One of the most daunting challenges you might encounter in your CV as a social media manager is effectively showcasing the diversity of your skills and the results of your campaigns. Our comprehensive guide offers strategic advice to help you articulate your achievements and tailor your experience to stand out in a competitive job market.
- Applying best practices from real-world examples to ensure your profile always meets recruiters' expectations;
- What to include in your work experience section, apart from your past roles and responsibilities?
- Why are both hard and soft skills important for your application?
- How do you need to format your CV to pass the Applicant Tracker Software (ATS) assessment?
If you're writing your CV for a niche social media manager role, make sure to get some inspiration from professionals:
Structuring your social media manager CV layout: four factors to keep in mind
There are plenty of best practices out there for your CV layout and design. At the end of the day, a clear format and concise CV message should be your top priority. Use your CV design to enhance separate sections, bringing them to the forefront of recruiters' attention. At the same time, you can write content that:- Follows the reverse chronological order in the experience section by first listing your most recent jobs;
- Incorporates your contact information in the header, but do skip out on the CV photo for roles in the UK;
- Is spotlighted in the most important sections of your CV, e.g. the summary or objective, experience, education, etc. to show just how you meet the job requirements;
- Is no longer than two-pages. Often, the one-page format can be optimal for your social media manager CV.
Before submitting your CV, you may wonder whether to export it in Doc or PDF. With the PDF format, your information and layout stay intact. This is quite useful when your CV is assessed by the Applicant Tracker System (or the ATS) . The ATS is a software that scans your profile for all relevant information and can easily understand latest study on the ATS , which looks at your CV columns, design, and so much more.
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Use font size and style strategically to create a visual hierarchy, drawing the reader's eye to the most important information first (like your name and most recent job title).
The top sections on a social media manager CV
- Professional Summary highlights key social media skills and experience.
- Social Media Expertise showcases platforms and tools proficiency.
- Content Creation Experience details success in crafting engaging posts.
- Campaign Management Skills demonstrate ability to lead promotional efforts.
- Analytics and Reporting Abilities show competence in measuring social media impact.
What recruiters value on your CV:
- Emphasise your proficiency with different social media platforms, including any experience with social media management tools like Hootsuite or Buffer, demonstrating your ability to analyse and increase audience engagement effectively.
- Highlight successful social media campaigns you've managed, providing metrics that showcase your ability to drive traffic, increase followers, or boost brand awareness.
- Include examples of content creation, such as graphics, videos, or written posts, to demonstrate your ability to produce material that resonates with different target audiences.
- Detail your experience with social media analytics and reporting, showing your understanding of metrics to evaluate performance and adjust strategies accordingly.
- Showcase your skills in community management by mentioning how you've fostered online communities, moderated discussions, or handled customer service inquiries on social media channels.
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How to present your contact details and job keywords in your social media manager CV header
Located at the top of your social media manager CV, the header presents recruiters with your key personal information, headline, and professional photo. When creating your CV header, include your:
- Contact details - avoid listing your work email or telephone number and, also, email addresses that sound unprofessional (e.g. koolKittyCat$3@gmail.com is definitely a big no);
- Headline - it should be relevant, concise, and specific to the role you're applying for, integrating keywords and action verbs;
- Photo - instead of including a photograph from your family reunion, select one that shows you in a more professional light. It's also good to note that in some countries (e.g. the UK and US), it's best to avoid photos on your CV as they may serve as bias.
What do other industry professionals include in their CV header? Make sure to check out the next bit of your guide to see real-life examples:
Examples of good CV headlines for social media manager:
- Lead Social Media Strategist | Content Creation Specialist | SEO Certified | 8+ Years’ Experience
- Social Media Coordinator | Audience Engagement Expert | Google Analytics | 3 Years Progressive Experience
- Senior Social Media Consultant | Multi-Platform Campaigns | Brand Advocacy | Masters in Digital Marketing
- Junior Social Media Marketer | Viral Content Creator | Hootsuite Certified | Passionate about E-commerce
- Social Media Community Manager | Customer Interaction Pro | Data-Driven | 5 Years in Tech
- Digital Media Supervisor | Campaign Management Guru | FB Ads Expert | 10-Year Industry Veteran
Opting between a social media manager CV summary or objective
Within the top one third of your social media manager CV, you have the opportunity to briefly summarise your best achievements or present your professional goals and dreams. Those two functions are met by either the CV summary or the objective.
- The summary is three-to-five sentences long and should narrate your best successes, while answering key requirements for the role. Select up to three skills which you can feature in your summary. Always aim to present what the actual outcomes were of using your particular skill set. The summary is an excellent choice for more experienced professionals.
- The objective is more focused on showcasing your unique value as a candidate and defining your dreams and ambitions. Think about highlighting how this current opportunity would answer your career vision. Also, about how you could help your potential employers grow. The objective matches the needs of less experienced candidates, who need to prove their skill set and, in particular, their soft skills.
