Social media careers: The skills you need, where to look and jobs to consider

Social media careers are taking off. Just a decade ago, the only role associated with the channel was “intern.” Now, social media professionals are in line for the C-suite.

This rapid growth can make navigating a once linear career path a bit more challenging. Now you can choose from several specialties under the social umbrella, each requiring different interests and skill sets. You need to understand your options to know which one to pick.

To help you navigate this evolving profession, we put together this guide to jobs in social media. Keep reading to find out which skills you need, where to look and which jobs to consider as you enter and advance through the field of social.

What is the current state of social media careers?

Over the past few years, social has become the go-to channel for everything from product discovery to sharing reviews. To tap into this growing opportunity, marketers are rethinking the structure of their social teams.

According to data from the 2025 Sprout Social Index™, 54% of marketers believe AI is what will empower them to grow their teams moving forward.

That growth could mean more than just headcount. When asked which skills social marketers should hone in 2025, individual contributors and managers agree: specialization. Many of the top-reported skills tie back to what teams need to produce more original content. They mirror emerging job titles, like Social Media Analyst and Social Media Project Manager.

What skills do social media careers require?

The journey to becoming a social media professional varies. Some get their start with an internship or customer service role. Others may go as far as earning a social media master’s degree.

These variations in career paths actually create more opportunity for those interested in social media marketing careers. It may make your start in the industry feel ambiguous, but it also means you don’t have to adhere to a single, linear career path. Use this to your advantage and build on these core social media skills:

1. Industry-specific skills

Social moves fast. A successful career in social media hinges on your ability to keep up.

“What matters most is that you know your stuff,” Sprout’s Social Media Manager Rachael Samuels tells us. “Domain and customer knowledge is a matter of research. Hiring managers want to know that you can speak on social media without relying on buzzwords or jargon.”

Incorporate reading trade publications like Social Media Today or AdWeek’s Social Pro Daily into your daily routine. These will help you stay up to date on the trends that motivate how consumers are using their favorite social media platforms.

You’ll also need to spend quality time with priority networks as well to understand what’s driving patterns of engagement. Most jobs may discourage on-the-clock scrolling but in social media careers, it’s critical to building your expertise.

2. Copywriting

Social allows brands to get more experimental with their voice. For example, it’s difficult to imagine Auntie Anne’s using this writing style in an email.

zzzzzzzz　＜⌒／ヽ-､_＿_／＜_/＿＿＿＿／￣￣￣￣￣￣￣It's time to order pretzels　　　∧_∧　　 (　･ω･)　　 ＿|　⊃／(＿＿_／　└-(＿＿＿_／

— Auntie Anne’s (@AuntieAnnes) May 2, 2022