Social Media as a career

With the way the world is these days, with people constantly attached to technological devices, it comes as no surprise that social media is finding its way into the workplace. I do not mean employees just checking their Facebook or Twitter accounts when they get bored or the day is slow. People are actually getting hired to manage those social networking sites.
Companies have realized the importance of utilizing the spaces where, pretty much, everyone is. The way for the masses to learn about companies is through social media. One might notice a friend on Facebook who liked a company’s page or tweeted about a company’s product on Twitter. This might get them intrigued enough to see what the company is about. It is also a way for companies to let their followers know what is going on, such as events or promotions – to basically keep them connected.
It may seem like a simple task, when your job just managing a company’s social networking sites. However, each social media manager must learn the appropriate way to market their company on these sites, how to choose the right lingo, how to reach more of an audience, etc. There is a reason company’s are looking for people to do this as a job because it does require a number of skills, such as the ability to keep up with responding to comments, handling negative backlash, sending party event notifications, and managing multiple social networking sites. It may seem easy enough, but one must be able to balance a lot at once and be really good at marketing. This is why companies are looking for professionals and not just young people who have grown up in this new age of technology.
Which is why colleges are opening up to this new career path. In order to become a professional, one has to be educated in the specific areas of social media, such as effective communication and marketing skills. LaSalle University offers a graduate certificate in social and new media. There are five required courses and one elective in order obtain this certificate. Other colleges such as Rutgers and Southern New Hampshire University offer social media programs as well.
If you are interested in social media this may be an area to consider exploring further. However do not take this new job lightly. You may think you know everything about using social networking sites, but that is different than handling them professionally for a business.