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The Link in Bio Guide to Getting a Job in SocialA roadmap for every step of the job search process.
At the beginning of the year, I asked my good friend and social media recruiter, Kelly Gordon, what she was seeing in the hiring space. It wasn’t great. She told me:
When brainstorming what the next Link in Bio Guide should be, it felt obvious to break down the process of getting a job in this industry. But I knew I shouldn’t be the one to write it—the last time I applied and interviewed for a full-time role was in 2016. The landscape has changed a lot since then. I called in Todd Needle, Social Lead at Attentive (and former social manager at Shopify), to write this newsletter on finding and landing a job in social media. (You might remember him from the excellent Link in Bio Guide to Goal Setting!) This is really meant to be an evergreen resource that you can refer back to any time you are in the job search process. I’ll let Todd take it from here!
Well folks, I am back for another TODDTalk. Really excited to be here. I’ve crafted this guide as a roadmap through (nearly) every step of the job search process, from pinpointing the right opportunities to sealing the deal with confident negotiation…which you deserve, and don’t let anybody tell you otherwise. I cover:
I’ve consulted with industry insiders and hiring managers to bring you insights that are practical, actionable, and not just from, well, me. Let’s jump in.
🔍 Looking For The JobJob BoardsThere are both general and niche job boards tailored to social media roles, and each has merit. We all know Indeed and LinkedIn. Here are a few others I recommend:
Red Flags to Look Out For in Job DescriptionsThe Do-It-All Job: I’m confident that many of us have seen a think piece or two about “do-it-all” jobs recently—Rachel broke down a problematic job posting in this newsletter. There are many schools of thought on what skill sets are necessary to be successful as you grow your career in social. I believe a healthy team makes room for a variety of specialists, and if a company values social as a channel, they’ll invest in growing that team thoughtfully. But if a company is in its early stages, or does not understand the role of organic social (read: thinks you can just “make it go viral”), then you might see a job posting that asks for a variety of skills. Use your judgment, and decide what kinds of boundaries you are prepared/willing to set, and what kinds of skills you want to leverage (and/or grow into). I know many incredible multi-hyphenates who gladly wear many hats. But not every social media professional needs to be a copywriter/designer/actor/dancer/editor/community manager. Sometimes you can just pick one or two.
The “Be A Team Player” Job: If a job description mentions being “always-on” or needing to “work weekends occasionally” and you are the kind of person who bristles at a Slack message at 6:30pm, keep that in mind. Some people thrive on this energy. I am in my thirties, and I typically do not. And there are ways to suss this out (hint hint). The “Ninja” Job: As a general rule, if a job description mentions the term “ninja” or “rock star” or “guru” I tend not to apply. You do you, though. NetworkingYou might think it’s silly, but I really do recommend networking on- and offline. Do not be afraid to connect with people on LinkedIn. Do not be afraid to RSVP to that Partiful for the “design portfolio review” at a random studio in Nomad. Use your company’s education stipend to go to that social media conference. Connect, connect, connect! Networking can open doors that job boards and cold emails often can’t. Engaging with peers and industry leaders online and offline expands your professional circle and helps you build long-term connections you can work later down the road, whether in a partnership capacity, or in a “hey I saw you were hiring for this role, would love to reconnect!” capacity. Working LoudlyIf you’ve been thinking about sharing links to work you’re doing that you’re proud of, do it. People will see it. Let your LinkedIn do the talking. Share that Reel to your personal Instagram account. Write a thread breaking down a campaign. I promise it’s okay.
I think of my LinkedIn as a living, breathing resume. You don’t have to worry about it fitting on one page. You can share work you’ve done without seeming self-aggrandizing. That is what it’s for. It’s your career loudspeaker, so make sure it’s heard! I do want to also take a moment to plug another digital surface I’ve been loving: Gondola. It allows you to embed live links directly to your profile, and it even tracks reach, engagement, and volume of your posts. If you don’t have a personal website, you can include it in the “additional links” section of most job applications. We love! Portfolio CreationMuch like your skillset, every portfolio will look different. And there are about a million ways you can build yours. But you should build one—and it should highlight your best campaigns, creative content, and tangible results. Think of it as your professional highlight reel. Bonus points if you stitch together your favorite short form videos for an actual highlight reel. There are many schools of thought on this. Here are some options across the effort spectrum:
If creating a formal portfolio isn’t in the cards, Kelly Gordon, recruiter at Creative People, tells me, “If you are really dreading creating a portfolio or don't have time, please link out to work examples. I cannot stress enough how much a hiring manager or a recruiter needs visuals. At the very least, please link the accounts you manage/managed/worked on!” Resume UpdatesKeep your resume fresh and focused. If you feel strongly, you can tailor it for each application to reflect the skills and experiences that align best with the job description. A customized resume shows you’re not just looking for any job—you’re looking for this job. As a general rule, I also update my resume at the beginning of each year, either cleaning up language I feel is no longer relevant, or adding any new positions/responsibilities to the top. Unfortunately, you never know when you’ll need an updated resume in a pinch. This is also a reminder of where you’ve been, and where you want to go next. Some of you may be shocked to hear this, but during my most recent job search, I found it really helpful to use ChatGPT to cross-check my resume with every job description. This also comes in handy for interview prep. Try the following:
*Yes, I say please and thank you to ChatGPT. I’m not taking any chances, okay? It’s The First Social Role I’m Ever Applying ToJust starting out in social? Highlight your eagerness to learn and any relevant experiences, like internships or volunteer work. It’s very likely that you have transferable skills. For instance, my first two years out of school, I worked in high volume sales, which led me to a job in media planning, which then led me to my career in social. It can be done. I did not use ChatGPT to write this. I just believe it. Here’s what Saad Khan, Brand Social Lead at Shopify, had to say: “For a general hybrid social role, the first trait I’d look for is someone who is pretty much, extremely online. By that, I mean somebody who “gets it”—they understand and participate in internet culture, they get the nuances of what makes something funny on a platform like Twitter, or know the specific style of storytelling that makes for a compelling TikTok. I typically discern attributes in a candidate by things someone can or can’t be taught. Knowing the specific ins and outs of internet culture and being able to creatively execute in that space can’t be easily taught. However, things like brand strategy, marketing principles, how to work at a large organization, etc., can be.”
