Jared Chung
CareerVillage.org TeamWhat did you do to stand out when you were interviewing for your community manager job? (looking for bold stories!)
For our students who have never done an interview before, they can be really intimidating! What did you do to stand out in your interviews for the job you have now as a community manager? Inspire us with your stories of how you got the job!
_This is part of a question series for CMX Summit to highlight exciting careers in community management. If you are interested in a career in community management, now would be a good time to ask a question of your own!_ #community-management #job-application
3 answers
Katherine Mancuso
Katherine’s Answer
I'm not the kind of person who does crazy things - I prefer the simplicity of a good single-page resume and a really, really compellingly written cover letter. The most interesting thing I've put in a cover letter for a job I got was an explanation of my four LinkedIn connections to the founder of a small company, all of whom were people she knew well enough to call. It was very important to her that I understand her space and industry and this immediately set me apart as someone who had already done relationship building in the space.
Hector Morales
Hector’s Answer
Of course, there are also very subjective factors that even when they do exists, we should try to ignore during the interview. There are cases when in the panel you find someone that starts asking questions that make no real sense, and their attitude tells you clearly you are not liked for whatever the reason. Some other times you realize you are there just to fill a requisite, but you never know, so always do your best and be prepared for anything
Sarah Schaaf
Sarah’s Answer
I'll ask folks to describe their current or their favorite community. In this question, I'm less interested in standard demographics or marketing speak and more in their understanding of the culture of their community. What are the members like? What does their community care about/value? Community management involves building trust, understanding people, and connections with real humans, so I find it important to hire people who will be able to understand the human aspect.
I'll also ask folks to write a sample blog post for something going on in my community. In most online community building, writing communication is critical, so this is a great way for people to show their personalities and writing skills.
Another important thing I'm looking for in interviews is knowing if the candidate has done their homework on my community. I don't expect folks to be experts off the bat, but showing that you've done some work to sign up for, engage with, and shown an interest in the community you're applying to work with is important. One of my most memorable moments with a candidate was when they shared a fun meme with my community the day before their interview, then they were able to speak to the specifics of that interaction with my community in their interview!