*None of the below companies are sponsors or in any way affiliated with PathMatch. All information in this article is based on the individual opinions of and research conducted by our writer(s).*
By Lexie Brada
Before we get into any of the skills you need for these jobs, we need to talk about a pair of terms that you’ll hear very often in this article and in the hiring world, and if you don’t already know, make it a goal to add them to your vocabulary:
Hard Skills and Soft Skills.
A ‘hard skill’ vs a ‘soft skill’ is not talking about the theoretical difficultness of mastering these skills. Some hard skills can be very easy to learn and some soft skills can be incredibly difficult to master.
Rather, when one talks about ‘hard skills’ and ‘soft skills’, they’re comparing the way you learn these skills, or how you get the knowledge.
Still confused? No worries, let’s break it down.
Hard Skills
Hard skills are the qualifications on your resume that get your foot in the door. You can’t be born with a hard skill. Instead, hard skills are learned, either through work, education, or other training. Hard skills are also measurable. In fact, some interview processes can include testing of these skills, such as Excel or coding, so Hiring Managers can get a quantifiable evaluation of your skills.
The hard skills you’ll need are going to be specific toward your career field, since these skills encompass what you’ll be using in your day-to-day.
Soft Skills
Soft skills are the skills that are much harder to define and harder to teach, but they are just as important in your career. If hard skills are what you’ll do, soft skills define how and how well you’ll do it. For example, say you’re highly skilled in Tableau, a data visualization tool used to present data and finding through visual representation. In order to best present insights to stakeholders and other teams, you will also need strong communication and storytelling skills.
The average person spends around 90,000 hours at their job, so you’ll be around your coworkers more than family. Having great soft skills not only makes you better at your job, but it also makes you an enjoyable person to work with, which means people will want to work with you and see you succeed. In fact, a LinkedIn survey shows that 57% of employers value soft skills over hard ones.
Another reason soft skills are valued is that they transfer easily from job to job. Companies may use a different development stack, a new mailing service, or even a different project management system, but being able to communicate and adapt under pressure will start adding value on day one.
Now that we know what a ‘hard skill’ and a ‘soft skill’ is, let’s take a look at what the job itself entails, which of these skills you’ll need, and some places to gain these skills.
Social Media Marketing
A Day in the Life
According to 2019 social media statistics, there are now 3.2 billion users around the globe, which accounts for 42% of our total present population. That's way nowadays it's vital to a company's success to have a social media strategy. Social Media Marketers are in charge of every aspect of a company's social media presence, handling everything you see on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, and other social media platforms.
Interested in becoming a Social Media Marketer? We've got the resources to get you there. And if you're still unsure of what you want to do, we've got resources for that too.
Work Responsibilities
- Develop and manage digital and social marketing efforts, including creating and maintaining content calendars, influencer programs, and campaign execution
- Manage analytics, performance, and SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
- Build out strong online communities, track interactions, develop a strategy to increase interactions
- Convey complex issues and subject matter in simple terms, using graphics, images, and text
- Research new and upcoming social media trends to expand outreach on multiple social media platforms
- Generate, edit, publish, curate, and share engaging content daily (e.g. original text, photos, videos, and news)
- Suggest and implement new features to develop brand awareness, like promotions and competitions
- Work across Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Snap, LinkedIn, YouTube and managing audience engagement
- Develop weekly reports on assigned social media accounts
Hard Skills
- Content /Social Media Management
- Copywriting
- Ability to work in text, image, and video
- Digital Campaign Strategy
- Goal Setting Experience
- Brand Awareness
- SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
- Social Media Analytics
Soft Skills
- Project Management
- Communication
- Cooperation
- Flexibility
- Planning Skills
- Work Under Pressure
- Fluency in Social Media Platforms
Where To Get These Hard Skills:
- Meta Social Media Marketing Certificate
- Social Media Marketing (Free)
- Social Media Marketing Specialization
- Social Media Management Course
- Meta Social Media Management
- The Copywriting Course
- Digital Marketing Strategy
- Goal Setting
- Brand Identity and Strategy
- SEO Specialization
Interested in exploring this job, the skills it takes to break into this career, or still looking for that perfect fit in the workforce? Download the Pathmatch app to discover companies that match your interests, strengths, and goals! Pathmatch can help find the perfect career fit for you!
