Twitter, Twitter, Little Stars

As customers make or break brands online, companies rush to hire social media directors…and figure out what they do

Illustration by Al Murphy

By Felix Gillette

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Natalie Malaszenko has always loved pets. A 31-year-old resident of San Diego, Calif., she has a dog named Sarge and a cat named Leo. Years ago, when she lived in Texas, she took care of cows and horses and even a stray emu. In recent months, however, since beginning a full-time job at the pet retailer Petco, she has taken on the additional responsibility of tending to a breed of notoriously unruly carnivores, capable of scaring off even the most patient caregiver—namely, online commenters. So far, Malaszenko says she loves them, too.

Earlier this year, Petco executives appointed Malaszenko to a new—and trendy—job: director of social media and commerce. Across the country, companies like Petco are going through a two-step process. First, they scramble to hire social media officers. Second, they figure out what it is, exactly, that social media officers do. Blending departments—promotion and marketing, customer service and support—and requiring the ability to be shameless boosters while maintaining a light, self-aware tone, the job category is experiencing a boomlet as companies try to keep up with the new media world. The chief social media officer may be supplanting the chief branding officer as the zaniest human resource innovation in memory.

Malaszenko's initial assignment was to envision and articulate Petco's social media strategy for the future. "How do we take the great passion that people have for their pets and do something with it in social?" she asks, using the corporate shorthand for social media. "As a team, we figured out that for us it means being a part of these discussions, regardless of where they're happening." To that end, Malaszenko now curates multiple Petco fan pages on Facebook, several Twitter accounts, and the company blog, called The Petco Scoop. "Raising pets is really challenging," she says. "Dogs pee on the carpet. Cats scratch furniture. How do you help people through it and not necessarily say, 'this is the expert advice,' because we all have different opinions. We're just bringing the opinions together and harvesting [them] into a community."

The ultimate goal of her social media team, says Malaszenko, is to help the bottom line. "It's about having a conversation," she says. "But it's also about using social to influence purchase decisions....For us, it's about making money, as well."

Opportunities in corporate social media are popping up faster than cat videos on YouTube (GOOG). In addition to Petco, in the past few months, Sears Holdings (SHLD), Panasonic (PC), the Fifth Third Bank (FITB), the National Association of Homebuilders, Citigroup (C), Electronic Arts (ERTS), AT&T (T), Fiji Water, Godaddy.com, and the Ultimate Fighting Championship have all sought or hired social media experts. In Las Vegas, Harrah's Entertainment recently circulated a job listing for a "corporate social media rock star." In Chicago, Buick went looking for a handful of "social media ambassadors" to help manage Tweet to Drive, which allows customers to schedule test drives from home via Twitter. At the same time, traditional public relations and marketing powerhouses such as Ogilvy & Mather are bulking up their expertise to fend off social-media-focused startups.

Within the past few years, it seems that social media positions are popping up everywhere, in all types of organizations, from The New York Times, to Pizza Hut, and even in the White House. Businesses of all types are identifying the need to stay connected with their communities because they recognize the benefits.

Social media marketing is just a slice of the social media industry, but it’s a very important piece of the story. Businesses see social media as a platform for engaging with consumers and informing them of the latest company news and products. Marketers are blazing trails in the social media marketing sector, creating campaigns that are interactive, shareable and inclusive of the online community. For the most innovative of marketers, the focus isn’t on campaigns, but on letting consumers take the reigns in guiding a brand’s social presence.

For aspiring social media marketers, there are no strict rules for becoming successful. But we’ve gathered eight of the brightest minds in the social media industry to elaborate on five helpful tips for landing a job in social media marketing.

1. Join Social Media Meetups and Networks

In talking with a number of digital entrepreneurs, one tip stood out as the first step towards online success: step away from your computer, meet with professionals in the field you want to work with and join groups of others interested in social media and technology. Damien Basile, communication strategist and founder of Digital Somethings, a monthly digital influencer event series, said it loud and clear, “The old axiom still rings true: It’s who you know, what you know and how much money you have access to.”

