I've been sent quite a few senior-level Social Media job listings lately –  that as a consultant I largely pass along to FTE-inclined colleagues – but I've noticed something odd prior to doing so.

These are positions for rather large companies which request that candidates personally have "this many" Twitter Followers, "this many" Facebook friends, "this many" four-square badges (yes, they went there), "this many" blog posts (apparently about anything), etc. Wait for it: not one position description asked that candidates be able to speak to their work via these platforms on behalf of a company or brand.

Huh?

In essence, it seems these companies want to hire someone who either consistently or constantly Tweets on their own behalf (potentially rather than doing work for their current employer), has re-connected with folks from camp, grade-school, etc. on Facebook (as we all know, Facebook "friends" are typically just that - rather than an endless network of seasoned professionals), and who goes to the same four coffee shops often enough to be "mayor" of each, where they then post their blog-based insights on what could easily be their cat, fishing, origami or some such thing. 

The assumption seems to be that if one can talk about themselves, in their own voice, about something that interests their highly-specific social sphere, well then, surely they can strategize and speak for a massive brand, to incredibly large/valuable/targeted audiences, across the most visible, nuanced, user-driven and connected platforms and devices we've seen to date. Um?

Exposure to the elements required to manage Social for a large brand versus one's self (e.g., large-scale monitoring and analytics, SEO/SEM, mobile, video, cross-platform strategy/execution, engagement ads, social apps, a ridiculous set of add-ons, plug-ins, partners, etc.) were also not requested in these position descriptions. Radian6 is the only tool I've seen make its way into a Social Management job listing - a Social monitoring/workflow platform whose interface would confound the average self-social-teer for months. 

And where was LinkedIn? Also, absent. I would want to see these potential hires being fairly active in relevant groups, answering questions posted by others, asking questions, driving discussion, updating their profile often, etc. LinkedIn has become the defacto information exchange channel for many things social, and is also a place where one’s connections are far more likely to be relevant to a new employer.

Worse, mobile was more than absent in these job listings. It was as if it does not and could not possibly exist, or ever be relevant. Given the direction social engagement and commerce are moving, and the (sadly, still) highly complex mobile universe, you don't want to hire a candidate who looks like a deer in the headlights one month in when you decide to launch a socially-integrated holiday mobile app - yesterday.

I’m all for giving someone with “some” expertise a chance to shine in a new way – but why not then promote from within, and have at a bare minimum, company, brand and subject-matter expertise at the ready?  My guess is that many internal employees use social platforms in the same ways these position listings underscore as critical. Which I do not agree are the ways a potential Social Leader should be measured.

My advice for would-be employers?

Ask candidates for proof of internal social operationalization; industry/audience-based strategic recommendations (for and against specific platforms); related month-to-month metrics against cross-platform (and device) launch and management; sales impact; ability to ramp-up incredibly quickly on new industries, subject matter, tone, brand essence, value prop and internal workflows; excitement to act as and for a brand tactically; issue/crisis resolve acumen; customer service partnering; partner/agency management across social variables, etc.

And, if personal social activity is still critical, find candidates online that have impressed you in an interview, and see what types of things they are discussing. Social media should be a common topic for most who are highly engaged in Social as a career path. What books, videos, events, applications, vendors and/or devices are they recommending? But be sure - if that is all someone is doing on social platforms, there is an issue. You want someone who also uses social platforms like your users do, not someone who uses them to prove they do.

If you want a Social Leader, find that happy medium between one who is leading a brand into the social/mobile foray, who is pulling their peers in with them, and who is acting individually across social platforms as their personal life dictates. Even Social experts need to be allowed to have the number of friends on Facebook that is useful but not intrusive to them, while building thousands, if not millions of fans on facebook for brands just like yours.

Apart from bolstering the requirements for these roles, here are a few good interview questions that will help you get to know the Social candidate from across the table:

• "What was the last recommendation you received when checking in to FourSquare?"
• "What was the last post you commented on, on Facebook, and why?"
• "What was the last tweet you re-tweeted, and why?"
• "What is your favorite way of monitoring Social response - include free, paid and licensed offerings?"
• "What is your favorite word-press plug-in?"
• "What is your favorite twitter add-on application?"
• "What is your experience with lo-so?" (Local Social.) Mo-So? (Mobile Social.)
• How often have you acted as/for a brand on Social platforms, versus delivered a strategy for someone else to do so?
• "Do you have a smartphone? What do you use it for? Have you used competitive devices?"
• How do you feel about the FTC rules regarding solicited endorsements by bloggers?
• "When I say "SEM" what do you think of? SEO?"
• Tell me about a cross-platform Social initiative you drove. Cross-device? 
• Are you comfortable presenting to/speaking to large groups of people?
• "How might a video contest on YouTube differ from a sweepstakes on Facebook - in gained brand equity and cost?
• "What Social channels would I use to effect B2B word-of-mouth, compared to B2C?"

