Social Media Manager Resume Example

This complete guide to a social media manager resume will equip you with the tools you need to compete in your applications. You'll find useful insights on constructing a resume that makes the most of your unique skills, experience and strengths. You'll also learn how to tailor your resume according to the job description, and depending on your experience levels. Continue reading to find expert tips and advice from Jobseeker that will help you with your social media manager resume.

Main elements of a social media manager resume

It's essential to include a few core sections in your social media manager resume, while there are also a few optional sections.

You will have some choice over your resume layout and structure, but be sure to include these sections as the core of your document:

Resume Header

In your social media manager resume header, list your name, email address, phone number and address or location. You can also add your LinkedIn, if you have one, to help employers better understand your work history and skills. While in some countries, you might include additional personal information or a photo, these aren't necessary. Keep your header clear and concise, with only the most necessary information included. Opt for a stylish, professional design that creates a strong first impression.

Only include professional, name-based email addresses in your resume header. If you have an old email address that uses nicknames, puns, references to your personal interests or anything else that could appear unprofessional, set up a new email just for your job applications. Finally, always double-check your contact details are correct and up-to-date before sending your resume.

Resume Summary

Following your resume header, write a resume summary to introduce yourself and showcase some of your key skills and achievements. Alternative names for this section are 'resume objective' and 'personal profile'. While a resume summary focuses on your career experience, a resume objective covers your ambitions and career plans. In addition, your objective should highlight why you're an ideal candidate for social media manager roles by showing key skills and qualities that reflect the job description.

Alternatively, use this section to emphasize your career objectives and explain how and why this role is a suitable step for you at this stage of your career.

A good resume summary reflects the job description and highlights some of the key skills required for social media manager roles, while leaving the reader with an impression of your unique qualities and strengths. The most effective resume summaries also provide evidence to back up the claims made in them. See below for some great examples of how to approach your social media manager resume.

Conversely, an ineffective resume summary would include generic, unspecific information on your skills and experience, while failing to provide any useful information on what makes you a unique and interesting candidate. See above for some examples of things to avoid when writing your social media manager resume summary.

Work History

In your work experience section, list any previous relevant roles you've worked in, as well as your key achievements as a social media manager. Include any relevant jobs you've held in reverse-chronological order. Start with your current or most recent roles and work back through previous roles. For each job, list your title, the name of the company, its location and the dates you worked there.

Add some bullet points under each job entry, explaining your achievements in the role, so the reader can see how you contributed towards success for the company. Provide evidence of your impact and make sure each point addresses a requirement listed in the job description.

A good work experience section pulls the reader in with clear examples of where you've put the skills necessary for the job into good use in your career to date. This typically includes evidence of how your skills and activities contributed to positive outcomes for the organization. Take a look at the examples below for some guidance on what works best for your work experience section.

The example above can give you some idea of what not to include in your resume work experience section. A bad resume work experience section might fail to address skills and achievements that relate directly to the job description. Falling back on clichés, vague descriptions and basic responsibilities, rather than showing the impact you made, is likely to disengage the reader.

Education

In this section list any educational qualifications or degrees that are relevant to social media manager roles.

Opportunities as a social media manager and similar roles in the sector usually require a specialist degree. If you have a Bachelor of Arts in Marketing degree, be sure to mention this in your resume. You might also want to list any qualifications that highlight your CRM software proficiency or content creation tools.

Enter the name and level of the qualification, the institution you studied at, its location and your dates of study or graduation. You could also add one or two bullet points to draw attention to your grades if they were particularly good, as well as any specialist subjects you studied. This will help the hiring manager understand your knowledge and special skills better.

If you were a member of any clubs or societies, or volunteered for any causes while studying, you could also mention these in your education section.

Hard and Soft Skills

Listing your key skills can help to prove your suitability for social media manager jobs. These could be social media advertising, SEO knowledge or various other relevant skills. Once more, review the job description and pick out any key social media manager skills listed that match yours. Focus on these skills and any other key transferable skills that make you a strong candidate for the job.

Showcasing hard skills on your social media manager resume

For your hard skills list, include any technical abilities or specific industry knowledge that's essential to working as a social media manager. These could be skills gained through work experience or qualifications. Furthermore, these skills are essential for a social media manager resume as they showcase your expertise in the field. Add up to five key hard skills that show you're an ideal candidate for the role. It can also be beneficial to add context to each skill, showing how you've used it to positive effect in your career to date.

