Usage and Experience Doesn’t Equate to Social Expertise

Those who are seeking social media careers need to remember to remember that social media technologies are secondary to meeting business and customer needs.

I’ve been interviewing social media strategists at corporations or their bosses for my upcoming report on social skills needed in brands. I also get emails from hiring managers who are trying to hire folks to develop strategy and manage ongoing social programs at large brands. Lastly, I’ve spoken to social media recruiters who have a very hard time finding qualified candidates. One theme comes across many of these conversations: many candidates are incorrectly positioning themselves.

Here’s three rules that social media candidates must know:

  1. Usage of social media doesn’t equate expertise. Many who want to pursue a career in the white hot social space equate the number of fans, followers, or blog readers as a badge of honor –at times, I do that too. It’s an effective indicator of someone’s ability to use the tools, however it’s not an indicator they were able to use them in a corporate setting to meet customer and business objectives.
  2. Long Term Experience of Social Media doesn’t equate expertise. Many speakers and about pages on blogs like to indicate they were using social technologies for years, to demonstrate they were an early adopter. This can backfire to a hiring manager as the duration doesn’t indicate ability to use these tools in a strategic way. In fact, many of the early, early adopters really aren’t the type that may work well in a corporate environment.
  3. How candidates behave online can make or break the deal. Candidates should recognize that recruiters and hiring managers are looking at how individuals behave online –it factors into the decision on why they may –or may not be contacted. So before you post that blog lambasting another blogger, or somewhat questionable photos in Facebook, or talking about recovering from your hangover on Twitter, remember that hiring managers are analyzing how a candidate will represent their brand.  (Update later in day: I gave the Miami Herald my opinions on this very topic)

Although hiring managers have told me that they do look for ability, experience with social tools, they’re also seeking to find out how candidates have used these tools that align with corporate and customer objectives –not just a fondeling of the latest and greatest tools.  In upcoming posts (and the report itself) I’ll discuss what skills –and positioning is leading to getting hired.   BTW: I’m guilty of breaking rules 1 and 2, and sometimes 3 , so this is a good check to keep all of us focused.

Love to hear from you what else candidates should be considering in their social media positioning.

58 Replies to “Usage and Experience Doesn’t Equate to Social Expertise”

  2. Would you think that a good social media strategist would also need to have real life interpersonal PR skills?

  3. This situation is kinda like that with China. Until the old guard dies, we’re stuck out-moded thought and policies. sad fact: as a contributing writer for a recent book on international finance, I guarantee you that it’s no urban myth that China pwnt the US through our debt.

    These same guardians of the interests of corporations and clients that you speak of are the very ones who don’t “get it.” We cannot achieve the potential of SN | SM and a new economy – a new normal #isf09 – with these generals leading us all to Waterloo. They are throttling the baby with it’s own umbilical cord.

    I live for the day when management all have tattoos, and pics of those on their sites.

    And I don’t give a damn about my *bad* reputation.

  4. Very good post indeed. And timely too! I have to say I have been guilty of #1 and #2. I have probably shared some personal thoughts as well.

    In general, though, I do feel that it is important to understand the application of technology in different contexts. Most of the “growing digital” generation may have used social media tools for personal networking and interests but not in the business context.

    The context of business is different and is still entrenched into vertically organized hierarchies. IMHO some understanding of the business, company culture, industry and consumer engagement is required before applying the horizontal open hierarchies of social media.

  5. While reading through this discussion the thought that came to mind is that many companies should look at two positions for social networking strategist. One focused on the customer and company image. The other on behind the firewall tools and how they can keep the company focused on their mission and create synergies when unlikely skill sets combine toward a common goal.

    The external and internal focus are two totally different thought processes and involve people of very different temperaments.

  6. Think in-house vs agency and tenured vs new hire. Why outsource a source of competitive advantage? Thinking long run, no one is that much better and no one has it figured out. Invest internally to develop the requisite team and skills. The agency model promotes proliferation of good ideas across competitive lines. Who will be the Southwest Airlines-like case study of social media in 5yrs? People, not technologies, achieve business results. For a marketing organization™s social media group, I break the resources needed into three groups. Marketing, Exec/Strategy and IT. Marketing develops and executes campaigns as they would with any other platform. I™m personally into hiring MBAs from full-time, top-25 programs with 5+yrs of experience at a minimum for this. Smart people can and will learn. Exec/Strategy is responsible for reading the evolution of the market and tools….you either are or aren™t visionary, social media doesn™t change that prerequisite. Just as IT brought you the bandwidth to surf the net and in some cases builds and manages your website™s CMS, they will need to learn, support and build tools.

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