Tip 1
Know the requirements of the role
Carefully consider the skills, experience, and background required for the social media position you seek to fill. Doing so will help you craft a job description that attracts candidates who are actually qualified for the role.
Whether you're seeking a community manager or interactive strategist, qualities you might look for include:
- A true passion for social media
- An understanding of various online communities and those who participate in them
- An ability to relate information to employees at all levels of an organization who might or might not be savvy in this space
What's not as important? Years of experience in social media, for one. Keep in mind that the most popular social media platforms (e.g., Twitter, Facebook, iPhone App Store) were launched in the last five years, so be wary of anyone claiming to have "10-plus years of expertise" in this space.
Instead, focus on what a candidate has done using social media tools. Does the individual have proven success in building communities and connecting directly with customers online, or launching campaigns with a solid ROI, for example? Try not to get too hung up on technical or web skills, either. Most social media platforms are pretty easy to use, so lack of in-depth technical expertise should not be an obstacle. Similarly, just because someone can develop great websites doesn't mean he or she can successfully develop and execute an interactive campaign.
