Manifesting A Career In Social Media with Jenny Oliver
@jennyroliver
For this week’s Manifesting with Industry Leaders & Influencers profile, we have Jenny Oliver, former social media manager at W Magazine. Jenny is off to PepsiCo to take on the role of community manager there. So how does one make a career shift out of the world of fashion? Jenny is sharing her story below!
MM: How did you get your start in social media?
JO: At first, I was obsessed with fashion blogs and wanted to be a blogger. I started two blogs in high school that I continued posting to while I went to The Fashion Institute of Technology, where I majored in Fashion Business Management. While at FIT, I got internships in fashion but quickly realized I wanted to move into the social media side of things because I loved tweeting and posting on Instagram and wanted to learn more.
MM: Can you share a little bit more background on your career path?
JO: In college I had internships at Rebecca Minkoff, Alison Lou and a small jewelry company Fortune & Frame. Then I was able to get social media internships at Yosi Samra and Clique Media Group, who owned Who What Wear, MyDomaine and Brydie at the time. After graduating in 2017 I got hired at W magazine as a social media coordinator. I worked at W for 3.5 years and now I’m about to start as community manager at Pepsi. I got 90% of these positions through networking and putting myself out there!
MM: What is a typical day like working in social media? More specifically- what was it like working at W Mag?
JO: Working in social media is 24/7. Since W is a publication, that made it even more intense in terms of being “on” all the time. If someone got married, had a baby, or passed away, I knew I would have to do a post for it, no matter what time or what day. A typical day consisted of tweeting and posting on Facebook any new stories that went live on our site, working on the social schedule for the upcoming month, doing photo research and writing captions, working with the print team on any upcoming issues, and then community management. I was constantly checking W’s DMs and comments to make sure I was answering any questions people had, and was monitoring what our community was saying.
MM: Any tips on how to break into the world of fashion & digital media?
JO: Do your research and network! DM people on Instagram, connect on Linkedin and send out emails. Make them short and sweet--briefly introduce yourself, give a compliment to the person/brand they work for, and then ask for a Zoom coffee meeting or phone call to discover how they got their start. Follow up with your contacts once a month with updates on any cool
projects you’re working on, something that caught your eye at the company they work for, etc. It’s important to stay on people’s radars so that if they hear of a position that opens up, you’ll be the first person they think of.
MM: What were some challenges you faced working in social media over the last three years and how did you overcome these challenges?
JO: Social media is constantly changing. Sometimes it can be hard to keep up! Once you think you’ve figured it out, Instagram introduces a new feature that switches up the algorithm or TikTok starts to blow up. I try to connect with fellow social media managers to get their advice, and stay on top of trends as best as possible. Don’t be afraid to ask for help--I use every resource I can to ensure I’m doing the best job I can do. The work/life balance is also tricky. Being on such a small team makes it hard to take time off, but it’s crucial to try to take at least a day off every once in a while to make sure you’re taking care of yourself.
MM: After three years at W Mag you’re now off to work for PepsiCo- what advice do you have for people working in fashion currently but want to be working in a different industry in the future?
JO: Moving from W to Pepsi is a major shift that I’m still wrapping my head around! My advice is to network as much as possible and work hard. Whether you think so or not, people pay attention. Put in the effort, whether it’s an internship or your day job, and take it seriously. When networking, you never know who that person may also know. For Pepsi, I was introduced to a thread of people all thanks to one of my networking contacts and that’s how I found out about the role. Everyone is on their own path, so even if you’re afraid of making a big leap, don’t let it stop you. You have to do what’s best for you, and everyone else is doing the same.
MM: How did your experiences from working in fashion do you think can be utilized in other industries as well? How did you leverage your experiences in fashion to apply when interviewing for your new role at PepsiCo?
JO: Working in fashion, and at W specifically, has forced me to grow a thick skin. I had to learn to be flexible, how to stand up for something I believed in, but also learn how to accept when my idea wouldn’t be used––all with a smile on my face. I also developed a very strong work ethic which helped me prove myself to everyone I worked with. During the interview process with Pepsi, they were most impressed with my ability to report to and work with the higher-ups. At W, I worked with high level employees on a daily basis, and I made it clear to Pepsi that this is something I’m comfortable with (it’s not always the easiest, but you don’t always have a choice).
MM: What skills are essential for someone who wants to work in social media?
JO: Attention to detail, positivity, and flexibility are key. Making sure posts are sensitive to the cultural climate, have all the proper credits and are aesthetically pleasing is only half of it. Having a positive outlook is important when sharing bad news (loss of followers, negative comments, etc)--being able to put a positive spin on things will take you far. Flexibility is crucial as things are constantly changing in the social space.
MM: Any advice for someone manifesting a career in social media in 2021?
JO: Jobs are out there! You don’t need to start at a big brand to be successful. Having any experience to show is ideal, so you just need something on your resume to get your foot through the door. The social community is welcoming, so start connecting!
MM: How important do you think a personal social media presence is for someone looking to work in fashion or digital media? How does someone stand out when it seems that just about everyone on Instagram is trying to be an influencer?
JO: I think your Instagram feed is a reflection of you. Companies shouldn’t be hiring people based on the amount of followers they have. Make sure your feed is appropriate and authentic. If you’re posting photos and videos of you partying every weekend--make your account private. Whatever you put out there, it’s online forever and employers will look.
MM: Best advice for building your own personal brand on social media?
JO: Create authentic accounts across platforms and build a strong community. Use hashtags to discover other bloggers like you, and block any bots that follow you. Not only is buying followers a bad look, but it also affects your Instagram performance. Building an organic following is time consuming, but you’ll be proud of that versus buying bots and getting sketchy comments on everything you post. Yes, people see those. Tag as many brands as you can when wearing their products and build relationships with them. Engage with your followers! You have something unique to offer that no one else can, so use that to your advantage.
MM: Can you take us through your process of editing your Instagram photos?
JO: I just use the Instagram app editing tools––I add a little saturation and brightness to my photos depending on lighting, but I don’t post anything that’s heavily edited.
MM: Three apps everyone should have on their phone?
JO: Uncover More: My friend Arianna is launching an app that makes it easy for people to discover what to see, do, eat, shop and stay in NYC and beyond. Whether it’s brunch, dinner, shopping or fun activities, Uncover More will be your go-to. Follow @uncovermore on Instagram for launch updates!
Preview: I use Preview to see how photos look on my grid. It’s easy to move photos around so you can rearrange everything to make sure what you’re posting is aesthetically pleasing. My friend Celeste (a fellow digital creator) uses it too and we always send screen shots of our feeds to each other.
TikTok: I’m obsessed. I think it’s incredible the way this platform has grown and how creative people have gotten in quarantine. I’m up until 1AM every night dying of laughter, and bombarding my friends with videos I send them.
MM: What are your thoughts on Clubhouse? Do you agree or disagree that social media is becoming the future of networking?
JO: I have Clubhouse but I’m still figuring it out! I agree that social media is the future of networking. I’ve met so many people through social media that have become friends and colleagues IRL.
MM: One item from your wardrobe you can’t live without?
JO: My Balenciaga Mini City bag. It’s the perfect size for everything: running around the city, traveling (whenever that’s safe again!), nights out, you name it, I’m wearing it.
MM: What are you manifesting for yourself in 2021?
JO: While working in social media is my day job, I do have a side hustle that I’m working on, so I’m manifesting for that to come to fruition in 2021. Stay tuned.
