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Career Advice

Get advice from other social media professionals. Learn what it takes to build and make an impact in your career. Get inspired with our stories and resources.

  • 173 Topics
  • 441 Replies
173 Topics
Jonathan Zuluaga
Community Manager
Jonathan ZuluagaCommunity Manager
published in Career Advice
Apply to be a part of May's Mentorship Network ConnectionsApplications Closed May 16th

This month, The Arboretum Mentorship Network is back with three ways to connect—each designed to support your goals and meet you where you are. Whether you’re looking to lead, share, or learn, there’s a spot for you.1. Mentor <> Mentee ProgramSupport the next generation of social pros while flexing your leadership skills.Sign up to Mentor or Be Mentored2. Peer ConnectGet matched with another social pro to swap insights, ideas, and what’s working in your world.Apply to Peer Connect3. Sprout User ConnectLooking to go deep on platform strategy? This one’s for Sprout power users ready to exchange tips and workflows.Join Sprout User ConnectSign-ups close Friday, May 16. Matches hit inboxes Monday, May 19.You bring 30 minutes. We’ll bring the connection.

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MisterPLevel 4
asked in Career Advice
Self-care tips for social media professionals?

The discussion is active and ongoing about the pros and cons about social media’s impact on various demographics. There’s so many stories about how to manage time, and energy and focus if you’re a social media end user, but how do you manage as a social media pro? There’s a risk of burnout. work/life balance, device or content fatigue  I feel more stories, tips, and best practices could be shared!I like to device detox from time to time, for set times when I’m “touching grass,” focusing on other hobbies or pursuits. (I try to minimize using smartphones to check accounts at 3AM, but there are times when that’s not so easy). Making time to read a good book or even an audio book forces me to slow down at times, which is grounding.How do you reset and wind down?

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kate.meyers emery
Jonathan Zuluaga
Community Manager
Jonathan ZuluagaCommunity Manager
published in Career Advice
April Mentorship Network Connections Are Open!Sign Ups Close April 18th

It’s time to sign up for April’s round of Mentorship Network Connections! Whether you want to talk big-picture strategy or dig into Sprout shortcuts, we’ve got two tracks:Peer-to-Peer: Connect with another social pro for an honest, insightful 30-minute conversation.Sign Up NowSprout Platform Networking: Share how you’re using the platform, troubleshoot together, and spark new ideas.Sign up Now Sign ups close Friday, April 18th. Don’t miss your chance to learn and grow with someone who gets it.It’s simple, it’s impactful, and it only takes 30 minutes.Learn more, here.

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kate.meyers emery
kate.meyers emeryLevel 4
posted in Career Advice
Ready to level up in my career... what's next for a social media manager?

I’ve been doing social media management for nearly 15 years now and have worked my way up to a senior digital comms role, but I’m not seeing a clear next step for me. There are so few social media director roles, comms director roles are always too PR focused, and I’m not up for going freelance.What is your next step? How are you preparing for it?

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Jonathan Zuluaga
Community Manager
Jonathan ZuluagaCommunity Manager
published in Career Advice
Your Next Career Connection Starts Here— Sign Ups Close Friday, March 21st!Apply by March 21st

It’s time to grow, learn and connect. Big things happen when social media pros connect—and this month, The Arboretum Mentorship Network is giving you three incredible ways to grow, learn, and build your network! Mentor<>Mentee Connections – Get expert guidance or pay it forward by mentoring someone looking to grow. Apply Now Peer-to-Peer Networking – Exchange insights with a fellow social pro at your level and learn from each other. Apply Now Sprout Platform Networking – Connect with another Sprout user to trade strategies, tips, and best practices. Apply Now These quick 30-minute conversations could spark new ideas, open doors, and even change the course of your career. Don’t miss out—sign-ups close Friday, March 21st!Let’s make meaningful connections that last. See you in the Arboretum!

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Jonathan Zuluaga
Community Manager
Jonathan Zuluaga
Community Manager
Jonathan ZuluagaCommunity Manager
published in Career Advice
February Mentorship Network – Sign-Ups Open Now!Sign Ups Open Until Feb 21st

Ready to connect and grow your network?February’s round of the Arboretum Mentorship Network is now open! Whether you’re looking to exchange insights with a Peer-to-Peer match or dive into best practices with Sprout Platform Networking, there’s an opportunity for you.💡 Gain new perspectives🤝 Connect with like-minded professionals⏳ Small time commitment, big impactChoose the connection type that fits your needs and sign up today before applications close on February 21, 2025!Peer-to-Peer NetworkingConnect with another social pro for shared learning, problem-solving, and industry insights.SIGN UP NOWSprout Platform NetworkingLearn and exchange best practices with a fellow Sprout user to maximize your platform expertise.SIGN UP NOWLet’s grow together—Learn more. 

