Wondering which social media skills can help level-up your resume? You’ve come to the right place.
From writing compelling copy that actually converts to keeping a pulse on every TikTok trend, social media managers wear multiple marketing (hard and soft-skill) hats.
But which skills matter most when it comes to getting hired?
We’ve got you covered with six social media manager skills worth adding to your portfolio, ASAP.
#1: Copywriting
Having the ability to write copy that effortlessly jumps on trends, sparks conversation, and encourages clicks is a highly-coveted skill.
Social media managers do this on the daily. And nailing brand voice for both short and long-form copy is a big part of the job description.
Writing a tweet that drives clicks and purchases for a brand or business is absolutely worth adding to your portfolio or resume.
Take a look at how Ben and Jerry’s tweet describes the happiness you feel with a scoop of ice cream.
This is our happy place 😎
— Ben & Jerry's (@benandjerrys) October 12, 2021
Order your favorites for delivery here: https://t.co/lEMfUsmcfw pic.twitter.com/A9ChHk4ZHB
Even without a direct description of their product, they’ve managed to get loads of engagement, and likely a ton of clicks too.
But like any creative skill, a little refinement can go a long way. In addition to daily writing, consider taking a copywriting course — there are plenty of affordable, online options!
Resume Booster: The Copy Cure is a copywriting course that focuses on persuasive selling online. For a more budget-friendly option, there are plenty of writing classes on Master Class, as well.
#3: Graphic Design
Knowing your way around a graphic design tool or two can certainly give you an edge as a social media marketer. That way, you don’t have to rely on a design team when you’re looking to turn timely creative content on the fly.
And bonus: Educating yourself on the basic rules of graphic design will help make those grids sparkle!
For Later's Instagram account, we’ve tweaked and customized a handful of design templates on both Canva and Figma for our daily Instagram Stories.
By not having to start our designs from scratch, we save a ton of time while still keeping our aesthetic consistent and eye-catching.
Resume Booster: Canva Design School is a great place to brush up on the basics. If you’re ready for something a bit more advanced, check out The Fundamentals of Graphic Design on Coursera.
#4: On-camera Presence
Video content is exploding on social media and it’s not showing any signs of slowing down.
To set you up for on-camera success, practice getting comfortable in front of the red light!
Christine Collings, Later’s Social Media Content Lead, shared her experience of sitting front and center on Later’s Youtube channel recently: “I’ve learned a lot from being in front of the camera for our YouTube videos! I’m so much more confident jumping on camera for an Instagram Story or TikTok which is really helpful — especially when big social news drops or I need to quickly hop on a trend.”
With video content playing a major role across multiple platforms, refining your public speaking skills will be a huge plus for your resume.
And beyond what happens in front of the camera, honing your basic video editing skills is vital as well.
Whether that’s familiarizing yourself with in-app editing features on TikTok or using third party tools to create smooth transitions, the ability to tell a story with video will ensure you’re staying competitive on social media.
Resume Booster: For pro tips on how to go on-camera and create awesome TikTok videos, try this TikTok MasterClass course.
#5: Community Management
These days, there are dozens of similar brands on social media, making it increasingly difficult to reach your target audience.
This is where building online communities can make a huge impact.
Start thinking about niche communities — Facebook groups, Slack clubs, and even the Close Friends feature on Instagram.
These are all lanes you can use to get more intimate with your audience and build authentic connections that result in great brand loyalty.
MATE the Label, a sustainable clothing brand, practices this approach with their Dress Clean Advocate program. They share sneak peeks of product launches using the Close Friends feature and use zoom meetings to build deeper connections with their brand advocates.
Resume Booster: Watch our free video session with Courtney Quinn on How to Build a Real Community on Instagram.
#6: Analytics
One skill that is often underlooked is the ability to interpret analytics.
Deciphering data and understanding how to apply that data means you’ll be delivering a higher ROI on the content you create – which is always a bonus.
A great place to start is understanding platform-specific analytics so you can create benchmarks for account performance.
By taking a look at things like daily average reach and average likes per post, you can get a better understanding of where you’re at and where you can improve.
Another valuable skill to add to your resume is Google Analytics. By measuring exactly how much traffic a piece of content drives, you can get a better understanding of what really converts for your brand.
Most importantly, a keen understanding of analytics means you can regularly pivot your content strategy to keep the quality of your work sky high.
Resume Booster: The Google Analytics Academy can help take your social media reporting skills to the next level.
There’s no denying that social media managers possess a unique set of skills, but there’s always room to grow.
By staying curious and seeking out new opportunities to learn, you’ll stay on top of your social game — no matter what platform changes come your way!
Want to network with other social media managers and share your insider resources and tips? Join the Later Social Club — it’s our free Slack community exclusively for Later users.
