Johannesburg, March 6, 2015.

A social media professional must be clever, sharp, accurate and skilled at relationship-building. They are a copywriter, PR executive, brand ambassador, customer care agent, account manager, strategist, media planner – all in the space of an hour.

A social media manager is not a glorified typist. They are at the coal face of your brand, talking to your consumers every day, representing your organisation far more often and more loudly than your CEO’s interview on 702. But what do you look out for and what do you need?

Swiss army knife vs Specialist

Social media has exploded as part of the marketing landscape and has led to a variety of specialisations. The bigger your organisation, the more likely your need for specialisation. This does not mean you need all of these, and, even if someone is a specialist, they need to understand the greater field.

Social Media Manager / Community Manager: This is the Swiss army knife of social media roles, as it’s a blend of community management, content planning, influencer engagement, reporting and account management.

Social Media Strategist: They develop strategies and content plans to get the right content to the right people at the right time, as well as run workshops, test scenarios, and advise on media planning.

ORM Analyst: They adore data – finding it, collecting it, drawing insights from it – when knowledge is power, you need them in your arsenal.

Content Producer: They have a blend of skills, usually incorporating design and multimedia, and create quick turnaround tactical content that works for your brand.

Social Customer Care Manager: Someone with the patience of Job and a very, very tough skin. They deal with customers your brand has angered for some reason.

Spotting talent

This can be tricky. Gems can be hidden under shyness or nervousness, while arrogance can masquerade as confidence. A few good starter questions are: Why do you like social media? What’s the next big thing? What’s your “edge”?

Social media is part of a bigger machine. A potential recruit needs to understand how social media fits into the bigger branding, advertising and digital picture. If they don’t know what upcoming trends are, it indicates that they are not forward-thinking – and this industry is all about innovation. Look for what makes them stand out, what makes them different from the other candidates.

Winning personal traits

• Curiosity: This is not a “tick the box” job. If they don’t like to ask “why?” it’s not the right career for them.
• Proactivity: The social media news cycle is four hours and quick-thinking is mandatory because they have to do it now or not at all.
• Sensibility: A vital modicum of reason must always prevail and they need a good head on their shoulders to touch, pause, engage.
• Bravery: Rather let people make mistakes and learn than play it safe and stagnate – there’s nothing worse than a boring brand on social media.
• Toughness: They will have to remain calm while handling vitriol that makes the Westboro Baptists look like Mother Theresa.

Experience and skills

Look out for copywriting, journalism, strategy and/or PR experience on the CVs you receive.

Copywriters usually have a far better grasp of brands and are able to communicate in a creative and engaging way. Journalists have solid writing ability and know how to make content work hard. Strategists are lateral thinkers who can manipulate insights for maximum value and present exceptionally well. PR people are skilled connectors who can network with influencers and media.

Regardless of their experience and personality traits, it’s vital that candidates have the following specific skills:

• Organised – they have a plan
• Problem-solving – they take the reins in a crisis
• Presentation – they demonstrate value quickly
• Attention to detail – they do not make spelling mistakes
• Copywriting – they write how people speak

Red flags

Despite knowing all of this, it’s still very possible to be fooled. It’s like a Tinder date. Their profile is perfect, they message all the right things, they look the part. And then you meet them and realise that they got their friends to help them. Here are a few warning signs that usually mean it’s time to end the interview:

• “I don’t do x or y” – If they have never managed a MXit portal for example, they should be saying that they can’t wait to try it.
• “What is edgerank?” – There is certain terminology that they should really know or at least have made an effort to learn.
• “I have 100 000 followers.” – Buying followers is indicative of lying, laziness and insecurity.
• “I prefer to work alone.” – Social media is a team sport.
• “That award-winning campaign was rubbish.” – There’s a difference between negativity and constructive criticism.

Hire for attitude

Herb Kelleher, co-founder of Southwest Airlines, said, “Hire for attitude, train for skills.” Attitude really is 99% of everything. Your social media person should be passionate and knowledgeable about your specific industry, while also fitting into your company culture and team.

Diversity is another element that brings untold rewards to a social media team. It gives you a multitude of opinions and personal experiences to draw upon. If your whole team has pretty much the same background, colour, gender, sexuality, nationality and age, your communication will be weaker for it.

Ultimately, there is not one “ideal” social media person. Every organisation has its own unique set of needs. So make sure that you take time and care in finding that one well-rounded individual who can stay tough and keep your brand on-track, online.

Thank Amanda Sevasti, Head of Social Media at NATIVE VML.

Learn more about NATIVE VML

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