The Online Reflector

Social media jobs are a recently established industry in the business world.

An increasing need for social media expertise has led many companies to open up positions specifically for these types of jobs.

“Everyone knows they need to do social media, very few organizations have well-defined goals and can tell you what the payoff for their efforts in social media is going to be,” said Scott Uecker, general manager of WICR-FM and instructor of communication.

The race to be popular in social media is not just happening among teens and young adults, but also among businesses. Uecker said that businesses know they need to be doing social media, but he is not convinced that they know what it will do for them. Essentially, positions are being created to keep brand loyalty, mainstream popularity and gain an increased fan base for broadcasters.

Uecker said some social media career opportunities include being a social media marketer, social media manager, social media consultant and social media strategist. They are all examples of career opportunities that were not available ten years ago. These are jobs that require experience in many different fields. The ability to write is necessary for a strategic tweet, blog or post.

“You have to be able to tell stories.” Uecker said. “Those who have compelling content whether it be through new media or social media will make their sites sticky, make people want to come back.”

According to Uecker, journalism, electronic media, public relations and marketing are some majors that can lead to a social media career.

With the increasing popularity of Facebook, Twitter, blogging and other forms of social media, jobs are not only being opened up, but workers are experiencing add-ons as well. Companies that cannot afford to dedicate money solely for social media purposes are looking for people who can fulfill these needs in addition to their regular duties.

“In their job descriptions, the radio and TV stations around here have asked for candidates who have aptitude and skills in social media, as have various marketing agencies,” said Paul Gabonay, director of career services.

Gabonay said that more and more companies that want to be relevant to young adults are gravitating towards social media.

Uecker has placed only a handful of students in jobs designed specifically for social media, but he said that nearly every job requires some type of social media background or knowledge.

There are many local firms that employ people in social media positions.     Some places UIndy students can apply to for several different social media jobs include eHOW, Exact Target, Slingshot, ChaCha, One Click Ventures and Media Fuel.

The increased obligation to have on staff an individual with social media skills is evident in the growth and necessity of these positions.

“What a great time to be a college student or a young professional,” Uecker said. “To see how this all plays out…You and your colleagues have the ability in some ways to define the future of traditional media.”

Uecker describes these changes as an exciting time to be embraced and utilized. He also said social media is changing perceptions and also changing the boundaries of business and media.

“No one really knows where this will be in ten or fifteen years,” Uecker said, “Anyone who tells you differently is probably trying to sell you their book.”