Your resume hard skills list should reflect your unique and specific industry expertise and experience, while also fulfilling the requirements listed in the job description. See the examples below for an idea of what an effective social media manager resume hard skills list looks like.

Listing soft skills on your social media manager resume

Soft skills are your transferable skills and personal qualities that make you a good match for a social media manager position and the organization. Soft skills tend to be more universal than hard skills, and can often apply to multiple jobs and industries. In fact, you can develop soft skills throughout your career, and they tend to be suitable for various roles and professions. In this section, add four of five transferable skills that match the job description.

A strong soft skills section should play to your strengths, listing skills that reflect your personal qualities while also reflecting the skills listed in the job description. For some examples of good soft skills for a social media manager resume, see below.

Relevant Certifications and Licenses

Your certifications section is the place to mention any relevant professional social media manager certifications, licenses or qualifications. These might be licenses that show you're qualified to operate certain equipment, or certifications that give you the edge over candidates with otherwise similar career history. Therefore, add any professional licenses or certifications, along with valid dates that show they're still valid.

Read on to see some relevant example certifications for a social media manager resume:

Optional Resume Sections

There are several additional sections you could add to a social media manager resume, to improve your chances of success. Choose any optional sections that showcase essential or desirable skills or experience for social media manager jobs.

Hobbies and Interests

Add any hobbies and interests that reinforce your credentials for the position. Hobbies can help you show different sides of your personality and make your resume more memorable to hiring managers. They're ideal to include if you're a junior candidate who might lack real world social media manager experience. Just make sure any hobbies and interests you include in your resume add genuine insight into your personality, in ways other sections of the resume can't.

Voluntary Work

If you're lacking relevant social media manager work experience, volunteer work can help to show you still have the relevant skills. Add your volunteer job title or role, the name of the organization, its location and the dates you were involved.

References

It's relatively unusual to include references in a standard social media manager resume, but they are required occasionally. Check the job advert to see if you'll need to add references to your resume. Only include referees that you've had prior approval from, and notify them to expect contact from the employer.

Best action words for your social media manager resume

Add strong verbs to your work experience section to show the hiring manager the impact you made in your previous roles. Choose from the list of words below to increase the impact of your work experience section.

Jobseeker's resume templates were created by careers experts to help you produce a professional resume in minutes. You can also find cover letter templates to complete an eye-catching job application that gets you noticed.

Example resume for social media manager applications

Now that you know everything that needs to go into your social media manager resume, let's review an example resume that you can use as a guide when creating your own:

Making an ATS-friendly resume

An applicant tracking system (ATS) is just one of the tools employers and recruiters can use to streamline their hiring practices. This typically includes screening candidates by scanning and ranking their resumes based on their likely suitability for any vacancy. There are several things you can do when writing your social media manager resume, to give yourself the strongest chance of ranking highly in the ATS stage and progressing through the recruitment process.

Here a some simple tips to follow for an ATS-friendly resume:

• Use a traditional resume layout, such as a reverse-chronological or functional format. This will mean your resume includes all the necessary sections, in the expected order.
• Add keywords throughout your resume that help ATS software match your application to the job description. A higher match means your application is more likely to proceed to be reviewed by human eyes.
• Include clear headings in each section that match the traditional resume structure and format. This will make it easier for the ATS software to scan your resume.
• Use design elements that help make your resume more readable. These might include white space, clear, professional fonts and subtle color accents to help certain elements stand out.
• Use simple, concise language to keep your resume to a maximum of one to two pages in length. This will make it easier for ATS software to read.

Takeaways for your social media manager resume

The best resumes focus on your skills and the value you've added to previous roles, rather than focusing on your duties and responsibilities. Select a resume format that suits your experience levels and the job you're applying for, and make sure you tailor your resume for each application.

Remember, Jobseeker resume templates and other tools make it easy to create a resume and cover letter that leaves a positive impression on hiring managers. Sign up now to start building your perfect resume. Whatever job you're applying for, a professional cover letter can make all the difference to your chances. Use Jobseeker's HR-approved tools and cover letter examples to inspire your applications.

Sources:

(1) Tips for Writing a Federal Resume, U.S. Department of Labor: https://www.dol.gov/general/jobs/tips-for-writing-a-federal-resume

(2) Resume Tips, Duke University: https://careerhub.students.duke.edu/resources/resume-tips/