Digital Strategist and Co-Founder of Foodspotting, Soraya Darabi, recommends that job seekers looking to break into the social media world get out and meet people in the industry:

“Most careers depend a lot on networks, but the beauty of social media is that you can “meet” most of the people you need to know online. Having said that, I truly appreciate real life conversations, and get great value from the New York Tech Meetup after-events, where like-minded entrepreneurs and digital strategists roam. Create your own networking event if you can’t find a nearby group to suit your interests.”

Joining groups like the New York Tech Meetup and Social Media Club are a great start to getting to know professionals in the industry. Make sure you’re not just attending events, sitting in the back and leaving after the speeches end. Be proactive about meeting new people, learning about what they do and having meaningful conversations.

If you can’t find a fitting group of interesting people nearby, start your own Meetup. Organizing a group of specialized experts is one way to sky-rocket your name to the top.

2. Make Relationships, Not Pitches

Joining specialized groups is just the beginning; don’t stop there. When you meet people with interesting stories, get to know them and build a true relationship. Forget the marketing pitches and the elevator speech and leave your resume at home. People can instinctively identify a fraud; be genuine in your mission to understand the industry and what your acquaintances are working on. I like the way Soundcloud Evangelist David Noël puts it, “Don’t be spammy, pushy, sales-y, douchey, or scary.”

The best thing about the social space is that you can continue your relationships online. As Basile puts it, “Comment, interact, blog and re-blog. The more you make yourself heard, the more you will be heard.” Make sure you’re staying active within your network, and don’t forget to listen.

Pedro Sorrentino, MediaMind’s marketing and PR coordinator in Brazil, says to remember that “it’s not only about the people you know, it’s about the way you treat them as well. Technology is just a platform and social media is all about sociology, human behavior and status.” He points out that technology can lead way to short, crass communications. Learn how to engage your network in a “clever and polite way.”

Sophia Aladenoye, a digital strategist at Ogilvy Public Relations, stresses the important of embracing the extrovert in you while on your mission to make your connections count:

“My top tip would be to always engage with people. I have seen this, time and time again, that those who are in the social media industry and who wish to break in are individuals who actually like people and like talking to people. Those are the ones who I see thriving in this industry — it is called “social” for a reason. Even if you consider yourself an introvert, there should be a part of yourself that still reaches out to people.”

3. Stay Informed of Trends, Tools and News

Training, experience and knowledge are all very important for any career choice. Since social media is such a new industry, there aren’t very many standards on what type of training you should have or which tools you should be utilizing to measure success. Because the landscape changes so quickly, it is therefore very important that you are constantly learning. Keep yourself updated on the latest technologies, trends and news by reading up. Walter Junior, social media strategist at Riot, points out that being in the know is key:

“Keep up-to-date with tools, applications, studies and reports. In my opinion, it’s essential to monitor and be familiar with a wide range of Internet materials, such as social media usage research, in order not only to comprehend market and users’ consumption habits, but also to know how they are changing each day.”

Darabi believes that industry awareness and a passion for new things keeps aspiring social media marketers on top of their game. “The magic word in our industry is beta. Get on the beta list for every product that intrigues you, try it for yourself before you recommend the product or platform to your brand or organization. Early-adoption and the ability to be first-to-market is an easy gateway to success.”

A background or knowledge in marketing or PR doesn’t hurt, either. Jakub Svoboda, publisher of Tyinternety.cz, a Czech blog specialized in digital marketing and social media, says that “you have to understand, at least on a basic level, how companies are communicating, what brand marketing is, how to deal with reputation, how to manage a PR crisis, and how to write copy for social advertisements.” If you have a passion for social media, but don’t have the marketing experience, don’t be discouraged. Pick up a marketing book, take a course, or get a mentor.

When you’re on top of the latest news, you’ll never have to worry about fudging up on the facts in an interview. Kimberly Aguilera, planning and new media recruiter at Tangerine Talent Management, advises that, “at an interview you should be prepared with your own ideas for the company or agency [you are interviewing with]. Have relevant examples of who is doing what right.” Aguilera also advises that you cut out the jargon and start at the basics while interviewing. “Being able to teach is a big part of the roles. Not everyone knows as much as you do all of the time. You have to make it all understandable for non-social media experts.”

