction into a real and rewarding job? Joel believes that you first need to have strong social skills. “I think good people skills are a must because that’s the ‘social’ part of ‘social media.’ You need to be able to interact with others and be able to measure your words because things in social media can get taken out of context easily,” says Joel. “Once you say something, it’s out there. The domino effect of saying the wrong thing can really lead to a lot of bad publicity.”

Joel also thinks that you should have strong customer service skills. However, he believes the most important factor is social media experience—becoming familiar with the available tools and websites, and how they work. “You need to be using it, first and foremost. Learn everything you can, especially about using Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to get a feel for how they work,” he says. “I think only then can you pursue a job in the field. If you haven’t gotten your feet wet, then it’s not something you should do until you learn to use it on a personal level.”

Social media school

In light of the demand for social media, colleges, universities and other post-secondary institutions are stepping up to provide relevant courses as part of advertising, marketing, or e-commerce programs. Many schools even offer programs that focus solely on social media, from certificates and diplomas to associate’s, bachelor’s, and even master’s degrees. According to a New York Times article, even some of the world’s most elite universities, including Harvard Business School, London Business School, and the École des Hautes Études Commerciales in Paris, France are including social media courses within their MBA programs.

So, whether you are looking for a lost dog or a new job, don’t make my mistake and underestimate the power of social media. As it turns out, it’s a heck of a lot more than a haven for obsessed FarmVille fans!