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Jonathan Zuluaga
Community Manager
Heather
HeatherLevel 1
posted in Career Advice
Looking for Job Description for a Designer/Videographer to join the Corp Marketing Team

Hi there - I manage a 5 person team that supports our digital customer communities and organic social strategy. We have 60 plus handles plus a digital community. I have an open role - and am thinking that instead of replacing the social media strategist generalist - we actually need someone who is really great at design and video. Does anyone have a JD that supports this type of role? Thanks! Heather P.S. Hiring in Miami if you know of anyone. ,

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jamesfunLevel 1
posted in Career Advice
Advancing Careers with OMSB Certifications

The Oman Medical Specialty Board (OMSB) certification is a vital credential for healthcare professionals aiming to excel in the medical field. The Omani Examination for Nurses (OMSB_OEN) plays a critical role in ensuring nurses meet the highest standards of competence and professionalism. For those preparing for the OMSB exams, reliable practice materials can make all the difference. With OMSB Exams Questions tailored to reflect the actual exam format, candidates can build confidence, enhance their knowledge, and take meaningful steps toward career advancement in the healthcare sector.   

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amanda.hoffmannLevel 1
posted in Career Advice
Save Time with a Tagging System

One thing we’ve found super helpful is setting up tags for common types of responses while monitoring the inbox. These can be broad, like “Negative - Low” or “Post Response,” or more specific, like tagging different product types our client offers.It’s been a total lifesaver! When a client asks for all comments about a specific topic, we can quickly sort by tag, export the data, and send it over—easy peasy.If you’re looking for ways to stay organized and save time, this is definitely something to think about for the new year!

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TAMAYSLevel 2
asked in Career Advice
Must we be a jack of all trades?

Freelance social media tends to be an all in one type job (even though it shouldn’t be). So I find myself being an amateur photog, videographer, copywriter etc all to be an expert social media practitioner.  And it seems there are two levels to go about dealing with this, charge more so this can be outsourced to the experts, or be constantly context switch to work with the clients who can’t afford this.  I would love brain cells or other ways to accomplish a balance without having to be all things. Or is this just the nature of the beast? 

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ohva.commsLevel 2
asked in Career Advice
Keep it simple

I do social media for our school I keep things simple by just using a simple Excel spread sheet to lay out my ideas for each day of the upcoming months. I like to try to keep 1-2 months ahead with that simple plan and get posts scheduled out as far in advance so when extra requests come up I can have time to deal with them on the fly.

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rababSprout Team
asked in Career Advice
Giveaway Day 1: Share Your Top Productivity Tip - To Do Lists!

This sounds super simple, but something that helps me stay on top of everything is super detailed to do lists. I do this using One Note, but there’s tons of apps (bonus if you can access on your computer and phone, like slack).  This helps me by writing down something I need to remember or something I need to do later, and would otherwise forget. This also helps me start my day as I can quickly remember exactly where I left off and what I need to do next! 

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rababSprout Team
posted in Career Advice
Giveaway Day 1: Share Your Top Productivity Tip - To Do Lists!

This sounds super simple, but something that helps me stay on top of everything is super detailed to do lists. I do this using One Note, but there’s tons of apps (bonus if you can access on your computer and phone, like slack).  This helps me by writing down something I need to remember or something I need to do later, and would otherwise forget. This also helps me start my day as I can quickly remember exactly where I left off and what I need to do next! 

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TruStageVoCLevel 1
posted in Career Advice
Giveaway Day 1: Productivity Tip - Make your bed!

Making your bed in the morning goes beyond just shuffling around your sheets to make things look a little less messy. It may be a small task, but it sets the tone for having a productive day. This action encourages you to tackle other items throughout the day and helps start the day with a sense of accomplishment and order 😀

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rileyrroseLevel 1
posted in Career Advice
Giveaway Day 1: Share Your Top Productivity Tip - A pomodoro timer

My favorite hack for being more productive is using a pomodoro timer. As someone who can be easily distracted, working in social media can be especially challenging (anyone ever suddenly scrolling through a page about starting a hobby farm when you started out doing market research? lol).I like to use an app called Be Focused. It lets you create your to-do list for the day and to set how long you want your working sessions and breaks to be. I like to do 25 minutes of work, followed by a 3 minute break, 3x. On the third round, I get a longer 10 minute break. My rule is no phone during the short breaks, only during the long one!This process has helped me be so much more productive and focused over the past year!

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PartTimerLevel 2
asked in Career Advice
Day 1 Giveaway - Productivity Tip

Use automation tools to save time, especially since they can help a pro to focus more on their creative side and leaving the hashtag creations, data analytics, and other important but time-consuming tasks to the right kinds of tools

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jamie.sebastianLevel 1
posted in Career Advice
Productivity Tip - Don't Be Afraid to Shut Your Door!

