Starting My First In-house Social Media Specialist Role — What Do You Wish You Knew Going In?

Hey everyone!

I’m starting a new position as a Social Media Specialist soon, and I’d love to hear advice from people who have worked in similar roles.

I’m not completely new to social media/marketing. I have experience managing social accounts for nonprofits, small businesses, and clients through freelance/agency-style work, including content creation, scheduling, community management, SEO, WordPress, and some paid advertising.

However, this will be my first time stepping into a dedicated in-house Social Media Specialist position as part of a larger marketing team. I’ll also be working for a pretty large organization/brand, so I know the processes, expectations, approvals, and overall scale are probably going to be different from what I’m used to.

For those of you who have worked in-house:

• What should I focus on during my first 30–90 days?
• What questions should I ask my manager/team when I start?
• What do you wish someone had told you when you first became a Social Media Specialist?
• How do you balance learning the brand voice with bringing your own ideas to the table?
• What systems or habits have made your job significantly easier?
• Are there any common mistakes new in-house social media people make?
• How do you handle approvals, content calendars, reporting, and last-minute requests without getting overwhelmed?

I’m really excited about the opportunity and want to go into it ready to listen and learn first, while also setting myself up to contribute once I understand how the team operates.

Would especially love to hear from anyone who made the jump from freelance/small-business social media into a larger in-house marketing department.

Thanks in advance!