I hope that helps, and that it draws some excellent candidates to some of these terrific companies eager to take on this challenging - but very rewarding space.

I've had several discussions with developers in the past few days about Mozilla's upcoming "Tab Candy" release (in alpha), which on its face appears to be about the most useful, most prodcutivity-inducing feature to come out of a company not trying to monitize the same in a very long time, for digiteers like me.

The response from those developers? "I don't deal with/ work with / get excited about / concern myself with anything containing "Candy" in its name. I'm too busy."

Honestly, I can't pay developers to pay attention to this. Pre-early adopters. Micro-micro-geeks. They actually think I am kidding about what's coming. Like Ashton might jump out of the bushes right NOW and declare that in fact, we can expect to have tabbed browsing continue to be as exactly frustrating, unorganized and unmanageable as it always has been, for eternity. But thank you for playing.

Coming from a company known to name its features for exactly what they do, I am very  surprised by this go-to-market strategy. "Tab Candy." Really? Not "Tab-pro"? "Tab-manager"? "Tab-king"? Come on.Your Creative Lead designed something awesome. Go to town. Burn the competition, right now. Shout it from the rooftops.

From me to one of my very favorite brands: Mozilla, what you are working on is a game-changer. Give it a name that sounds like something your fans should sit up and listen to, not recommend to kids, for managing excel homework. Someday. If it occurs to us.

Own it big, loudly, and immediately.

 Many colleagues in the interactive space have recently asked me about the ins-and-outs of moving from employee status to contract or freelance work, both of which I’ve done for many years. There are nuances to consider in making this move that are worth sharing.

These include your new employment status options, tax implications, and healthcare/benefits. I will cover each in different posts, so as to not overwhelm.

The first thing to consider when moving away from FTE (full-time employee) status is your other employment status options. Contract, contract-to-hire, and freelance work are very different – more so in the current economic environment.  Here we go:

 1. Contract work:  This implies a contract to work full-time on-site at a company (less often an interactive agency), with a placement firm being your “employer,” for a set period of time. In this situation you get a set hourly rate, with the placement firm getting a set amount (typically 10% - 20% of your rate) hourly on top of that.

Up-Side: Contract placement is a terrific “in” to a company. It can be a great resume-builder, and will no doubt expose you to new systems, work patterns, technologies, and most importantly: people. Also, pay rates will likely be higher than your current salary. (Don’t get too excited.)

Contract work also affords the opportunity to really focus on the project at hand, without getting too involved in company politics, while still being given an opportunity to let your expertise shine. It also offers work-life balance, as weekly hours are typically locked-in (and any overtime hours paid at your hourly rate.)

Additionally, even in the current economic environment, it is extremely rare for a contract to be ended prior to the set date. I’ve never heard of that happening. If you are looking to be exposed to new projects, environments and people regularly, contract work is a great option. 

Down-Side: In the past, it was almost guaranteed that if a resource performed well, the contract would be extended (or a position offered, and if declined, the contract extended anyway.) Also, contracts used to be 6-12 months; these days, they are more likely to be 3-6 months, if that. And extension can not be assumed.

Be ready to look for a new gig one month before your contract is set to end (which may be soon after you start).  And, don’t count on your placement firm to be your advocate with the company they place you with. Some placement firms are great about this, some aren’t.  Build a strong communication line with your on-site manager to determine whether you may be extended or hired – but balance this with “pestering.” Excellent work output and a meaningful dialog mid-contract is your best bet.

Ah, benefits. You are not likely to get healthcare, disability, life insurance or vacation coverage while working through a placement firm even in a W2 scenario (I will cover this in more detail in another post.) However, your hourly rate may offset this, and it’s not as scary as it sounds. 

