Big changes can stem from the smallest actions. That’s how I became the new community manager for HuffPost Live, a soon to be launched live streaming network from Huffington Post. How small was the action I took to get a community manager job as incredible as this and prompt me to move from Chicago to New York?
This big change all came from a single Facebook post. Don’t believe me? Here it is:
So as I begin on this incredible chapter in my life, what lessons can I share with you?
Do. Don’t say.
Resumes are staples and you still need one, but it really doesn’t matter what you have on your resume. It matters what you DO, that others can see. So if you want an online community manager job, you better
- Be online (and active)
- Network
- If you don’t have a community to manage, start managing the community of you (See Dave Cutler talk to this point).
Patience
Don’t expect to find a job right away. Experience is called experience for a reason. If you just graduated college, you had the last 4 years to get experience. And not by attending class. Establish your brand identity on the social networks. Intern or volunteer for brands or organizations.
Be Found
Being on Facebook means nothing if people don’t see your updates, or worse yet, aren’t able to find you. Same holds true for having a protected Twitter account. Take the time to create your own website. By this I mean not just an about.me account or xeeme.com but rather yourname.com Once you have your site up, you should learn some basic SEO so when people search for you, your site comes up! This one point alone can, and will, spur a whole new blog post that I’m sure will have some differing opinions. (hint: Gwynne Monahan)
Never miss a small opportunity
It would have been easy for me to brush off Justin’s comment on my Facebook post, but I didn’t. Same can be when you see a tweet or a shared job posting by a friend. Never pass up on an opportunity you think you would be good for. Follow up, ask questions and follow up again.
In reality, my new position with Huffington Post came from way more than a single Facebook post. It was several years of taking contract jobs, working part time and volunteering many hours to organizations that have given me so many contacts and experiences that afforded me this opportunity.
My Community Manager will continue to grow and exist. Huffington Post has been very supportive and encouraging in that regard. I will be relocating to New York from Chicago, but Chicago will forever remain my home. I’ll have more news to share about the HuffPost Live community soon, but if you ever wanted to get on TV, actually live stream, and have strong opinions on politics, national or international news, let me know!
How did you find your community manager job? Have suggestions for others looking for a community manager job? Share your story in the comments below and I’ll buy you a coffee next time you’re in New York!
[...] New York to Chicago to Los Angeles to San Francisco!Did you miss my announcement about how I got my community manager job at Huffington Post? Not listed below, but we have some exciting community manager, social media and a few entry level [...]
[...] of online community manager jobs including Google, Apollo Group, and uberVU.Check out how I got my community manager job at Huffington Post. We often have some exciting community manager, social media and moderator positions available at [...]
[...] out how I got my community manager job at Huffington Post. We often have some exciting community manager, social media and moderator positions available at [...]
[...] out how I got my community manager job at Huffington Post. We often have some exciting community manager, social media and moderator positions available at [...]
[...] out how I got my community manager job at Huffington Post. We often have some exciting community manager, social media and moderator positions available at [...]
[...] from running community management for Social Media Club Chicago after nearly 3 years. I starting working at HuffPost Live and moved to New York from Chicago. But the biggest change, for me, has come from getting to know [...]
[...] 1. Facebook Post Leads to Community Manager Job [...]
[...] say it was the beginning of me weaving a web of my connections that ultimately led to me getting my job at HuffPost [...]
[...] My job at HuffPost Live came from a Facebook post. It didn’t come from one post, but by making connections, before you need them. When you establish your community, you’ve taken your first step in positioning yourself for success. [...]