Career guide
Social Media Manager Jobs: Types, Where to Find Them and How to Get Hired
Social media manager jobs are roles that own a brand's social channels, from planning content and posting to community, reporting and often a creator or paid budget. You'll find them in-house at brands, at agencies, at startups and as freelance or contract work, with many remote and hybrid openings. What gets you hired is a record of accounts you've run and the results, shown in a short portfolio and a tailored resume.
Key takeaways
- Social media manager jobs exist in-house at brands, at agencies, at startups and as freelance or contract work, and each runs at a different pace.
- Many social media manager jobs are remote or hybrid, but roles that include shoots, events or creator meetups often need some time on site.
- Hiring managers for social media manager jobs look first at accounts you've run and what changed, so a short portfolio matters as much as the resume.
- Entry-level candidates usually start in social media coordinator or specialist jobs and move up to manager after showing results.
- A social media job that pays only to like posts, asks you to deposit money or charges for training is a scam, not a job.
What are social media manager jobs?
Social media manager jobs are roles where you’re responsible for a brand’s presence on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, YouTube and X. You plan what goes out, make or oversee it, talk with the audience, and report what it did for the business.
The job looks different depending on where you work. At a small company you might do everything yourself. At a large brand you might manage a calendar, a coordinator, an agency and a creator budget. The social media manager job description breaks down the duties line by line.
What types of social media manager jobs are there?
Social media manager jobs fall into four main types, and each suits a different working style.
| Type | What it’s like | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| In-house at a brand | One brand, deep knowledge of its audience, close to product and sales | Building a long track record with one set of channels |
| Agency | Several clients, fast turnarounds, lots of pitches | Variety and learning quickly |
| Startup | Often the only social person, building from zero | Ownership and range |
| Freelance or contract | Your own clients, paid per month or project | Flexibility; see freelance social media manager |
Within those, many postings specialize: community-led, creator and influencer-led, paid social, B2B and LinkedIn-focused, or entertainment and sports, where the pace follows live events.
Where do you find social media manager jobs?
You find social media manager jobs on the big job sites with title-specific alerts, on company career pages, and through people who already work in social.
- LinkedIn and Indeed alerts for “social media manager” and its close titles: social media marketing manager, social media content manager, community and social manager.
- Company career pages for the brands and agencies you’d most like to join. Check weekly.
- Social media communities and newsletters, where hiring managers often share roles first.
- Hiring managers’ own posts. Many social leads announce openings on LinkedIn; a short, specific message to them helps. The guide to messaging a recruiter on LinkedIn has templates you can adapt.
Set up three alerts today with different titles. The same job is posted under many names.
Are there remote social media manager jobs?
Yes, many social media manager jobs are remote or hybrid, because most of the work happens in scheduling, design and analytics tools. Remote roles are most common at software companies, digital-first brands and agencies. Roles that include shoots, events, store openings or creator meetups more often want you nearby.
Remote openings draw applicants from a much wider area, so specific results and a link to your work matter even more. Read the location line closely: “remote” often means remote within certain states or time zones. The remote marketing jobs guide covers how to stand out.
Can you get an entry-level social media manager job?
Some entry-level social media manager jobs exist, mostly at small businesses, nonprofits and startups where the title covers the whole function. At larger companies, the usual way in is a social media coordinator or social media specialist role, then a step up after a year or two of results.
If you’re starting out, run something real: a club’s account, a small business’s Instagram, your own TikTok on a topic you care about. Small numbers are completely fine. “Grew a local bakery’s account from [X] to [Y] followers in [time]” is a strong line because you can explain every part of it.
What do employers look for in a social media manager?
Employers look for proof you can grow an audience and connect it to business goals, plus the judgment to represent their brand in public. Most postings ask for some mix of:
- Content sense: what works on each platform, and the ability to brief or make it.
- Results: reach, engagement, followers, traffic or sales you’ve moved, with numbers.
- Community and judgment: how you handle comments, complaints and a post that goes wrong.
- Planning: a content calendar tied to launches and campaigns.
- Analytics: reading platform data and reporting what to change.
- Collaboration: working with brand, PR, product, creators and agencies.
Show these in a short social media manager portfolio and a resume built on results. The social media manager resume page has bullet examples with [placeholders] for your numbers.
How do you get hired for a social media manager job?
You get hired by matching the posting’s top asks with proof from accounts you’ve run, then showing in the interview how you think about their brand.
- Tailor your resume to the three things the posting repeats most.
- Send a portfolio link, with two or three examples and the results.
- Audit their channels before the interview. Note what’s working, one gap and one idea.
- Prepare stories about a post that did well, one that didn’t, and a tricky comment you handled. The social media manager interview questions page has examples; tell them your way, since they’re hiring your voice as much as your skills.
- Know your number. The social media manager salary page shows BLS pay data to anchor the conversation.
How do you avoid fake social media jobs?
You avoid fake social media jobs by remembering that real employers pay you and never ask you to pay them. The FTC has warned about job scams that start on social media and task scams that pay a little at first for liking or rating posts, then ask you to deposit money.
Red flags include training fees, equipment you buy from them, interviews only by text message, and pay for simple tasks that sounds too easy. Report suspicious offers at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
FAQ
How much do social media manager jobs pay?
Pay depends on the company, city and scope of the role. The social media manager salary page shows the closest BLS data, since BLS groups most social roles with market research analysts and marketing specialists.
Do social media manager jobs require a degree?
Many postings list a bachelor’s degree in marketing, communications or a related field, but most hiring managers weigh accounts you’ve run and results more heavily. A strong portfolio can stand in for a degree at many companies, especially startups and agencies.
What’s the difference between a social media manager and a social media coordinator?
A social media coordinator usually schedules posts, makes content and handles comments under direction. A social media manager owns the strategy, the calendar and the results, and often manages a coordinator, an agency or creators.
Can you work as a social media manager from home?
Yes. Many social media manager jobs are fully remote or hybrid, and freelance social media management is usually done from home. Check each posting’s location rules, since some remote roles are limited to certain states or time zones.
What does a celebrity or entertainment social media manager do?
They run accounts for a public figure, show, team or label, often around live events and releases. The work moves fast and needs strong judgment about what’s appropriate to post. These roles are usually found through agencies, management companies and studios rather than job sites.