Social media marketing is the process of gaining website traffic or attention through social media sites. Social media marketing typically creates content that attracts attention and encourages readers to share it across their social networks. Events, products, services, brands or companies are promoted indirectly as the message spreads from user to user and appears to come from a trusted, third-party source, as opposed to the brand or company itself.
Alumna Jayelle Dorsainville (2011) is a Manager at a Social Media Marketing firm.
What is your job?
Social Media Marketing Manager for clients ranging from professional athletes to financial investment firms
What is the broader field of industry in which this work exists?
Digital Marketing/Advertising
What, in general, do you do as part of this job?
Pitch, develop and manage digital marketing campaigns for various clients.
What are the pros and cons of this kind of job?
PROS: creative thinking and watching a brand succeed from smart marketing
CONS: continuously being asked to prove the return on investment
What skills did you learn as an English major that you use in this job?
The skills I learned while studying at JJC play a role in almost every facet of my job such as the ability to look at situations from all angles, present my thoughts professionally, and most important of all, write persuasively.
How have you learned to do this job?
Internships, reading books, listening in on webinars, attending conferences and growing up in the era of social media.
How did you get this job?
I applied through Careerbuilder.com and didn’t think I was qualified to manage people. Guess I was wrong.
For current students interested in this line of work, do you have any recommendations on what they can do now to start directing their career path?
Most marketing agencies will state that the job is entry level, but within this field that means at least 2 years of experience. Interning is what helped me land a management position at 25 years old. Start interning during your junior year of college and build your resume. Continue to learn outside of the classroom because once you enter the workforce that will be integral to your continued success.
