This is part of a series focused on the hiring process for community managers. My goal is to provide information for both companies looking to hire & those interested in the role. Community management is going to be a key role & it’s easier to start with a good fit than have extract oneself from a bad situation. Bottom line: recruitment & training takes resources (time & money).
In the last post on the Interview Process I offered tips for both the Interviewer & the candidate. That started some interesting conversations. I predict that recruiting highly qualified community managers is going to be challenging.
In regard to that post, Richard Millington pointed out that the questions aren’t very helpful unless the Interviewer is really familiar with the role. He asked if a Community Manager really needs an interview?
Martin Reed added:
I think it is important to take their previous experience and achievements into account but you should still take the time to interview them or at least engage in a conversation to see if they are a right ‘fit’ – after all, would you still recruit the perfect community manager if you couldn’t stand speaking to them?
I do agree that there should be a formal interview process. That is important for both the employer & potential candidate. Both sides need to be open & explore the following:
- work habits
- company culture
- expectations for the position
- knowledge of social media tools & participation in social networks
- product knowledge & familiarity with customer segments
- communication skills
- ability to mediate & tactfully deal with people
- leadership skills – this can be a powerful position if utilized correctly
- creativity – brainstorming & execution
- open to experimentation & ability to learn from mistakes
- familiarity with analytics
- aspirations
Jeremiah Owyang has many posts on the role. Here are a couple that are helpful:
If you would like assistance with any of the following, email me at mailto:conniebensen@gmail.com
- How a Community Manager can contribute to your business goals.
- Assistance with creating a job description that suits your organization’s needs.
- Reviewing & interviewing potential candidates
- Training based on organizational needs
- Exploring alternative options:
- utilizing someone on staff
- job sharing the position
What other factors should be considered in the recruitment process?
Excellent post as always Connie. What I would be interested in: What are your experiences in regard of hiring outside-personnell as a community manager? Can you bring the same passion to the community without being an employee of the company?
Hi Anatol,
I would say yes, absolutely & remotely.
I served as an evangelist for 6 months & decided that I WANTED to be a community manager. Circumstances in that position were allowing me to do many of the things that a community manager does. When the opportunity arose to work full time I was recruited. To answer your question I had so much passion & loyalty as an evangelist that it was an easy transition. (I already had established relationships with dept managers too – and working remotely).
There are many cases where community mgrs are working & they’re not employees. I am presently contracting my services also. And many white label platform companies offer community moderation services as a part of their package in addition to the technology. Those staff are not employees of the company that sponsored the community (I won’t use the word ‘owns’).
I think the first thing any hiring manager needs to do is figure out what they want from the role. Do they want a caretaker, an organizer or a strategist? The big difference as I see it between the three is the level of internal engagement and evangelism you want the role to bring. In many ways this is the most telling factor, since it describes how much of a commitment your organization has to community.
You’re right Scott. And that’s where I’ve heard of pain points from friends asking for advice. The perception of the role from both sides needs to be aligned otherwise it’s going to be challenging (and that’s not even in regard to the community work!).
That’s why I’m broaching this topic. The organizaton has an obligation to decide how committed & to what extent they’re going to support their community.
You’re absolutely right on that Connie. Our customers ask us for advice in this regard often, as rarely do they have the role fully-developed in their minds as they approach deploying a new community. They often look to us to help them define what the role should be. I’m looking forward to seeing what comes out of this topic as a series!
One important characteristic I think was left off of the list in the article above is how adept a candidate will be in promoting positive change in your organization. Perhaps that was implied in some of the other items listed, but I think its important to state openly. This is a variable that depends greatly on the current culture of company, but it is a key function/requirement of many community managers.
-Scott
I was thinking it went under culture, and it could go under leadership. But there could be one called change agent. I think that it applies to both the company & the community. I agree that having a comm mgr offers opportunities for change (as long as the company/management are open to that).
As a community manager, I believe that every interaction I have with community members, whether via e-mail or posted publicly on the site is essentially a resume of sorts and a testament to my skills as a manger. Many community managers don’t realize the importance of the written word and communication that is 100 percent electronic, until it’s too late. This is an art, in my opinion and it takes practice to get it right. These hiring should not be done in haste but the hiring organization has to know what skills to value.
Hi Angela,
You make some excellent points!
Community building is an art (& not to be taken lightly). I keep trying to say that in a variety of ways…
Hi,
Well I’m Sachin Ruhela and working as a community manager,but i’m looking for a job change somewhere.So if you have any recruitment is there for that domain,so kindly contact me to above call no.
Thanks
Sachin Ruhela
Community Manager
Contact No:+919953983874,+919897875062