How To Stand Out For a Social Media Role
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How To Stand Out For a Social Media Role
In the ‘How To Stand Out’ series, we ask industry professionals what they would love to see on a job application, breaking down the barriers to the ever competitive job market. This week, we’ve asked Hatti Rex, Head of Social Media at Dazed Magazine to tell us about how she got the position she’s in and what she would be wowed by on a social media job application.
How did you break into the industry?
Hard to say. I’d been doing MySpace pages for bands and had my own YouTube channel when I was about 15, and started writing around the time I finished studying Illustration at the University of Westminster in 2013, mostly because I realised that having a little fashion blog meant you could get free clothes, which I couldn’t afford as an intern. I’d already had a moderately-sized audience online and was featured in Rookie Magazine as a model for a tarot card shoot.
My first internship was at a screen printing company and then my second was at VICE UK, where I learnt the ins and outs of social media scheduling and what that means in the context of a media company. This was only for three months but I learned a lot, before being suckered into an accidental third internship at a fashion brand. It was around this time I started getting into zines and had started contributing my own work to the likes of Sister Zine and Polyester.
From there, my career path hasn’t been linear at all. I’d had a bunch of crappy customer service jobs that I would either get fired from or quit whilst I started out freelance writing and illustration. My first regular staff writer role was at Sick Chirpse in 2014, where I’d mostly write about stuff I’d find on the internet and then as fashion and beauty writer for Bustle not long after. Juggling two different tones of voice was pretty fun.
In 2015 I had just started a new role as a Social Media Manager at a production company before deciding to move to Manchester, where I lived for a year. After returning to London in 2017, I applied to be a shop assistant at Beyond Retro in Soho where they promoted me to be their PR and Content Assistant. Customer service was horrible but coordinating photoshoots and writing blog posts about fashion trends really wasn’t too shabby. It was only part-time, which was perfect as it meant that I could work on writing pieces for VICE, Refinery 29, i-D, Dazed and beyond. The majority of this was based on my special subject: internet culture.
In 2019, my now-friend and editor-in-chief of Polyester Zine, Ione Gamble, hired me as their Socials Editor. As a long-time contributor and member of the Polyester community, this was ideal. My usual task list included curating the Twitter, Facebook and Instagram feeds, which incorporated tasks like conceptualising and commissioning new video formats and AR filters, finding talent for everything from Instagram takeovers to podcast guests and much more. I was their first official employee and as the team was self-funded, my role often included much more than a usual social media position which I loved and learnt a lot from. I’d often be brought in for client meetings to pitch ideas and to secure funding, help set up for events, create logos and GIFs, design merch and anything else that would be needed.
This was only a few days a week which left more room for freelancing. At the time, I was writing regular House Party Reviews for VICE, had been bought in as a temporary Socials Editor for Wonderland magazine, worked on a series of socials formats for Durex through Adjust Your Set, shot live socials content for Annie Mac Presents, writing minigame copy for a League of Legends app through Design Studio and as a content writer highlighting special projects and new social trends for Creative Commission.
At some point in the pandemic, I’d applied to be the Associate Socials Editor at VICE in an attempt to streamline my work into one neat and tidy office role, 7 years after I’d initially interned in their office. I was offered the role in March 2021 and took charge over the full VICE UK socials schedule as well as some of the global Facebook posts. Some of my personal favourite work-related moments included creating live on-the-ground content from Reading Festival, our Ask An Expert stories series where different experts would answer questions from Instagram audience each week, our photo collaborations with the Photobook Cafe and then to the wider creative community, selling an NFT for an article and then later visiting Europe’s first NFT gallery.
A few months ago, I received an email from Dazed asking whether I’d be interested in hearing about an exciting new role. I wasn’t looking to move but it sounded like a great role after hearing more about the team and the job spec through Ted Stansfield, Harry Slater and Dominique Sisley over Hangouts. I was asked to do a task, then a week or two later I was offered the job. Now I’m the Head of Socials at Dazed and I’m really enjoying it.
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“Social media is an ever-changing field in terms of platforms and the way that audiences interact, so it’s important to look for skills that match the current social climate.” – Hatti Rex
What skills would you look for when hiring for a social media role?
Social media is an ever-changing field in terms of platforms and the way that audiences interact, so it’s important to look for skills that match the current social climate. Right now, Instagram and Facebook are looking to compete with TikTok by pushing Reels and other forms of video, meaning that applicants should really have some experience in either producing, commissioning, editing or shooting video, even if it’s just on their smartphone.
It’s also crucial to look for someone with a wide range of creative skills that also understands how algorithms work and can use data and analytics to form their creative strategy. This would include strong writing skills for caption copy, basic photography and photo-editing skills, SEO, previous experience using scheduling tools and analytics, as well as a finger on the pulse of what’s happening online currently and what could be coming next. Additional things to look for could include: a sense of humour, the ability to be a dynamic host when necessary and for social media roles in the media, an interest in journalism and a strong sense of what’s happening in pop culture.
What would you recommend an applicant do to get themselves noticed when applying for a social media role?
Please don’t do anything gimmicky to get yourself noticed, it doesn’t leave a good impression. A CV that correctly reflects your skills and personality is fine, as well as any standout work examples that you think would help. After all, it’s more about being a good fit than anything else. This may sound pretty basic, but in your CV and cover letter, try to match your skills and experience from the job spec as closely as possible. Even if you don’t have the full set of skills they’re asking for, it’s worth applying anyway as you may still be a good match. Also, don’t keep chasing the person hiring! One chase up a few weeks or months later is fine but anything more may ruin your chances.