What’s up everyone and Happy (almost) Thanksgiving! Welcome back to Stronger Social, the cheat code for social media professionals. Today I am diving into an interesting topic for those who are interviewing for new social media opportunities - or if you plan to in the near future.

In today’s issue, we will go over the following:

Let’s get started 💪

Today we are talking about social media red flags. Specifically red flags to be aware of in job interviews for social media related roles.

Whether you are interviewing for a social media coordinator, social media manager, or social media director type role - it’s imperative to be aware of red flags. Or else you could be walking into a bad situation.

So if you are ever interviewing for a social media role, be on the lookout for these red flags. And if you see any of these…

RUN!

Like my guy, Rocky.

This is easily the biggest red flag and it baffles me how common this actually is. Social media professionals are still to this day called and referenced as ninjas, rockstars, and magicians.

If you hear this mentioned in a social media interview…then run. Like as fast you can. This is a clear sign that this company does not understand social media, the role of social media, and how it functions. Not to mention, it’s a sign they are expecting you to do much more than social. There’s a good chance that you will be expected to be a graphic designer, content creator, copywriter, talent manager, and so much more.

Social media professionals are not rockstars, ninjas, or magicians - we’re brand & community builders that specialize in driving brand & community through a social-first approach.

I know this one is pretty straightforward, but it had to be said.

If you are in a social media related job interview and the interviewer mentions anything about being “always-on”, you should also run.

This is a clear misunderstanding and you will be expected to respond to messages immediately. Jump on trends immediately. And respond to comments immediately. Even on the weekends.

This is a clear sign that there is no work-life balance and you will probably work on weekends a good bit.

In your next social media job interview, you should 100% ask the interviewer what the content approval process looks like.

If there is an extensive social content approval process with multiple layers of approvals and everyone in every department needs eyes on a post…then run. This is a clear and obvious sign that you will most likely be micromanaged, and you will not be able to move at the speed of social. Which we all know is pretty fast.

If the final approver is your manager, then you should be in a good position.

This is a red flag that is not discussed enough and I highly recommend digging into this in your next social media interview. If the brand does not prioritize or value their community and prioritizes KPI’s over community - then this is a red flag.

KPI’s matter. But community matters more.

This is a clear sign that you will have very strict KPI’s to chase across follower growth, engagement rate, and impressions and there’s a good chance you will be set up to fail.

Social media professionals are not content creators, videographers, photographers, or graphic designers. We do however provide strategy to content creators, videographers, photographers, and graphic designers to create high-performing, social-first content. There is a big difference between the two. In social media interviews, it’s important to dive deep and gather more information on how content is being captured for social channels.

If there are no contractors, in-house content creation capabilities, a production agency, or any outsourced help to create social content - there’s a good chance they are expecting YOU to create social content.

Big red flag.

So make sure to ask the interviewer about how content is being produced for social media and if there are resources to execute social-first content. Or else it could fall on you. And I don’t want that for you.

It’s another week, let’s get after it! Here are a few things top of mind that I want to share before you go.

🙄 Don’t do the apology statement trend please. I’m seeing it everywhere, and too many brands have yet to…innovate and add to the trend. It’s just super repetitive in my opinion.

📲 Running low on time and need to get a post up asap? Go back one year from now and look at posts you have made for your brand. Don’t be afraid to repurpose and “remix” old high-performing content.

✍️ View posts archive. If you want to check out previous issues and learn more on how to become a stronger social media professional, click here.

🤔 Got a topic that you want to see addressed in a future issue? If so, respond to this email and let me know!

Thanks for reading and hope you have a great week!

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