Social media strategist — Sophia Tang

With a degree in International Media and Communication Studies from the University of Nottingham, Sophia brings a mix of academic knowledge and practical experience to her role as social media strategist at Jisc

How did you get your job?

I found my current role on LinkedIn while working full time as a content strategist. After looking at the job description, I applied through the company's website as I was interested in working in strategy but in an industry which felt more impactful and meaningful.

What was the recruitment and interview process like?

The recruitment process was quick. I applied at the beginning of November and received a video interview invitation by the end of November, and I arranged my first in-person interview by early December.

With consideration of the Christmas break, I completed my second (and final) interview in early January with a social media task attached - I had to create a podcast strategy for our Future You podcast. I thought this task was great as it was quick to complete, but still helped test the capabilities of the candidate. In the past, I've had to tackle quite hefty tasks while applying for marketing roles, so I appreciated that this was more manageable while I was also working full time.

Why did you decide on a career in social media?

Growing up I was really interested in the media industry, so I took every opportunity to try everything - from journalism to news reporting, to photography.

I found myself most drawn to the social media space, especially as a Gen-Z who actively uses social media in my day-to-day life. Using my expertise of social media, I found myself completing internships in social media and even doing freelance work.

As someone who loves discovering the latest trending social media platform and its new updates, it made me want to delve into a full-time social media career. Fortunately, with social media, there are so many aspects involved so you're guaranteed not to get bored exploring it all - and that's what made me want to pursue it.

What's a typical working day like for you?

In the mornings, I focus on community management. I review comments and messages on social media, engaging with different pages by liking and commenting to build relationships among educational institutions and other similar pages.

I tend to divide my time between copywriting for social media posts, as well as editing videos and scheduling content for the coming weeks and months. There may be some days I find myself out and about filming content which ranges from student voxpops to ad-hoc content to share on our feed.

How relevant is your degree?

I focused on the theoretical side of media, but I would still say that my essay writing has helped with copywriting and learning how to approach different audiences.

I found that the extra-curricular activities I participated in during my degree were more relevant than my coursework. I was involved in various activities such as working at the NSTV (Nottingham Student Television), the Careers and Employability Service, and being on the committee for two societies, including my department-led society called CFM (Culture, Film and Media).

Engaging in these activities helped improve my ability to create content, manage social media profiles, and build relationships with sponsors. These experiences also helped me develop important soft skills that are transferable to my professional role.

What qualities do you think are important for a social media strategist?

• well-organised with good time-management skills
• strong communication skills especially with copywriting and client management
• being proactive and up-to-date with social trends and platform developments
• creativity (especially in terms of content ideation)
• adaptable as you may find yourself in positions where you must be quite reactive to events like Clearing or A Level results day.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

I'm grateful to have a lot of freedom for my role. Social media can be difficult to navigate so it's a lot of trial and error to understand what works with your audience and what doesn't. It can be a frustrating process but at the same time, it can be lots of fun trying different ideas for the channels to see what clicks.

I've been quite fortunate that my role isn't always at my desk. With opportunities to travel nationally to film with lots of institutions and meet clients for shoots, it's been great collaborating with different teams to make social content.

What are the challenges?

It requires a lot of patience. You can't expect good results in the first month, be prepared to review over six months to even a year before things start happening. It's a lengthy process of testing and revising your content strategy to figure out what works best.

When creating content, you might spend a lot of time on something that doesn't get the desired results, whereas something that took less time might perform better with the algorithm. While patience is important, it is also crucial to conduct a content audit and revise your strategy to improve your channels to the best of your ability.

What advice can you give to others looking for a career in social media?

• Upskilling - take advantage of the numerous free resources available online, such as Semrush, Google and Girls in Marketing, to improve your marketing skills. Many companies also offer free programs for skill enhancement.
• Create content for your personal brand - such as vlogs and films, to gain hands-on experience and understand social media algorithms better.
• Networking plays a crucial role in this industry - building a virtual network on platforms like LinkedIn and attending networking events can significantly enhance your professional connections and open up new opportunities.

Find out more

• Explore our social media manager job profile.
• Discover what you can do with a media studies degree?
• See what jobs are on offer in marketing.