What a Social Media Manager at ESPN Wishes They Had Known Before Entering the Media Industry
Mitchell, a Creative Manager at ESPN, wished they had known the social media landscape's rapid evolution and the industry's growth potential when starting their career in 2013; the advice given is to "stay nimble, keep your head on a swivel" and adapt to the changing media marketplace to find opportunities that best utilize their talents.
Social Media, Media Landscape, Adaptability, Career Pivots, Industry Evolution
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Mitchell Clements
Creative Manager, Social Media
ESPN
University of California, Santa Barbara (2013)
UCLA Anderson School of Management (2026)
Political Science, American Studies
Arts, Entertainment & Media, Sports & Fitness
Creative
Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School, First Generation College Student
Video Highlights
1. The social media landscape in larger media companies is constantly evolving, so be prepared for change and adapt your career goals accordingly.
2. The social media industry was still developing in 2013, highlighting the importance of staying updated on industry trends.
3. Be open to changing career goals as the media landscape evolves; staying adaptable is key to success in this field.
Transcript
What have you learned about this role that you wish someone would have told you before you entered the industry? That it even existed?
I graduated in 2013, and social media was still in its infancy regarding how larger media companies would utilize it. By the time I got to ESPN in 2016, it was definitely a thing.
I think the social team as a whole was maybe 20 people, and I was employee number 20 or 21 when I joined in 2018. Since then, there's just been more investment into it.
A broader piece of advice I can offer is to be open to having your career goals change. So much of the success you may or may not have in your career isn't necessarily dependent on you, but on the marketplace you're operating in.
If the landscape in media changes, which it has every couple of years for me, you have to be willing to adapt and understand where opportunities will come from. Stay nimble, keep your head on a swivel as they say in sports, and understand where your talents and point of view can benefit this new, always-changing landscape. Change is always a constant in creative fields or in media, so it's best to keep that in mind.