Still not sure about how to write your CV opening statement? Use some best industry examples as inspiration:
CV summaries for a social media manager job:
- With 5+ years of dynamic experience in managing social media strategy and content for a leading fashion brand, I possess a robust understanding of creating engaging campaigns that resonate with diverse audiences. My proficiency in analytics has enabled a 40% increase in audience engagement year-over-year, solidifying my expertise in driving brand awareness and customer loyalty.
- Seasoned digital marketer with over 7 years in the travel industry, now pivoting to focus exclusively on social media management. I bring a track record of crafting viral marketing campaigns, a deep familiarity with SEO optimization, and a flair for creating content that captures the essence of wanderlust, driving a 25% growth in online community size within a year.
- After a successful 8-year tenure as a communication specialist within the healthcare sector, I am eager to transition into social media management. Leveraging my impeccable writing skills and strategic communication planning, I aim to construct compelling narratives that enhance brand visibility and foster meaningful interactions in the digital space.
- Emerging from a 10-year career in public relations, where I excelled in shaping public perception for high profile clients, I now aspire to harness the power of social media platforms. With a keen eye for trends and an innate ability to curate stories that resonate, I seek to transition these skills to champion brand engagement and community building online.
- Eager to embark on a career in social media management, I am armed with a fresh perspective and a profound passion for digital storytelling. My academic background in Digital Marketing, combined with hands-on experience in coordinating social media campaigns for university events, forms a solid foundation for contributing to a team dedicated to fostering vibrant online communities.
- As a novice eager to break into social media management, I bring boundless enthusiasm, a degree in New Media Communications, and a commitment to mastering the nuances of digital engagement. My objective is to apply my theoretical knowledge and creative prowess to support innovative social media strategies that elevate brand presence and drive interactive dialogue with audiences.
How to meet job requirements with your social media manager CV experience
We've now reached the essence of your actual CV - your experience section. This is the space where you can list your career roles and on-the-job successes. Many candidates tend to underestimate just how much time and effort they should put into writing this CV section. Your experience shouldn't be a random list of your responsibilities, but instead:
- Match the job description with your skills, values, and accomplishments;
- Start each bullet with a strong action verb, followed up with one key skill and your outcome of applying this skill;
- Spotlight parts of your career history that are relevant to the job you're applying for.
Before we move on, make sure to check out some professional CV experience sections.
Best practices for your CV's work experience section
- Managed a portfolio of social media accounts, increasing overall engagement by 35% within a six-month period through strategic content curation and community management.
- Developed and executed a content calendar for multiple platforms, ensuring consistent brand messaging and a 50% increase in publication frequency.
- Analysed social media metrics to refine marketing strategies, resulting in a 20% boost in conversions and a noticeable expansion of the target audience.
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to create integrated marketing campaigns, which enhanced online presence and led to a 25% growth in followers.
- Implemented social media advertising campaigns, adeptly managing a budget of £10,000 and achieving a 40% increase in return on ad spend (ROAS).
- Handled crisis management on social platforms, mitigating negative feedback and restoring brand image through proactive communication and problem resolution.
- Stayed ahead of social media trends and algorithm changes, applying up-to-date practices to maintain the brand’s competitive edge and user engagement.
- Trained and supervised a team of junior social media executives, improving team performance and productivity through regular review and mentoring sessions.
- Utilised social media management tools such as Hootsuite and Buffer to schedule posts, monitor social media traffic, and provide detailed reports to senior management.
- Orchestrated the revamp of the company’s social media approach, elevating user engagement by 120% within the first year.
- Pioneered a user-generated content campaign that increased brand visibility, contributing to a 35% uptick in website traffic.
- Managed a team of 5 social media specialists, fostering a culture of creativity and accountability that led to a 50% faster campaign execution.
- Directed a cross-platform promotional campaign for a major product launch, which surpassed projected sales targets by 80% within the first two months.
- Analysed performance metrics to adjust strategies in real-time, enhancing ad conversion rates by 25% over nine months.
- Cultivated influencer partnerships that expanded our reach into new demographics, directly resulting in a 20% increase in follower count across all channels.
- Implemented a digital marketing strategy that led to a 40% growth in organic social media presence, significantly boosting brand recognition.
- Streamlined the social media content calendar, enhancing operational efficiency by decreasing the time-to-market by 30%.
- Coordinated with the analytics team to refine reporting methods, allowing for a more nuanced understanding of audience behaviour and preferences.
- Led a dynamic editorial team to produce shareable content that grew social referrals to the main site by 60%.
- Introduced an innovative content scheduling tool that optimised posting times for peak engagement, which heightened user interactions by 45%.
- Developed a comprehensive crisis communication plan for online reputational threats, effectively mitigating potential negative sentiment.
- Leveraged analytical tools to track consumer sentiment, influencing content strategy and increasing brand loyalty scores by 30%.