It used to be that, unless I was in a meeting, my door was always open and my online status was always “available.” It never occurred to me to do it any differently until one day, when I was overwhelmed with tasks I needed to complete and venting to my boss, that she told me to just shut my door and set up a “do not disturb” message. I had a bit of a “I’m allowed to do that?” moment before I took her advice, and lo-and-behold, cranked out all my tasks in record time!So, my advice, don’t be afraid to shut everyone else out for a little while and prioritize your time. My door is still open most of the time, and I love chatting with my coworkers, but it’s also nice to know that if I never need some time to really focus on a task, I can just shut my door and turn off my notifications for a bit.We use Outlook and Microsoft Teams at my job. If you do, too, I really recommend diving into the settings and customizing your notifications to your preferences (though, I’m sure other email and mess

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georgia.manningLevel 1
posted in Career Advice
Productivity Tip: 1-3-5 Rule

Each day, I focus on 1 big task, 3 medium tasks, and 5 smaller tasks. This rule helps me stay realistic about what I can accomplish, while also ensuring I tackle important priorities without feeling overwhelmed. Breaking my workload into manageable chunks like this has significantly improved my focus and efficiency. I don’t have to accomplish all of the big task, but knowing that I’m putting in work on it helps make sure I’m staying on track.

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Katy4Riskonnect
Katy4RiskonnectLevel 2
asked in Career Advice
Schedule Tasks on Your Calendar | Productivity Tip for SMMs

Hey all - I’m Katy and I lead Riskonnect’s (B2B SaaS) Global Social Media program. My best productivity tip is: Schedule time to get specific tasks done on your calendar.  Scheduling a specific time to get work for Social done is so helpful - especially for folks like me who work with global colleagues, that may lean towards scheduling a meeting first thing in the morning (when a social post is set to go out, or to be checked on once live).  This can mean either time-blocking so that you always have time in the day to get work for Social done, or it can mean adding mandatory time into your day for both on and off the clock time. 

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amanda.coe
dustinzick
dustinzickLevel 1
posted in Career Advice
Giveaway Day 1: Productivity Tip - Balanced Checklist

For me, one of the ways I’ve always stayed productive is by balancing my checklist each morning.The two things I am always sure to do are:Plan 1-2 easy <5min tasks first thing, to drive up my sense of accomplishment and feel some motivation for longer, deeper projects. Have a bank of 5-20min tasks that I can jump to when I fatigue on a bigger project. This helps to change things up and keep the momentum running.These tasks don’t always have to be “work” related to. It might just be cleaning my personal inbox. Scheduling a doctors appointment, ordering dog food, anything like that.

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kerriann.jenkinsLevel 2
posted in Career Advice
Keeping A Physical To-Do & Idea List

My go-to productivity tool is a simple paper booklet divided into a "To Do" list and an "Ideas" list. Crossing off tasks keeps me focused, while the "Ideas" section captures inspiration without interrupting my workflow. At the end of the week, I review my ideas to turn them into actionable tasks for the next week. Simple, satisfying, and effective!

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craig.cordell
craig.cordellLevel 4
posted in Career Advice
Productivity Tip: Have one priority! ☝️

☝️ This one feels so obvious and (almost) goes without saying, but you should only have one top priority. 🗓️ When you start your day, focus in on one priority to measure your success against. Starting your day by saying “my top priorities are scheduling social posts, brainstorming new content, and answering emails” can feel overwhelming and impossible to achieve. “My top priority is scheduling content.” You can do that! Focus in, be honest with yourself, and declare your one top priority for the day.

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EmmyLevel 2
posted in Career Advice
Giveaway Day 1: Productivity Tip: Focus on my breathing

If I am feeling overwhelmed and scattered, it helps to focus on my breathing and transform the anxiety into productive energy that I can channel into work. 

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jaime.monteforteLevel 2
posted in Career Advice
The Power of Focused Bursts

Here's how it works:Choose a task: Pick one specific task to focus on. Set a timer: Work on that task with intense focus for a set time (e.g., 25 minutes). Take a short break: Step away from your work completely for 5 minutes. Stretch, grab a coffee, or do something non-work related.   Repeat: Continue this cycle throughout your workday.Why it works for me:Improved focus: Knowing I have a limited time to work on a task helps me avoid distractions and stay laser-focused.   Increased energy: The short breaks prevent burnout and keep my energy levels up throughout the day. Reduced procrastination: Breaking down tasks into smaller chunks makes them feel less daunting and easier to start.   Enhanced creativity: Stepping away from my work allows my mind to wander and often leads to new ideas and solutions.  This technique, often called the Pomodoro Technique, has significantly boosted my productivity and reduced my stress levels. Give it a try and see if it works for you!

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jaime.monteforteLevel 2
posted in Career Advice
focused work bursts with planned breaks

Here's how it works:Choose a task: Pick one specific task to focus on. Set a timer: Work on that task with intense focus for a set time (e.g., 25 minutes). Take a short break: Step away from your work completely for 5 minutes. Stretch, grab a coffee, or do something non-work related.   Repeat: Continue this cycle throughout your workday.Why it works for me:Improved focus: Knowing I have a limited time to work on a task helps me avoid distractions and stay laser-focused.   Increased energy: The short breaks prevent burnout and keep my energy levels up throughout the day. Reduced procrastination: Breaking down tasks into smaller chunks makes them feel less daunting and easier to start.   Enhanced creativity: Stepping away from my work allows my mind to wander and often leads to new ideas and solutions.  This technique, often called the Pomodoro Technique, has significantly boosted my productivity and reduced my stress levels. Give it a try and see if it works for you!

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