Tips to hire right social media manager

Marketing managers should know by now that the success of their social media program largely depends on the thoughtful alignment of message and medium. Of course, it's not quite as simple as setting up a Hootsuite dashboard and cruising on conversational auto-pilot. More and more, marketing departments are bringing full-time social media or community managers on board to take the helm as conversation-starters, problem-solvers, and customer supporters, all while navigating the choppy waters of building brand equity across the social web.

But the market is currently saturated with so-called social media experts, so how do you find the right fit for your brand?

Looking for killer talent? For more help finding a job or placing a job listing, check out iMedia's Job Connection.

Here are five straightforward tips for refining the pool of hopeful applicants:

1. Immediately discard all resumes for any "gurus," "evangelists," and especially "ninjas"

An April post on the LinkedIn blog highlighted the recent surge of the term "ninja" among the site's millions of registered users (it seems that the term "guru" has been on the down slope since 2008), with a particular concentration among social media-oriented profiles.

Of course there are people who do have certifiable expertise in the constantly evolving world of social media. But it's more likely that they're out there demonstrating, not advertising their savvy. Qualified candidates are participating on an authentic level rather than racking up thousands of followers; they're creating content rather than cranking out "me-too" posts; and if they do have any ninja moves, it's probably from dodging any references to being a "guru."
A good piece of advice is to "fish where the fish are," meaning within your own network. Look around. Might you already have some lively and articulate contributors in your organization who have social media participation baked into their daily lives? Similarly, you might consider exploring your own (or related) social networks for individuals who are already prolific and vocal brand enthusiasts whose perspective is trusted and respected.

2. Follow the path of their digital footprint
Is your candidate's digital footprint a well-worn path, or is it a tentative toe in the water? While most organizations would benefit from the infusion of youthful energy that a plugged-in member of Generation Y could bring to the table, it's important to assess whether or not your prospective social media manager has real influence and reach in his or her networks.

Has the candidate been blogging on some topic of interest for a steady period of time? Is it apparent that the candidate has actively contributed or participated in meaningful conversations in social forums? Have they presented a consistent (and transparent) persona across all of their social networks? 

Helping to build your brand's social currency is not necessarily a numbers game, as recent research (PDF) has begun to reveal. To find the right person, "connectedness" is key, but quality of their content, networks, and interactions speaks more loudly than quantity, and influential networks aren't built overnight.