- Facilitated a feedback loop between the community and development teams, leading to product improvements that boosted customer satisfaction by 25%.
- Hosted monthly live Q&A sessions which enhanced community engagement and drove a 15% increase in monthly active users.
- Contributed to multi-channel social media campaigns, achieving a consistent month-on-month follower growth rate of 10%.
- Collaborated with graphic designers and copywriters to produce compelling visual content, receiving on average 300 shares per post.
- Monitored social media platforms for trending topics, enabling the team to capitalise on viral events for increased brand exposure.
- Executed an aggressive content syndication strategy that improved the reach of online campaigns by over 200% within six months.
- Coordinated with sales and marketing to align social media initiatives with quarterly business goals, resulting in an average lead generation increase of 35%.
- Spearheaded the development and launch of the brand’s first social media customer service protocols, significantly improving response times and customer ratings.
- Assisted in implementing organic social media growth strategies, accomplishing a total of 50,000 new followers across platforms in the two-year period.
- Supported real-time social media coverage of live events, contributing to a 20% increase in audience engagement during event peaks.
- Participated in training sessions for new social media tools, becoming a go-to team resource on best practices and troubleshooting.
Lacking professional expertise: how to write your CV to highlight your best talents
Don't count on your lucky stars when you're applying for a role, where you happen to have less (or almost none) professional experience. Recruiters sometimes do hire inexperienced candidates if they're able to present their unique value from the get-go. So, instead of opting for the traditional, CV experience section:
- List any applicable expertise you happen to have - no matter if it's a part-time job, internship, or volunteer work. This would hint to recruiters that your profile is relevant;
- Focus your CV on your transferrable skills or talents you've obtained thanks to your whole life and work experience. In effect, you'll be spotlighting your value as a candidate;
- Separate more space for your applicable academic background and certificates to show you have the technical know-how;
- Ensure that within your objective, you've defined why you'll like the job and how you'll be the perfect match for it. Always ensure you've tailored your CV to individual applications.
Looking for more good examples for your first job? We'll show you how other candidates, with less professional experience, have created their job-winning CVs.
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If applicable, briefly mention a situation where things didn’t go as planned and what you learned from it, demonstrating your ability to learn and adapt.
The CV skills' divide: between hard and soft skills
Of course, you may have read the job requirements plenty of times now, but it's key to note that there is a difference between technical and personal skills. Both are equally relevant to your job application. When writing about your skill set, ensure you've copy-pasted the precise skill from the job requirement. This would not only help you ensure you have the correct spelling, but also pass any Applicant Tracker System (ATS) assessments.
- Hard skills show your technological capabilities. Or whether you'll be a good technical fit to the organisation. Ensure you've spotlighted your hard skills in various sections of your CV (e.g. skills section, projects, experience) by including the technology and what you've attained;
- Soft skills pinpoint your personality and people or communication skills, hinting at if you'll easily accomodate into the team or organisation. Quantify your soft skills in your CV achievements, strengths, summary/objective, and experience sections. Always support your soft skills with how they've helped you grow as a professional.
Top skills for your social media manager CV:
Content Creation
Social Media Marketing
SEO/SEM
Data Analysis
Paid Social Media Advertising
Graphic Design
Video Editing
Copywriting
Community Management
Campaign Management
Creativity
Strategic Thinking
Communication
Adaptability
Collaboration
Time Management
Organisation
Attention to Detail
Problem-Solving
Empathy
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Use mini case studies or success stories in your CV to demonstrate how your skills have positively impacted previous roles or projects.
Listing your university education and certificates on your social media manager CV
The best proof of your technical capabilities would be your education and certifications sections. Your education should list all of your relevant university degrees, followed up by their start and completion dates. Make sure to also include the name of the university/-ies you graduated from. If you happen to have less professional experience (or you deem it would be impressive and relevant to your application), spotlight in the education section:
- that you were awarded a "First" degree;
- industry-specific coursework and projects;
- extracurricular clubs, societies, and activities.
When selecting your certificates, first ask yourself how applicable they'd be to the role. Ater your initial assessment, write the certificate and institution name. Don't miss out on including the completion date. In the below panel, we've curated relevant examples of industry-leading certificates.
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Focus on describing skills in the context of the outcomes they’ve helped you achieve, linking them directly to tangible results or successes in your career.
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Key takeaways
Your successful job application depends on how you well you have aligned your social media manager CV to the job description and portrayed your best skills and traits. Make sure to:
- Select your CV format, so that it ensures your experience is easy to read and understand;
- Include your professional contact details and a link to your portfolio, so that recruiters can easily get in touch with you and preview your work;
- Write a CV summary if you happen to have more relevant professional experience. Meanwhile, use the objective to showcase your career dreams and ambitions;
- In your CV experience section bullets, back up your individual skills and responsibilities with tangible achievements;
- Have a healthy balance between hard and soft skills to answer the job requirements and hint at your unique professional value.