💼 The Interview ProcessReality CheckInterviewing will likely be exhausting. You might think you crushed one, and then receive an update that you won’t be moving forward. It’s okay. It’s also a numbers game, to a certain extent. You can, and should, apply to as many jobs as you think you are qualified for. That Being Said…Enthusiasm For The Role is ImportantWhen speaking with Kelly, she kept bringing up the word enthusiasm. She tells me, “I can feel someone’s energy through the phone. I don’t think my candidates have to be excited about every role I’m pitching but a general excitement around the work and the space is palpable. Honestly, smile before you sign on for an interview. Repeat some positive affirmations. Look at some past work you are proud of. If you know your stuff and you are excited about it, we will feel it and we will be excited to move you along in a hiring process.” PreparingYou should prepare adequately for each conversation, even if you feel confident it will go well. You can use that same ChatGPT advice from earlier to see how you stack up against the job description, for starters. Come prepared with knowledge about the company’s social media strategy and ideas on how you can make an impact. And even things you would do differently once you get your bearings. Take the extra time to audit their channels. It helps. I’d also be remiss if I didn’t recommend you use some variation of the STAR method to map out your impact in previous roles—that’s Situation, Task, Action, and Result.
Here’s Kelly again, “Something I tell my social candidates is to really think through the lifecycle of a social post or campaign and where you sit in that circle. Write down what you do, who you partner with, and how you make an impact. I swear it helps you think more clearly about what your job is and it’s so much easier to apply to questions.” Three Interview Non-Negotiable Rules I Live By
And remember, an interview is a two-way street—you are allowed to ask questions to see if the company is the right fit for you. Here are a few questions you might ask:
So You Get Assigned a ProjectThere are many (okay, two) schools of thought on hiring assignments/projects. If you’re asked to complete a project, understand that it’s likely an opportunity for them to understand how you approach creative problem-solving in a work context. And for you, it's an opportunity to get a glimpse into what you'd work on day-to-day, and even how your potential manager delivers feedback. Assignments can be fun, and many people find them creatively stimulating! Ultimately it’s up to you if you feel comfortable completing an assignment. What you can do is set expectations around it. And you can always ask for compensation in some form. They may say no, but you asked. Here’s Saad again: “I do favor exercises, especially when hiring for a specific kind of social role—say a social copywriter for Twitter vs. an on-camera ‘host’ for TikTok. I’d want to see how well a candidate can apply their creative skills in a business context. That being said, I’m specifically in favor of exercises that pose completely hypothetical scenarios, and require no more than ~1-2 hours of work.” I agree with Saad here. I recently was asked, after four rounds of interviews with various stakeholders, to complete a two-week assignment. It was a significant time commitment, and the list of deliverables was extensive. It was unpaid. And I was unimpressed. Three tips here:
A Note for Hiring Managers on Interview Project AssignmentsIf you are asking a candidate to complete an assignment that requires creative output, consider compensating them for their time. And assure them that the assignment is a hypothetical scenario and that their work will not be used after the fact. On Social Media PrivacyIt’s inevitable that a hiring manager or somebody on your interview circuit will look you up. Consider setting your personal accounts to private, and curate your public content thoughtfully. If you feel comfortable, create a separate Instagram and/or Twitter account for your professional work. They can be considered another portfolio surface!
🎉 You Got The OfferNegotiatingCongratulations! Now it’s time to negotiate. My mentor and former boss once told me, “This is where the real interview begins.” Shivers! Understanding Total Compensation What You Can Negotiate:
I hope this guide was helpful! It’s by no means exhaustive, and I’m sure many people will have thoughts of their own on some of the hotter topics (@ me in the Discord if you want to talk about hiring exercises). Job hunting is not for the faint of heart. You will encounter obstacles; you will be ghosted; you will get really excited about conversations you had that may not pan out. And then, you’ll get the call. I believe in you. Lean on your community—friends, family, current and former colleagues. Join the Link in Bio Discord. We can hang out there. Now, go out there and crush it.
Thank you Todd! You can support free guides like this one with a paid Link in Bio subscription! And guess what? It’s likely an educational expense at your company—here’s a template for you to use when asking your manager. And, like Todd mentioned, there’s some great networking in the Discord. You're currently a free subscriber to Link in Bio. For the full experience, upgrade your subscription.
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