Social media manager
You’re responsible for monitoring and running platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
About the job
Salary
Source: National Careers Service
Weekly
£481
Entry level
£1,154
Experienced
Monthly
£2,083
Entry level
£5,000
Experienced
Yearly
£25,000
Entry level
£60,000
Experienced
4,700
people are currently employed
High growth
400 more jobs in 5 years
These figures refer to this job and similar ones with comparable skills and qualifications. They only apply to Scotland. Source: Oxford Economics
What it's like
Social media managers help manage social media partnerships between different brands and create engaging content.
You’ll be creating and maintaining a good public image for a business or organisation. You’ll also have to deal with bad publicity on social media as well. It can be a busy job with tight deadlines, so you’ll need to be flexible and able to multi-task.
Your tasks might include:
monitoring and curating social media platforms such as Instagram
engaging with customers through creative content
being up to date with the latest social media trends
analysing social media metrics and adjust strategies accordingly
collaborating with other marketing professionals to align social media with overall marketing goals
engaging with followers and responding to messages and comments.
To become a social media manager, you’ll likely start out in junior positions. You could start work with a social media or marketing company as an assistant or digital content writer. As you get more experience, you could work your way up into a management position.
Hours
Environment
Travel
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Top skills
Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!
It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.
Here are some of the skills you'll need to do this job:
- written communication
- verbal communication
- time management
- positive attitude
- networking
- innovative
- developing a plan
- creative
- attention to detail
- analysing
Your skills are important
Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.
Getting in
Explore the sections shown for more information about getting into this career.
You might have qualifications which are not shown here but will allow you access to a course. You can compare your qualifications by looking at their SCQF Level. For more information about this, check out the SCQF website.
Always contact the college, university or training provider to check exactly what you'll need.
Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:
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Foundation Apprenticeship: Creative and Digital Media
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Business Management
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Computing Science
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English
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Media
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Graphic Communication
You can get a head start in this career by doing a Foundation Apprenticeship in S5 and S6.
You'll get an SCQF level 6 qualification which is the same level as a Higher. You'll also learn new skills and gain valuable experience in a work environment.
Discover what's on offer at your school on Apprenticeships.scot.
There are a number of ways to start you off on the path to becoming a social media manager.
Social media managers usually have some level of creative knowledge. Many social media managers will have studied HNC/HND or degrees in areas such as:
advertising
marketing
communication
media
business marketing
If you’re 16 or older, a Modern Apprenticeship in creative media will let you work and earn while you study for a qualification. After you qualify, you’ll be able to study further or move into a role where you can build experience.
Social media is a competitive field. Employers look for candidates with work experience in journalism, marketing or advertising.
Some degree courses offer work placements, or you could approach a company yourself.
You can browse social media volunteering opportunities on Volunteer.scot.
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