With more than 4B people projected to use social media in 2025, social media managers are in rising demand.
So, as more brands seek a trusted social media marketer to run their online brand, a solid resume and cover letter (yes, they still matter) can help you stand out.
We’re sharing our top tips for writing an effective social media manager resume and cover letter — plus, free templates to help you streamline the application process. 🌟
Table of Contents
What Is a Social Media Manager Resume?
A social media manager resume is a document that outlines the skills and accomplishments of someone seeking a role in social media management.
Major elements of a social media manager resume include:
A tagline: Sum yourself up in a few words.
Personal information: Your name, contact information, portfolio, and public social media profiles.
Relevant work experience: Outline previous experience with quantified examples (more on that, later).
Relevant skills & accomplishments: Hone in on your skills and personal accomplishments.
Education: From university degrees to online certifications or workshops, use this space to showcase your booksmarts.
Download our free ready-to-use resume template to wow your future employer and take your social media career to the next level.
What Is a Social Media Manager Cover Letter?
Supplementary to a resume, a social media cover letter is a document that highlights the knowledge, skills, and qualifications of a social media manager.
Writing one lets you dive deeper than your resume, show off your writing style, and flex your social media knowledge.
Major elements of a social media manager cover letter include:
Personal information: Your name, contact information, portfolio, and public social media profiles.
A professional greeting: Address the hiring manager by name — avoid generic language like “To whom it may concern.”
Why you’re applying: Lead with what peaked your interest about the role and company.
Your story: Briefly describe your journey as a social media manager and how it’s led you to this point in your career.
Relevant skills & work experience: Dig deeper into the projects and accomplishments listed on your resume.
TIP: Your cover letter doesn’t have to be very long — use it as an opportunity to summarize who you are and why you want this particular role.
Do Cover Letters Still Matter in 2023?
According to a 2022 survey by Resume Lab, 77% of recruiters will give preference to candidates who use a cover letter even if submission is optional.
Especially for creative roles, writing a cover letter can be a great opportunity to showcase your writing skills and personality — something that can’t be accomplished with a resume alone.
Our advice? Download our free social media manager cover letter template to save precious time and effort, and make the ultimate first impression.
How To Write a Social Media Manager Resume & Cover Letter in 2023
Ready to knock your applications out of the park?
Here are our top six tips to create an engaging social media manager resume and cover letter:
Quantify Your Accomplishments
Use Strong Action Verbs
Stick To One Page
Write for ATS
Know Your Audience
Use Later’s Free Templates
Tip #1: Quantify Your Accomplishments
When it comes to your social media resume and cover letter — numbers are friends, not foe.
Transformed a company’s social strategy in one quarter? Boosted leads by 200% in six weeks? Gained 20K LinkedIn followers in just eight months? Make it known!
Getting specific with numbers is the ultimate way to demonstrate your impact and expertise.
For example:
Instead of: “Managed [company]’s Instagram following.”
Try: “Grew [company]’s Instagram following by 150%, maintaining an engagement rate of 10% in 8 months.”
Just listen to how creator and career coach Erin McGoff turns mundane resume bullet points into professional poetry:
The takeaway? Make use of numbers and watch your job offers multiply.
FYI: Later is trusted by over 7M social media managers, brands, and creators to schedule and manage their social media content — saving them tons of time. Crush it in your new role and sign up for free today.
Tip #2: Use Strong Action Verbs
When it comes to your resume and cover letter, strong action verbs will help drive your application home.
Avoid passive fluff like “responsible for” and “duties include.”
Instead, opt for captivating action verbs like “achieved,” “led,” and “executed” to juice up your application and position yourself as the perfect candidate.
For example:
Instead of: “Responsible for leading [company]’s social media team.”
Try: “Led a team of 3 in the strategy, development, and execution of organic social media campaigns."
PRO TIP: Equip yourself with Later's ultimate content creation guide to crush it in your new role from the jump: The Ultimate Guide to Content Creation.
Tip #3: Stick To One Page
One of the quickest ways to get your application tossed in the “no” pile is by exceeding the unspoken one-page limit.
Aka, your resume and cover letter should ideally each be one page max.
Why? A snappy one-pager is easier to digest — upping your chances of receiving a call back.
TIP: Use a two-column format like Later’s resume template to make the most use of your space.
Tip #4: Write Your Resume for ATS
ATS stands for “applicant tracking system” — a computer software program that scans resumes for specific keywords and qualifications.
This means that without an ATS-friendly resume, a glowing applicant like yourself can get overlooked.
To beat the bots and have your application seen, keep these ATS-friendly tips in mind:
Include relevant skills from the job posting in your resume
Use simple, clear language
Stick to a commonly used font like Arial or Calibri
Submit your resume as a Word document or PDF
NOTE: ATS doesn’t process cover letters — an even better reason to write one and let your personality shine.
Tip #5: Know Your Audience
In addition to ATS, an all-star social media manager resume and cover letter tip is to know your audience.
In other words: Match the energy of the job description.
If the posting includes fun, colorful language, use it as an opportunity to do the same in your cover letter.
Bonus: This can also give you a glimpse of the company’s marketing team and whether or not you’d be a good fit. Win-win.
Tip #6: Use Later’s Free Templates
Not so hot take: The job hunt can become a full-time job within itself.
A massive way to ease the process?
Resume and cover letter templates that are easily customizable for each new application.
With Later’s social media manager resume template and cover letter template you can:
Save time during the application process
Easily plug in your skills and experience
Leverage pre-written sections specifically tailored for social media managers
Make a glowing first impression and stand out from the crowd
Score the social media job of your dreams 🎉
Good luck!
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