Social Media Specialist

Typical Work Tasks
People who work in this career often:

• Conduct market research.
• Inform viewers, listeners, or audiences.
• Provide educational information to the public.
• Collaborate with others in marketing activities.
• Develop promotional strategies or plans.
• Edit written materials.
• Promote products, activities, or organizations.
• Coordinate logistics for productions or events.
• Write advertising or promotional material.
• Write informational material.

Typical Working Conditions

• Having telephone conversations.
• Using e-mail.
• Working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions.
• Sitting.
• Meeting strict deadlines.
• Working with a group or team.
• The importance of being accurate or exact.
• Frequent decision-making.
• High levels of competition.

Tools & Technology used by Social Media Specialist

Source: Minnesota CAREERwise

Most Important Skills for Social Media Specialists

• Being Aware of Others—Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
• Speaking—Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Coordinating with Others—Adjusting actions in relation to others’ actions.
• Listening—Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Making Decisions—Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
• Managing Time—Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
• Reading—Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Thinking Critically—Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Writing—Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
• Learning New Things—Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

Most Important Knowledge Areas for Social Media Specialists

• Communications and Media—Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
• English Language—Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Sales and Marketing—Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
• Customer and Personal Service—Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
• Clerical—Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
• Administration and Management—Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
• Sociology and Anthropology—Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.
• Computers and Electronics—Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
• Education and Training—Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
• Mathematics—Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

Interests
Different careers may be a good fit for your personality or interests. This career is:

• Enterprising—Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
• Artistic—Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.

Source: Minnesota CAREERwise

Low indicates 25% of workers earn less and 75% earn more. Median indicates 50% of workers earn less and 50% earn more. High indicates 75% of workers earn less and 25% earn more.

Demand
This is a high growth career area.

Source: Minnesota CAREERwise

This career requires at least at least a high school degree, but many professionals have an Associates or Bachelors degree.s: Central Lakes College & MSTATE

View the local post-secondary education options for this career from Central Lakes College.

Spotlight on Central Lakes College

• Why consider CLC?
• Virtual Campus Tours: Brainerd Campus, Staples Campus
• Learn more about the CLC Honors Program.
• Attend CLC, and you may never need to buy a textbook.

If you have a physical, mental, developmental, or cognitive condition that requires educational support, learn about support options at CLC.

Helpful High School Courses
Examples of helpful classes that help you prepare for this career:

Source: Minnesota CAREERwise