Do hiring practices change when building a digital team? We asked ESPN’s Paul Melvin, senior director, communications, what he seeks in a digital hire. Here’s what he said:
“I think people make a mistake if they hire for a ‘digital’ or ‘social’ communications role based on the idea that criteria are fundamentally different than what you look for in any communicator. I always look for the ability to write, passion, a combination of self-confidence and self-awareness, and emotional intelligence. Yes, they must have a base knowledge about modern media and communication landscape, but my assumption is that if they have all of the above, they will have that knowledge. Passion is key.”
So writing is still important, we ask. “Writing is more important than ever, actually. The ability to write in an array of formats, voices, contexts and lengths is critical. I’ve found the better somebody writes, the better they’ll be at speaking and creating other content if they’re willing to work at it.”
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