There are lots of authors giving advice to organizations on how to do social media. All these organizations need qualified professionals to develop and execute their social media strategies. Thankfully, Mark Story offers something different: practical, no-nonsense, experience-based counsel to job seekers who want to make social media their careers. The world didn’t need another social media book; the world needed this one.”
-Christopher Barger, author of the Social Media Strategist
“In an economy when many jobs are disappearing, social media is a growing opportunity. As author Mark Story points out, if you love reading, writing and people, social media could be your dream career. I’m very excited about this book and what it will do for you and the social media industry. This is a powerful, comprehensive and fun guide to help you get a solid start, land a job, and perhaps eventually become a social media luminary.”
- Brian Carter, Author of The Like Economy
“Never before has an industry created a sense of the wild, wild west like social media has done. From SEO experts and communications professionals to direct marketers and advertisers, everyone has jumped on to the social media bandwagon claiming to be an expert. But the true pros are those who are up for constant challenges, aren’t afraid of change, are willing to take risks, and are willing to hone their craft every, single day. It’s time to harness the industry and Mark Story is just the person to teach you how to do it.”
- Gini Dietrich, CEO, Arment Dietrich and co-author, Marketing in the Round
“Mark Story has delivered a master’s degree in launching a career in social media in book form. For an industry that is young and evolving, yet has such awesome potential for you, this is the go-to resource for getting started and understanding what you need to know to be successful. As I turned each page, I thought, ‘Man, I wish I had this advice when I was in college!’ Very little of this is being taught in colleges now. But it will soon. And this is probably going to be the text book.”
- Jason Falls, CEO of Social Media Explorer and author of No Bullshit Social Media: The All-Business, No-Hype Guide To Social Media Marketing.”
Whether you’re a student just getting ready to enter your career or a professional seeking to make a change, you need a path to follow. Mark Story has charted the course for you in Starting Your Career as a Social Media Manager. If you want to go places in your career, follow Mark’s map. He is the first ever director of new media at the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. Think Sarbanes-Oxley and all the precarious situations social media may offer your employer. Mark has dealt with them. Mark gets it. He does not serve up kool aid. We are grateful that Mark has spoken to many classes at Auburn University. The students are always thankful for his guidance and advice.
- Robert French, professor, Auburn University
“When Lindy Dreyer and I launched our social media consulting firm SocialFish in 2008, right when the recession hit, we were bloggers and speakers, but we were still jumping off a cliff into the unknown. Everyone was asking questions about social (what is it, why should we be on it) but we had no idea if we could make a living answering those questions. We saw a need in our nonprofit community – but at the time nobody had any idea how huge the social media revolution would be. We’re now, four years later, way beyond those tentative first questions – the power of the medium has rolled over everything in its path like a tidal wave. Social touches every aspect of business. We’re now in an age of specialization of social media expertise. There are so many exciting social media jobs out there – this book will help anyone get up to speed fast so that you can then figure out your own specialty and your own niche. I wish we had had this book when we started – don’t start this career journey without it.”
Maddie Grant, CAE, social strategist for SocialFish and author of Humanize: How People-Centric Organizations Succeed in a Social World
“Mark Story provides grounded advice that delivers a meaningful results-oriented career in social media. Avoid mediocre results in your social media job and frustration throughout the marketing organization by implementing the great advice in Starting Your Career as a Social Media Manager.”
- Geoff Livingston, Author and Marketing Strategist
“If you want to get hired in the fastest growing category of marketing and public relations, stop everything and read this book right now,”
- Eric Schwartzman, author of “Social Marketing to the Business Customer” and founder of www.SocialMediaBootCamp.com