To stay on top of the latest news, fill your RSS reader with the sources that cover that news. Our experts recommend AdAge, PSFK, Creativity Magazine, eMarketer, and of course, Mashable. We also recommend following or creating a Twitter List of social media of great thinkers in the industry, and interacting with individual tweeters on the list when they post something that’s of interest to you.

4. Find an Online Balance Between Personal & Professional

Noël will tell you that “the lines between your personal and work online presences are blurred.” There isn’t an invisible line between the two, and there is no way of keeping them separate, no matter how you may try. Noël looks at this truth as an opportunity to showcase your expertise. He elaborates, “Don’t be afraid though, and use this to position yourself as an expert in your field and beyond, by blogging about things that are tangent to what your work life is about, but not necessarily cover it as a whole.”

Darabi advises, “Develop your own ‘personal-professional hybrid,’ a version of yourself online that you’re comfortable sharing with the CEO of a Fortune 100 company and your grandmother alike.”

Finally, don’t forget that anything you contribute to the Internet stays there. Basile puts it into perspective, “Everything is Googleable. Anything you put online is fair game, even if your privacy settings are strict. All it takes is one person to copy-paste something you said. Take 10 seconds to think about what you’re saying before you post anything. Someone is ALWAYS paying attention.”

5. Make Your Resume Stand Out

We asked our eight social media, communications, and digital strategy experts for their top resume tips for aspiring social media marketers. They had so many great ideas that we decided to leave you with these notes on sprucing up your resume:

• “Aspiring social media marketers must include their professional and personal social networking links on their resume. A potential employer will find them anyway, so including them shows savvy and initiative. Don’t include your follower numbers, ratio or “influence” score. A potential employer will find that out when they search your social profiles”. -Damien Basile
• “What you emphasize on your resume should also reflect what companies or positions you are applying for. No one likes a resume that doesn’t feel somewhat personalized.” -Sophia Aladenoye
• “It’s essential to emphasize your social presences by including your links to Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and personal blog on your resume. In that way, interviewers can analyze your writing and publishing skills, the way you interact with other people and your ability to build a consistent personal image.” -Walter Junior
• “Emphasize your writing and photography abilities, as this industry is largely about making content interesting through basic blogging techniques. You should also highlight projects you’ve self-started. My friend Mike Hudack, [co-founder] of blip.tv, often says he only hires people if they have a side project they feel passionately about. He wants all hires to be innovative and entrepreneurial. I like that approach.” -Soraya Darabi
• “I consider owning some information channel that seems to be interesting a “must have”. Even if it’s your Twitter, a forum, or maybe a very good blog. And don’t forget to show that you are always learning, don’t try to be a know-it-all. Information changes really fast. If you want to show that you know something interesting and add some character, include something like, ‘My friends love my risotto!’” -Pedro Sorrentino
• “Emphasize your own social media presence and successes. Present your great communication and language skills, and don’t forget social links to your blog, Twitter, and other sites you’re active on. Have your resume online, on sites such as on LinkedIn.” -Jakub Svoboda
• “Include your passion projects. This is what sets you apart and tells your story. I recommend to leave off irrelevant experience.” -Kimberly Aguilera
• “Get out there and do, write and say smart things. If you can back this up by [having] a strong web presence and point a recruiter to the things that best describe who you are as a person, you basically don’t need a resume. A cover letter leaves too much room for BS anyway, and a CV can be constructed. Bottom line: link to your online presences that prove that you’re awesome, and you have one foot in the door. Bonus if a company finds you before you find it.” -David Noël

Social Media Job Listings

Every week we put out a list of social media and web job opportunities. While we post a huge range of job listings, we’ve selected some of the best social media jobs from the past two weeks to get you started. Happy hunting!

• Mid-Level Social Media Communications Specialist at The Cadmus Group in Arlington, VA.
• Social Media Sales Consultant at Meltwater in Mountain View, CA.
• Freelance Senior Social Media Strategist at MWW Group in New York, NY.
• Social Media Coordinator at Playboy Enterprises in Chicago, IL.
• Manager, Social Networking and Online Communities at Society for Human Resource Management in Alexandria, VA.