Show Me the Money:  Payment for contract work can come in two forms: W2 and 1099. W2 means that the placement firm takes out your taxes and covers the employer side of your FICA dues. 1099 means that you get paid the full amount of your hourly rate, and that you need to consider the tax implications. (I’ll cover this in an upcoming post as well.)

Typically, a placement firm will offer both W2 and 1099 options. It’s common to get $5-$10 more an hour for 1099, as the placement firm does not need to cover your FICA dues and there is less administrivia for them. However, you need to do the math and figure out whether you “really” make more working 1099. Having a firm take out your taxes for you and cover the employer-side of your FICA can really add up on the positive side.

 2. Contract-to-hire:  Again, this implies a contract to work on-site at a company with a placement firm being your “employer,” for a set period of time. The same up-sides, down-sides, and payment options apply as standard contract work, with one significant difference:

The employer intends to fill this role. They are test-driving candidates, either for near-term budgetary or cultural (read: “do you fit in?”) reasons. As with pure contract roles, in the past contract-to-hire gigs were 6-12 months. And, while full-time employment was typically offered during or at the end of this timeframe to valued resources, contract extension was also on the table.

These days, contract-to-hire means that the company you are contracted with may approach you at any time during your contract regarding going full-time if they are pleased with your work. They’ll mean it, and typically, they’ll do this sooner rather than later. While the employer will need to “buy out” your contract from the placement firm, often this more financially viable than paying 10%-20% on top of your hourly rate at contract status ongoing.

This is great news for resources looking to “feel out” a company and hopefully turn temp work into FTE status. However, if you are moving to contract work to reap the benefits of a more independent and self-managed work path, it can mean the end of your contract, at the end of your contract. They’ll fill the role, with or without you.

In contract-to-hire situations, it’s important to find out the salary range and benefits offered for FTE status ahead of time from your placement firm. There will likely be a significant difference from contract salary, and you need to be prepared to balance your intake against employer benefits. During the interview process, asking how many contract-to-hire resources have been hired/extended in the past two years is also fair.

3. Freelance:  True freelance work can come in two forms: working directly with a company as a 1099 resource, or, being placed on contract with a company by a placement firm and being paid as a 1099 resource, as mentioned above.  

1099. Again, this means you are paid the full amount of your hourly rate, with no taxes taken out, and no FICA coverage. April 15 will become an important date.  However, because freelance gigs are typically based on an immediate need, you can afford to ask for a higher hourly rate. Just understand the tax implications. You are self-employed. (And, if you plan to work freelance on a regular basis, setting up an LLC is a good idea.)

If you have a large network to source from, securing work directly with the company/companies you’ll be executing for is beneficial in a 1099 situation. You will be getting no “benefits” from a placement firm in a freelance scenario, but it may take from the hourly rate you can command.  (For example, if a company is willing to pay $50 an hour, a placement firm could take $10 of that per hour, leaving you with a $40/hour rate you might make as a W2 contract employee, alleviating a lot of tax implications.)

Freelance is a terrific option for interactive resources with a strong background in a particular area and the ability to juggle multiple projects at times. It is more typically an option for resources that are highly active during one phase of a project (design, copy, development, etc.) but I myself have, and I have seen others find freelance work across all areas/phases of interactive projects and roles. Note, too, that direct freelance (e.g. no placement firm involved) is far more common on the agency side than in the client side. So, to find freelance gigs, your agency colleagues are the ones to talk to.

That said, any 1099 contract opportunity offered by a placement firm is worth considering – just blend the pros and cons listed above before you say yes.

A note on freelance:  while the gigs “may” be shorter (my own experience proves this wrong) freelance work is a real opportunity to shine – and to build your resume, personal brand, and excellence in a particular area. But be ready to network and promote yourself – beyond Twitter. Have an amazing online portfolio at a bare minimum (yes, even if you are not a designer), as well as a resume that speaks to your freelance abilities.

 In Closing

I have sincerely enjoyed the contract and freelance work I’ve done for the past six years. (Not knocking the FTE work done prior to that.) But, I take each opportunity as one to excel, learn, network, and truly help the company I am working for, efficiently and immediately. Certainly I have weathered many times where the next gig needs to be lined up – and that is where dedication, engagement, and sincere passion for what I do have paid off. And, should you choose one of the paths above, it will for you as well.

In the coming weeks, I will share insights about the tax and benefit implications of taking on contract and freelance work. Worth a read, and as I mentioned, nowhere near as scary as they sound.