Sir, I am Very Active on Facebook. I Foresee a Great Career in Social Media !

Shrenik Gandhi / October 9, 2012

A typical inbox with the name “Careers” is always overflowing with resumes in most of the cases. Some applications are rejected straight away without a second thought.

Some of them that are not, have been copy pasted from somewhere. So, they are shortlisted and interviews are lined up!

The following lines are based on true incidents, unfortunately.

There comes a cool dude in a ‘being human’ t-shirt, Raj!

Raj: Hi Sir, Good Morning!

Nitin: Hey Raj, Good Morning. Tell me, why do you want to join us?

Raj: Well, I foresee a great career in social media and the digital world.

Nitin: And why is it so?

Raj: I am very active on Facebook. Every single thing I do, I post on my profile!

Nitin: Hmm. Any other social media platforms you are active on?

Raj: Yes, of course! Twitter.

Nitin (a bit relieved): That’s nice. So when was your last tweet?

Raj: Ummm… Well, a couple of months ago!

Nitin: Can you log on to your twitter account from my Laptop?

Raj: Sure.

After fiddling with it for a few minutes

Raj: Sir, I have forgotten my password!

Nitin: It’s ok. I had checked your twitter account before you came. It has a total of 3 tweets & your account is protected!

Raj: Yes sir! I get so many follow requests from unknown people. And ‘all’ my tweets are personal. So I protected it.

Nitin: #facepalm

Nitin: Have you heard about Pinterest?

Raj: Yes. I have heard about it, but never logged into it!

Nitin: Hmm. So tell me your favourite social media brand!

Raj: Ahaaa.. Facebook!

Nitin: I mean, tell me which brand you follow on social media platforms? Which brand’s social media presence do you appreciate the most.

Raj: Ohh that way. Its my locality’s Facebook group. I am the admin & I follow it very religiously.

Nitin is about to faint by now!

Nitin: So how much do you expect?

Raj: At least 25k in hand. Social media is an ever growing industry. You charge your clients a bomb. I’ll help you in forming ‘strategies’ for your client.

Nitin: Ok. We will get back to you!

*yet another chu-cial media fresher interview*

People should realize being active on Facebook doesn’t secure them a career in the digital world. Although Facebook is obviously the biggest shark out there, but the other small ones are too good to be ignored!

Following are few tips for some social media aspirants and freshers!

Privacy Settings

Switch on the privacy settings on your Facebook. Don’t let an HR stalk your Facebook profile. It gives a sneak peek into your personal life, even before knowing you professionally. It might end up creating a bad impression.

However, don’t protect your tweets. Don’t tweet if you feel the need to protect it!

Tweet meaningfully

We understand you love Poonam Pandey, but if most of your tweets are directed to her to post some pictures of hers online, then I guess, Poonam Pandey can only save you.

Follow relevant people.

Again, if most of the people you follow are spammers, we would understand, you are in the classic trap of I follow you & you follow me back!

Follow good brands

Some brands are doing very well on social media. Follow them. Take part in various twitter contests to understand how are they conducted. Not for getting that stupid goodie bag!

Timing

Timing on social media is very crucial. It can be compared with radio time slots. Prime time being Peak hours & post dinner. You can’t tweet/post every thing at a go. It should be time spaced at regular intervals!

Research

Read a lot of articles on social media. If twitter announces a ‘Me’ tab & a header photo, it should be up on your profile in 24 hours maximum.

Explore

Social media is much more than Facebook. Explore various other social media platforms. There is so much to explore in the social world. Having said that, not being abreast with Facebook changes is not the right way to go.

Appear

Be active on various social media portals like Social Samosa. Take part in relevant discussions – comment, post, debate.

Every Digital Agency is flooded with resumes of social media ‘freshers’. The only way to stand out is to dive deep into the social world. The above 8 points will give you an edge over other ‘freshers’!