More Social Media Resources from Mashable:

- 5 Tips for Managing Your Company’s Brand on the Web
- 10 Fascinating Facebook Facts
- 25 Upcoming Social Media & Tech Events
- 10 Tips for Corporate Blogging
- Is Social Media Failing to Produce Business Leads?

For more Social Media coverage:

• Follow Mashable Social Media
• Subscribe to the Social Media channel
• Become a Fan on Facebook
• Download our free apps for iPhone and iPad

Reposted from SocialSmack.com

Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to sit on Dell’s first ever Customer Advisory Panel along with a distinguishedgroup of Bloggers & Social Media peers. I thought the invitation was a bold move on behalf of Dell (considering it came via Twitter & I had ranted about a terrible customer service experience I had only weeks–maybe even days–before).

What I didn’t know at the time, was that Dell had purposefully assembled two distinct groups of customers for their two-day panel. Day One consisted entirely of customers who had expressed negative feedback regarding their experience; Day Two: hardcore fanatics.

The message from Dell was clear: It was time to get off the fence.

I can’t speak on behalf of the executives & organizers behind the event, but I would assert what’s becoming clear to them is the binary buying decisions of their customers.

In a world of 5-star rating systems, subjective status updates, online product reviews & communities of only “likes”, how can a brand expect to gather, interpret and put to use that feedback effectively? Seriously…even with all the analytics technology that exists there is still a disconnect because the feedback is subjective.

Enter SocialSmack. We know that consumers make binary purchasing decisions everyday. Ultimately, your experience with a brand–pre, during and post purchase–will be either positive or negative. One might argue that a neutral experience is possible… but will that experience lead you to buy again or not? The buying decision is binary by nature. You either do, or you don’t. (There is no sort-of buy.)

Let’s also take into consideration consumers who have multiple interactions with a singular brand. Over the course of time, naturally, some experiences will be better than others, right? Even in the case of a brand fanatic… we can’t discount that there may be interactions that leave that fanatic less-than-satisfied.

This kind of feedback is the kind a brand can easily interpret & effectively put to use because the message from the consumer is clear.  After all, what does a “3″ or “4″ rating REALLY mean? And who cares about only the consumers who love your brand?

We think brands (like Dell) really do want to hear from consumers who give them Props and Drops.

Don’t you think it’s time for brands to get off the fence?

We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments!

Taking your business serious may require a Social Media Manager

By tommylee on June 11, 2010

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Are you pulling your hair on Social Media?

While jobs are disappearing, literally to never return, new and never before heard of jobs sprout-up as a result of world wide web social media.

Well, what can I say, SearchAmelia has predicted on many occasions that the third industrial revolution and its major shift in how it will “create” new jobs is materializing in some of the most amazing ways.

During our semi regular bi-weekly free social workshops we have been hammering on the importance of social media and its networking capabilities for small and medium sized businesses in local and regional markets.

Lo and behold, the job market has a need for a new breed of knowledge. A job that can be done part time and most importantly: from your home office.

The sheer explosion of social media from Facebook business, to Twitter business and FourSquare, Ning and LinkedIn has been coming down the pipeline at such a speed that most small and medium sized businesses are “caught by surprise” as a total new job market segment has been created simply forced out of need to stay ahead of the business curve:

The Social Media Manager

Many small and midsized business entrepreneurs, as witnessed in our workshops, do simply not have the time to learn how to build, manage and profile themselves in the Social Media circus. And a circus it is but… unfortunately not getting involved means “Not Mattering Anymore” and you WILL loose out and could face extinction because your competitors are either more internet savvy or understand the importance of engaging with customers on social media.

Just as a refresher for some and an eye opener for others, Facebook today is the third largest country (if it where a country) in population with a little under 500 million users, responsible for over 40 billion sign-ins per month and well over 500 billion human interactions. Twitter is a distant second, but is gaining momentum regarding interaction and messages send and ranks now as the 6th largest, traffic wise, website in the world while youTube, not strictly a Social Medium, is adding 25 hours of video per minute, 24 hours a day, as people and businesses getting into high gear of personal branding.

