A special thank you to a former Social Media community manager for participating in this interview.

Please provide us with a brief description of your field.
A community manager in Social Media is someone who runs and manages all social media communications such as Twitter, Facebook, and any other social networks that the company manager has deemed appropriate for the company. I use Facebook, Twitter, pin to Pintrest, and write newsletters and blogs.

As a community manager in Social Media, I engage a community in things that have to do with the product/company that I am supposed to be promoting, although this is done in an indirect way. It’s never a hard sell; it’s got more to do with the periphery of the product or the company and related issues and interests of the community, for example- asking questions, posting articles and other content on the internet, links to the company blog, links to news or entertaining content (video clips, images, humor) relating to the market the company/product is in. It means involving the community, and posting different types of content, reaching out to the people who are already in the community, and growing the community by posting shareable items and running contests. It also involves knowing whom to follow on Twitter, with whom to tweet , knowing how to engage people on Twitter, getting them to engage on the other social platforms that I am on. A community manager often writes blogs (about 300 word articles) which are posted on the website- with the goal of getting people onto the website, to find out more about the product/company.

What are common job titles?
Community Manager, Social Media Marketer, Content Coordinator, Content Manager, and Communications Manager.

What types of backgrounds are relevant for someone looking to break into the Social Media business?
Writing, journalism, marketing and marketing communications. Advertising and Public Relations are also relevant. But almost anything is fine as long as you are a bright writer and have a high comfort level with social media.

What are the requirements for someone looking to break into the field of Social Media?
The requirements for this position are being very social media-savvy, not just on a personal level. It is a person who knows how to target their specific market and use social media to grow awareness of the brand/company/product that they are employed to promote. You need to know what social media platforms to be on, how to engage a community, hold their interest, and turn people into leads by funneling them to the website where they can find out more information, sign up, or buy the product. Another requirement is being an engaging writer. Knowing how to write short, snappy, and to the point –getting information across in an informational, engaging, entertaining, and a non-technical way. Knowing how to respond and what content is appropriate and what is not is also very important, both on a personal level and professional. Keep in mind that your personal presence on social media becomes public no matter what your privacy settings are. Another thing to be aware of is that time is very fluid on social media. Often you will see the word “flexible” in the job description and this means that you will be on call 24/7. If your target market is online in the evenings, you will need to be online with them. That often means late nights here in Israel if you are working in a global market. You also need to stay on top of social media trends and pinpoint where your market hangs out.

How did you find your job?
On social media, of course! By finding out who you know in the company (LinkedIn), following them on social media (Twitter, their blog, Facebook, LinkedIn), engaging with them through posts, comments, tweets, contacting them using direct message, asking for their email and sending an email with a short cover letter, my resume and online portfolio. Going to them in person at meetups also helps (look for them at www.meetup.com).

It’s always good to have an about.me page, with examples of your work, a picture, resumes, etc, to send out. Engaging with people in job searching groups, on Facebook and Linkedin, is the key. By reaching out to relevant contacts on Linkedin, in the company you’re interested in working at- they may be able to help put you in touch with an influential contact at that company.

Networking- is one of the most important and effective job search strategies. LinkedIn is a very important networking tool, and I recommend that you create a profile and spend time on LinkedIn. The following article: LinkedIn and Your Job Search, from www.about.com gives background information on LinkedIn and explains how employers and job seekers use it. Be sure to join the LinkedIn Israel groups that are relevant to your field. Also, join www.meetup.com and search for in-person networking events in your area. I highly recommend the Microsoft Ventures meetups, Tel Aviv>Silicon Valley, The Startup Knowledge Sharing Group, Socialize! Social Business Israel, and Yazamiot. Go to them. Get to know the people. Message them using through the Meetup group. Meet them for coffee. Engage with them through social media- twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, comment on their blogs, etc. This is the best way to get into social media. Tell them what you are looking for. Ask them for suggestions of who else you should be speaking to, meeting with.

Is there any kind of license or certification you need to work in Social Media in Israel?
There are many social media courses that can be taken online such as 20 Free Video Online Courses About Social Media Marketing, websites like Hubspot, Jeff Bullas’ blog, but the best way to learn social media is to study and observe it online. Get on Twitter, Pintrest, etc. Useful ebook on social media marketing: The World of Internet Marketing. It’s really about teaching yourself. If you are able to teach yourself social media marketing, chances are you will be able to work in that profession.

How important is Hebrew in your field?
It depends if you’re working for a company in Israel that wants you to engage the local market- in that case Hebrew is very important. Otherwise, Hebrew isn’t usually important at all, as Israeli companies usually hire English speakers because they’re trying to reach a global market, like American and European markets. At most, you could be talking to people in your team in Hebrew, but usually you won’t be doing your actual job in Hebrew.

What are the benefits of your job?
The benefits are being in a creative field, using skills as a relationship developer, using and developing writing skills. Normally it’s a flexible position, as you are online all the time, so if you work for a company you may be able to negotiate time working from home. Something important to be aware of is that you’re on call 24/7. This means that you may have to answer questions in the middle of the night, for example if the company has a crisis, they made need you to be available.

Is Social Media more in demand in certain areas of Israel?
Yes, typically there are a lot more jobs in Tel Aviv and the Herzliya area, because of the many high-tech companies located there. However, there are definitely jobs in Jerusalem, and some in the North.

What is the salary range?
A starting salary as a community manager ranges from 7/8000NIS, to 12/13,000NIS. This all depends on the position and the company, and where you are in your career (years of experience).

Do you have any other advice for Olim?
Do your research, teach yourself, go online and learn keywords (for example, SEO and PCC). Brush up on your writing skills, anything you’ve written should be added to your resume. Build up a portfolio, you can volunteer by writing articles and blogs for a low cost- until you have your portfolio to show. Be comfortable with Photoshop. Another big tip- make sure that your public profile on Facebook is cleaned up, so that if a potential employer searches for your public profile they can only see what you want them to see (learning about Facebook restrictions is important, it should be done before sending out your resume).

How do you feel about working and living in Israel?
I love working and living in Israel! I really feel like I’m contributing to my community. I’m thrilled to be here and to be able to work in my field and language.

 

Good networking groups: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1499821033605615/

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