In the first two articles in this series, I talked about how my experience and real-life connections were important elements in getting a job interview and, eventually, an offer for a position as Senior Manager of Social Media Strategy for a digital agency here in Kansas City.
For the last 18 months, I have had the pleasure of leading a team of outstanding social media talent with a broad range of backgrounds and skills. Some of my team members have experience in public relations and in marketing consumer packaged goods. Some have experience in technology and analytics/measurement tools, while others have experience in journalism and reporting. What each person has in common, though, is the fact that they have taken their training and experience from their previous career practice and found a way to join their passion for social media with their area of expertise.
From top-right to bottom-right, the social media team consists of Sarah Waldschmidt, Amy Stewart, Kurt Kloeblen, Jamie Sutera, Jackie Walter, Sean Nicholson, Kyle Kowalski, Jordan Deatherage, Jeff Risley, Chris Hennkens, Adam Stoos (honorary), Amy Devine (not shown) and Molly Troop (not shown). Thanks to each of you!
The result has been the formation of an incredibly diverse social media team that understands that businesses operate to make money, but never lose sight of the fact that people (both customers and employees) are the most important element of any business.
Let me repeat that.
People (both customers and employees) are the most important element of any business.
Because each member of the team understands that social media is entirely about people, they ensure that every plan they create, every tactic they develop, every tweet/post/blog they propose brings benefit to the customer community while meeting business goals of our clients. Whether it's customer service, business process improvement, competitive intelligence, public relations/advocacy, or building relationships with industry influencers, the team ensures that our social media activities have value, align with specific goals, and are measured.
So...how did the formation of this team result in my job as Director of Social Media? That part was easy. Because each person has been willing to combine their unique talents and experiences with my own, we continually find ways to establish clear, measurable goals and then deliver results. And in any business, measurable results mean success and success means growth.
In my case, growth was from Senior Manager of Social Media Strategy to Director of Social Media.
As a message to each member of my team, this post is a public thank you. Individually, you are amazingly talented, motivated professionals who help our clients and customers connect, and your teamwork delivers results that are above-and-beyond on a daily basis. Together, you are a powerhouse that defines the standard of a high-performing team.
So what's the secret to getting a job as Director of Social Media? Build your experience and passion for social media while creating a real-life networking of contacts who understand your passion and would recommend you to others. Then, most importantly, build a team of talented individuals who have diverse skills, a strong understanding of business, and a passion for social media. With a team like that, you'll succeed every time.
Cheers!
-Sean
P.S. I also want to give a quick shout out to Wendy Blackburn, Jim Dayton, Laura Nguyen, the *entire* Intouch Team and all of my fantastic clients (you know who you are)!
Also, in case you missed the first to articles in the series, here are their links. As always, I welcome feedback, similar experiences, and constructive criticism in the comments!
How I Got My Job As Director Of Social Media - Step 2: Real-Life Relationships Matter