Appetizers

Starting with some basics.

Fun Starters

Getting to know the human side.

 Main Course

A quick deep dive into the day-to-day job.

Tell us about yourself and your job.

My job is super creative and very open-ended. I manage the social media for Boston Children's Museum as well as our digital initiatives, and there is no limit to how creative I can be. Having that creative freedom is what I value most about the industry and field I am in.

How did you end up in your field? What do you like about it?

This is my second job out of school, and I entered into it with experience in general marketing and some social media management skills. It was my portfolio featuring my blog posts, personal photography, and film/audio projects from college that got me the job, as my boss was looking for someone with creative experience across multiple disciplines, not just writing or social media.

This is what I love about it—I can dip my toes in many different forms of media, from producing and editing their podcast, to managing the blog, to making Tik Toks.

What does a typical morning look like on the job?

A typical morning for me consists of: planning out the social media for at least two days of the following week. I try to stay at least a week ahead in my planning. This involves designing graphics, sourcing photographs, writing captions, and researching hashtags.

I will also spend some time catching up on emails about various things related to marketing initiatives going on at the Museum, primarily focussed on getting families into the building/buying tickets.

Cool, then what does a typical afternoon look like?

A typical afternoon usually consists of various creative projects. I might be taking photographs, editing a video, or editing our podcast. Alternatively, I take care of several logistical things like analyzing data from our social channels or researching and scheduling meetings with potential podcast guests.

What types of projects and meetings are you involved in?

My work is super open-ended and most of the time it is up to me what I work on (though not all the time). Usually, I have a larger-scale initiative to focus on, and then I use my own creativity and skills to decide what the best way to spread the word about this initiative is. I might meet with different teams or outside people to create a promotional plan, and then I run with that information to actually make it happen.

Who do you collaborate with in meetings and projects? Cross-functional teams? What's it like?

I collaborate heavily with other members of the marketing team, which includes a graphic designer, PR manager, web developer, and our Marketing Director. We all have separate roles to play in marketing the museum; however, they are all connected, as we must ensure that our messaging is consistent and we all know what the others are doing.

I collaborate closely with our graphic designer as she helps me with creating promotional graphics and video editing.

 Dessert

Now for some juicy insights in the tea room.

What's the most challenging thing about your job?

As much as I love my job’s open-endedness, at times I wish I had more guidance. It is hard for me to improve my skills without someone above me with more experience in digital content creation and management. My team is not working on the same things I am, at least not in the same form (social media, digital marketing), so I can't really bring them questions or challenges, and I do wish I had more of a mentor.

What are some characteristics that can help someone succeed in your role?

You definitely have to be a self-starter, as I don't have someone pushing me or holding my hand through most of my projects. It's really up to me to figure out the best way to market our initiatives through our digital channels, as no one is really telling me what to do for the most part.

Any advice on how to stand out and get hired for those just starting off?

Create a portfolio! This was the number 1 thing that got me this job. And make sure it does not just showcase one area, try to demonstrate that you have skills in cross-functional spaces, no matter how much or little experience you have.

For example, my biggest skill is writing, so of course, I included many writing samples in my portfolio. But I also enjoy photography in my personal life, so I included a page showcasing that. I did a few video and audio projects in school that really weren't super professional or polished, but I included them to show that I did have some experience there. You can really make yourself stand out by showing that you're able to transition between projects and areas and are not just focused on one single skill.

What's something that surprised you about your job?

The amount of creative freedom I have. In my previous marketing role, I was very micro-managed. Everything I did was checked over. In this job, I am creating and posting content that no one needs to approve—it's all on me, and I can make it what I want as long as it is in line with our organization's mission and marketing goals. I didn't expect this at the start and was pleasantly surprised to be trusted and not be watched so closely!

Any last thoughts, advice, or recommendations for someone who wants to do what you do?

I mentioned this above, but I would definitely work on differentiating your skills. If you want to be in social media management, you really have to have skills in different areas, from writing to photography to video editing. But you do not have to be an expert right off the bat. Just showing that you have some experience in different areas, you're able to transition between projects with ease, and that you are willing to do the work to improve will get you far.

 Drinks

Chat more over coffee or tea?