How I use my scientific background as a social media manager
This month, I’m celebrating three years of running Social Elements – it’s been quite a journey since I switched from my scientific career to social media marketing. Before this career change, I spent 12 years working in drug and diagnostic development in the pharmaceutical industry. And before that, I worked in scientific research, having earned a master’s degree in Microbiology from the University of Surrey.
Growing up, I was always a very analytical child and I loved exploring nature and science. So, it was a natural progression to study science at university and then pursue a career in this field.
Helping to make a difference to patients’ lives
I really enjoyed my career in the pharmaceutical sector, working for AstraZeneca and Roche. I was involved in the field of personalised medicine, most notably in oncology. It gave me a real buzz to contribute to drug development that would positively impact on patients’ lives.
But, when my children came along, my job no longer fitted in with my life and I needed greater flexibility. That’s when I decided to retrain as a social media consultant.
Nowadays, I focus primarily on social media management and consultancy for businesses in the healthcare and life science sectors. I manage various platforms for my clients and I’m a qualified Facebook and LinkedIn Ads Specialist.
My business is quite unusual in that there aren’t many social media managers who focus on the scientific sectors. That’s not to say that I only work in this sector. In fact, one of my long-standing clients is Buttonbag, which produces the most beautiful craft kits for kids. I enjoy crafting so this work has been a real pleasure for me.
Applying my skills as a social media manager
Social media management is data-driven so I’m able to apply all the analytical skills from my scientific career. If you’re not tracking your data on social, then you’re not really doing social media management. You have to test your approach and see what works best for your clients’ businesses. And every business is different. So, I am constantly analysing the data and looking at which formats, frequency and timings get the widest reach and engagement.
I love working with lots of different businesses and helping them to grow through social media marketing. My clients are often keen to scale their companies and I can help them achieve their business goals.
Often, I work with clients up to the point when they need a larger marketing agency or decide to manage social media in house. I see this as a sign of success – that I’ve helped them grow beyond a start-up to the next stage of their development.
Taking my business in new directions
I enjoy running my own business, learning new skills and taking Social Elements in new directions. I also enjoy the tech side of social media – getting to grips with new innovations in digital technology. No day is ever the same and that’s what keeps it interesting.
It may sound corny, but my children are my biggest inspiration. I want to be a good role model to them. In fact, my daughter is already showing an interest in science and she wants to be a surgeon when she grows up.
It’s so important to encourage more women to follow scientific careers. We have a shortage of women in STEM jobs. I want my daughter to know that she can find a fulfilling career in whatever field she chooses.
It’s really important that you love what you do – whatever career you choose. I’ve been really fortunate to have spent my career in two entirely different industries, both equally fulfilling in very different ways.
See who we’ve worked with here
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Join the team
Social Elements is an ever-expanding business and we’re currently looking for experienced social media managers and marketers to support us. We work with some fantastic clients in the science and healthcare space. From writing social media posts to blogging, the work is interesting and rewarding.
We’re looking for people with scientific backgrounds who are comfortable writing about topics such as genomics and cancer research. If that sounds like you, please feel free to drop me a message on LinkedIn or email me: lisa@socialelements.co.uk
