OneTwo Resume

Social Media Manager resume skills and keywords

In 159 Social Media Manager job postings from 134 employers analysed on October 23, 2026, the most requested skills are Communication (55 %), Content creation (40 %), Leadership (34 %), Copywriting (32 %) and Collaboration (31 %). Of the top 40 skills, 27 are hard skills, tools or certifications and 13 are soft skills.

Download the full list as a CSV or check your own resume against a posting with the free keyword scanner.

Top 40 skills in Social Media Manager job postings

Skills requested in 159 Social Media Manager job postings, by share of postings
SkillShare of postingsType
Communication55 %Soft skill
Content creation40 %Hard skill
Leadership34 %Soft skill
Copywriting32 %Hard skill
Collaboration31 %Soft skill
Community Engagement30 %Hard skill
Storytelling30 %Soft skill
Community Management29 %Hard skill
Social Media Strategy28 %Hard skill
Social Media Management26 %Hard skill
Content Strategy25 %Hard skill
Creativity23 %Soft skill
AI Tools23 %Tool
Attention to detail21 %Soft skill
Project Management18 %Hard skill
Algorithms16 %Hard skill
Performance Metrics15 %Hard skill
Paid social15 %Hard skill
Sprout Social15 %Tool
Flexibility14 %Soft skill
Paid media14 %Hard skill
Canva14 %Tool
Canvas LMS14 %Tool
CapCut14 %Tool
Digital marketing13 %Hard skill
Analytics Tools12 %Tool
Cross-functional collaboration12 %Soft skill
Accountability12 %Soft skill
Product marketing11 %Hard skill
Video editing11 %Hard skill
Interpersonal skills10 %Soft skill
Organizational skills10 %Soft skill
Problem Solving9 %Soft skill
Audience Engagement9 %Hard skill
SEO9 %Hard skill
Social media marketing9 %Hard skill
Figma9 %Tool
Analytical skills9 %Soft skill
Video Production9 %Hard skill
Content marketing8 %Hard skill

Hard skills vs soft skills vs tools and certifications

Hard skills (20)

Soft skills (13)

Tools and software (7)

Keyword phrases recruiters use

Multi-word phrases that recur across these social media manager postings, with the share of postings that use each one.

content calendar 42 %short form 37 %form video 30 %brand voice 25 %performance data 21 %platform native 19 %tiktok instagram 17 %instagram tiktok 17 %cultural moments 16 %audience growth 16 %product launches 16 %brand awareness 15 %emerging platforms 14 %content formats 14 %please note 13 %

How to use this on your resume

Treat the table as a checklist, not a script. Put the skills you genuinely have in your skills section, using the same wording as the posting, and back the top ones with a bullet that shows the result.

Each job posting differs from the average, so compare your resume with the actual ad: paste it into the resume keyword scanner to see which terms you already have and which are missing. The ATS keywords guide explains where to place them so applicant tracking systems read them.

Skip any skill you cannot talk about in an interview; a keyword that falls apart under one question costs more than it gains. For a full layout with these skills in context, see the Social Media Manager resume example. Then prepare for the Social Media Manager interview questions that test them.

Build a social media manager resume with these skills

Start in the editor, tailor your bullets to the job you want and download an ATS-friendly resume.

Start Building My ResumeScan a job posting

Social Media Manager resume skills: FAQ

Which skills matter most for a Social Media Manager resume?

In 159 Social Media Manager job postings analysed on October 23, 2026, the most requested skills were Communication (55 %), Content creation (40 %), Leadership (34 %), Copywriting (32 %) and Collaboration (31 %). Lead your skills section with the ones you can back up, and show them in your experience bullets too.

Should I list soft skills on a Social Media Manager resume?

Yes, but prove them rather than list them. 13 of the top 40 skills in these postings are soft skills, led by Communication (55 % of postings). Show them through results in your bullets, for example a project you coordinated or a process you explained.

Which tools and certifications do Social Media Manager postings ask for?

The tools and certifications named most often were AI Tools (23 %), Sprout Social (15 %), Canva (14 %), Canvas LMS (14 %), CapCut (14 %) and Analytics Tools (12 %). List the ones you have exactly as the posting writes them.

Where does this data come from?

From 159 public Social Media Manager job postings at 134 employers, collected on October 23, 2026 from Greenhouse (80), Lever (28) and Ashby (51). A skill's share is the number of postings that mention it divided by 159. The data is updated quarterly and can be downloaded as a CSV.

Method and data

Source: 159 public job postings for social media manager roles (titles such as Social Media Manager, Social Media Lead, Social Media Specialist and Social Media Coordinator) at 134 employers, collected on October 23, 2026 from employer applicant tracking system job boards: Greenhouse 80, Lever 28 and Ashby 51. Employers in the sample include Ogilvy, Wellhub, AnyMind Group, Movers+Shakers, Retail Insights and HRtechX. A skill's share is the number of postings that mention it divided by 159. Updated quarterly. Download the data: social-media-manager-resume-skills.csv (CC BY 4.0). Browse skills for other roles.