By Shrenik Gandhi

Post his MBA he gained a year long corporate experience in his Idol Kishore Biyani's Company- Future Group. Always having the entrepreneurial keeda, he is now a co-founding director at White Rivers Digital, a digital creative agency based out of Bandra (Mumbai). He is passionate about PR & loves social media, masala chai, road trips and stand up comedy. He can be reached at @gandhi_shrenik

http://twitter.com/faizanbabi Faizan Babi

I am surprised this actually happens! But a great article for someone like me who wants to get into this field. P.S. I am not like Raj (If there are prospective employers here ;) )
- http://twitter.com/gandhi_shrenik Shrenik Gandhi
  
  Hopefully you are not like Raj! If you are not, you will surely be selected by some non chucial company!
http://twitter.com/husainronaq Husain M. Ronaq

Hi Shrenik,
husainronaq likes it .. 1+ for you! :)
I would like you to highlight educational qualifications required for social media managers.
- http://twitter.com/gandhi_shrenik Shrenik Gandhi
  
  Social Media requires no formal educational qualification as such! You need to be good at striking conversations, must speak sense & be good with grammar! :p
  - http://twitter.com/husainronaq Husain M. Ronaq
    
    It has to get automated some how. Artificial intelligence in this field.
    - http://twitter.com/gandhi_shrenik Shrenik Gandhi
      
      Indeed. Need of the hour!
Zivpreet

which social media brands you like?

Facebook

seriously?

GROSS! But good for a laugh. Thanks for posting :)
- http://twitter.com/gandhi_shrenik Shrenik Gandhi
  
  haha…Frankly, that is the state of many! Anyways, Most welcome!
Megha

hahaha..Okay that’s one brilliant piece..quite relevant as well!
- http://twitter.com/gandhi_shrenik Shrenik Gandhi
  
  Thanks Megha!
http://www.facebook.com/sharmili.basu Sharmili Basu

hahahaha….brilliant write up….and actually this is the fact!!!
- http://twitter.com/gandhi_shrenik Shrenik Gandhi
  
  Thanks Sharmili! :)
Saurabh Gandle

Well true facebook is biggest shark out there but you cannot ignore twitter,pinterest and blogging they do go long way in management of a brand.
- http://twitter.com/gandhi_shrenik Shrenik Gandhi
  
  Indeed they do! Thanks!
Prasanna

Oh here are some from personal experience:
Me: So what do you do on Facebook (considering that’s the only platform he/she knows)
Fresher: I like funny pictures, I share and comment
Me:…and? Do you like any brand pages?
Fresher: I like pages like ROFL India etc…
Me: Ohhhhk. So do you check out apps?
Fresher: Yes, Farmville.

Me: Do you use Twitter?
Fresher: On yes, I am very active.
Me: Really? So how many followers do you have?
Fresher: 13. I mostly use it to see what others are tweeting.
Me: Ohhhhk. So, who do you follow? Amitabh Bachchan and Priyanka Chopra.

And the most clueless one:

Me: So what do you think a social media agency does?
Fresher: Uses media for social good. (TRUE STORY!)

I was really trying to find some ray of hope…really…but found utter crap!
- http://twitter.com/gandhi_shrenik Shrenik Gandhi
  
  hahaha… same story different place! :)
http://www.facebook.com/jiteshujain Jitesh Jain

It is true that many people are not active on different social media platforms and they also don’t know about them and how they work… but that doesn’t mean that they are not fit for this industry. I am a digital planner and have handled social media like facebook, twitter and linkedin for brands for almost 2 years now. But before joining I was not active on facebook as well. But I have made my career in this industry. Give them a chance, try their skills, they may have the potential to drive this industry.
- http://twitter.com/gandhi_shrenik Shrenik Gandhi
  
  Sure Jitesh. Agreed. If there is willingness to learn!
http://www.facebook.com/anuragsinghrathour Anurag Singh Rathour

Hilarious……. lolz
- http://twitter.com/gandhi_shrenik Shrenik Gandhi
  
  :) Thanks
AmolPomane

Surely these days fresher are miss understanding agencies they thik that they all do is only posting and tagging some non sense and posting some joke,I think there is great lack of information on business level in freshers mind.
- http://twitter.com/gandhi_shrenik Shrenik Gandhi
  
  Well, unfortunately yes! Its much more than they think it is!
http://www.facebook.com/yasha.harshita Yasha Harshita

had similar experiences while hiring for the Content team … :/
http://www.facebook.com/deeksha.singh.754 Deeksha Singh

That’s the problem… People off social media knowledge think its just about strategizing and posting on page but its something beyond that! Please try n understand what agencies do and what social media writer/manager does and then apply…
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