Almost every company has a social media presence in one way or another. Many, like Wendys, T-Mobile and Urban Barn (that’s me!) are killing it. Some companies, however are very much slowing down the pack.

This slow-down often comes from the top, or the generation of bosses and employees who are amazing at their job, but never really got into the whole ‘Facebook thing’.

I don’t want to make this an age thing, because it truly isn’t. It’s a mindset that comes with using the set of tools they already have. They may be excited about the new opportunities and challenges that using social media can bring, but not really sure where to start.

So, they need to bring in someone who can lead the way. But who? Some one straight out of school who’s on their phone all day? Social Media is so new, it’d have to be someone young and in experienced, right?

Nope.

Here’s the issue. As the impression of young millennials filling the social media employee pool is shared to the ones doing the hiring, the job descriptions are too often aimed at someone junior. The salaries are often for a Coordinator or Office Admin level position, even though they’ll be expected (hopefully) to work with a strategy, and to be the voice of the company to anyone online.

Don’t your customers deserve more?

While the tools update constantly, it is the hiring company’s responsibility, and then the manager of the new Social Media Specialist role to ensure that they get someone who can lead strategy, tell the company what they should be doing to increase revenue, community engagement and brand loyalty, all via social.