Foursquare, Flickr (yes even them), Google Buzz are gaining traction in the circus and with more than 220,000 iPhone apps of which a good 20% are geared towards social media, as well as the development of social Android apps, the forest is growing into a jungle where trees are becoming more difficult to uniquely identify.

Social Media wild growth

What tools to chose? Which networks to follow? How much time is needed to maintain the social media status? How to push the products and services in the social marketplace? All good questions and this is where the Social Media Manager Job description and thus services come into play.

Google Search Results on Social Media Jobs

The job has grown exponentially in the last several months and consequently demand and job open positions is staggering. One small Job market website alone has over 17,000 Social Media Manager job openings listed.

A very recent survey shows that 91.5% of all small and medium sized businesses are considering a Social Media Manager while 85% who already have a social media manager have seen more than abnormal growth.

These are staggering numbers if one realizes that there are over 30 million small businesses in the US alone. Many small businesses share a Social Media Manager and consultancy fees totaling $10,000 per month for a manager are not abnormal.

Even if one considers that only one in 50 small businesses considers a Social Media Manager to take care of their social media needs, this would mean that 600,000 companies would be in a need to hire about 200,000 Managers in the next 3-6 months.

How serious is a Social Media Manager Job?

Let me put it this way… Marketing 101 book page one says: “What you don’t know you cannot crave for!” A fundamental mistake many businesses in pre-internet and Internet era make and are still making.

It doesn’t seem to sink in that you can be the most talented craftsman, the most accomplished accountant, the most knowledgeable realtor, or have the best merchandise at the lowest rates… if people don’t know about you or your business, you may as well hang a sign up on the door that states: “Opened my door for business yesterday, closed my door for business today!” And the sad notion is that all moneys went in preparation of the offices, tools of the craft and resources, yet nothing was reserved for creating awareness, personal or business.

Also unfortunate is that many people, not only entrepreneurs, think that the Internet is still a playground for teens, the internet is a waste of time and it is only for kids. They support their wisdom with excesses such as Farmville and teens pulling out their Playstation and Nintendo games and thus justify their business inactivity on the internet based on a fraction of what the World Wide Web has to offer.

Oh, sure they have an “Online Brochure”, yet many of them don’t know even their website URL (website address name).

As a result of this ignorance or being afraid of this global phenomenon, many business owners are hiding behind the “I’m too old to learn” and simply ignore that their customers are no longer reading newspapers or magazines, do not watch TV nor listen to the Radio but instead spend their time on a laptop.

If they would then they would know that their customers read blogs, read newspapers online, watch TV via youTube, Vimeo, Hulu and Dailymotion, search the gossip sites for the latest on stars and starlets, play a game here or there, do some Google or Bing searching on their hobbies, roam the online radio stations … and interact with family, friends, colleagues and engage with complete strangers via Facebook, Twitter and other niche market social outlets. Let’s face it, your customers and potential customers are online. But don’t believe me. Just be aware of the 500 million Facebook users.

So how serious is a Social Media Manager’s job? Until the next evolution of the internet is kicking into high gear and you don’t “have the time” or are “too old to learn” you’d better decide to hire a Social Media Manager, if you aspire wealth, health and visibility.

What does the Job entail?

Quite frankly, it is a very intense job that requires to stay up-to-date on the latest developments, tools and trends in the social media sphere. It requires next to social skills, writing skills and intimate knowledge of the business he/she represents, an undying drive to learn each and every intricacy of the social network tools. It requires adaptability to new circumstances, research and ongoing communication. An almost constant and never ending learning process awaits those that want to be successful in the Social Media Sphere.

To learn more about Social Media Manager, SearchAmelia.com will be hosting on Monday June 29 from 6-8 pm a special Social Media Management Workshop (RSVP required) at a suitable location based on the amount of attendance. We suggest to bring a Laptop with wireless access.

Bottom Line

Social Media is not a Fad, but a very serious business tool that may require some very special attention based on your enterprise.