How to become a SEO specialis

SEO

 

 

Simon dreamed of becoming an SEO specialist. He had experience in this field. Simon did a great job on the test task, but did not pass the HR interview. Coming out of the office, Simon in the hearts kicked a cat passing by. If you have not yet understood why Simon was not right for us, read this post.

 

And read it to understand how we see a cool SEO specialist should be. And in order to get 35+ links for learning and improving your knowledge in SEO, as well as tips on how to become a sought-after specialist.

 

 

 

SEO specialist: someone who is multi-armed and multi-legged

 

SEO (Search Engines Optimization) is one of the channels for attracting users in Internet marketing. The goal of SEO is to get a target audience from search engines that will make a profit.

 

The SEO specialist has two priorities. First, optimize the quality of the web resource so that it responds to user requests. Secondly, help search engines find a web resource and process it correctly.

 

Search engines evaluate the quality of the resource for hundreds of parameters and show it as a response to user requests.

 

Solving these tasks, the SEO specialist performs the following roles:

 

 

·        a marketer who constantly analyzes the demand, the needs of the target audience, the compliance of the unique sales offer of the resource to the users’ expectations;

·        a webmaster who regularly monitors the performance and speed of the site, fills the site with content (either by itself or by creating requirements list for content managers);

·        an analytic who analyzes the results of promotion, conducts A/B testing of site elements to increase conversion;

·        an usability specialist who knows the habits of users and makes it more convenient for site visitors to navigate the site. For example, make a purchase, place an order, find contacts of the company in the header and footer of the site.

 

Let’s take a closer look at what specific knowledge and skills are needed to ensure that you are taken to the position of SEO specialist. And by the way what knowledge and skills Simon had.

 

 

 

What you need to know and be able to work as an SEO specialist

In our opinion, it should be an equal dividing between technical and marketing knowledge and skills.

 

To meet the needs of users, a good specialist must understand the logic of their behavior: what and how people search on the net. SEO specialist needs to monitor the quality of the site to which he directs people. He also needs to know how the technologies of the web are arranged, how the site works, to set the competent requirements lists to programmers, copywriters and assistants.

 

All of the above is impossible without general knowledge of the work of search engines, the basics of site building and layout (html, CSS, javascript).

 

The Mozilla training section “Learning of Web Development” will help you to understand how the Internet works and how sites work, how information is processed.

 

And besides knowledge, you will need to possess special skills:

 

·        using of sheet editors: Excel, Libreoffice, Google Sheets;

·   advanced search for information on the Internet using search operators;

·        using of regular expressions.

 

Suppose that you were already delighted and decided that you have what we are looking for and that other large companies might want to see in their employees. Take your time, read on.

 

Non-technical skills of a potential SEO employee

 

At the interview, we immediately liked Simon. It turned out that he was not only a competent specialist, but also a creative person. And, like many creative people, a little bit flaky. He sees an interesting task, grabs it and “let the whole world wait”. It does not matter that there are more urgent tasks. They are not so exciting.

 

It’s good, when work drives, gives pleasure and carries away so much that you forget to have dinner. It is bad when it can disrupt the deadline and distract from tasks that need to be done first.

 

 

 

Therefore, we have a list of important non-technical skills of an SEO specialist:

 

·       Using hot keys anytime, anywhere. Primarily in OS Windows, Google documents or sheets, Skype messenger, Notepad ++ text editor, Google Chrome browser.

·       Literacy. It is invaluable to send a message to colleagues, clients, programmers in a clear and simple language.

·        Perseverance, ability to concentrate. You will have to work with large amounts of data. Without concentration it will be hard to cope.

·        Ability to plan your time and choose priority tasks. The employees always have more tasks than time to complete them. But among these tasks it is possible and necessary to single out urgent, extra urgent and minor ones.

·       The ability to find a common language with people, and not to be offended by criticism. Hold-back in communication leads to problems in work, and ignoring fair remarks and wishes leads to the fact that you are not developing as a professional.

 

 

Your ace in the hole:

 

·       experience in creating and maintaining the site. At least a blog on a template editor;

·       understanding what a quality and competent text is.

In an ideal world, Junior SEO specialist should have such a list of skills.

 

 

Where to learn SEO

 

SEO is not taught at the university. But this does not mean that SEO cannot be learned. Feel free to engage in self-education. And keep learning even after hiring. The specialist needs to increase his level of knowledge, monitor the development of search algorithms and adjust to the market change in time.

 

Subscribe to expert internet marketing blogs.

 

Attend seminars, offline and online conferences for SEO specialist: 8P, SEMPRO, Webpromo, Nazapad. But remember, conferences are 50% of knowledge from reports and 50% of knowledge from personal communication in the couloirs. Do not be afraid to meet people and ask questions.

 

Do not be scared if it does not come along with self-education. It is difficult to figure out SEO only on blogs, where information is poorly structured, although we are trying to do it in the “Alphabet of SEO” section. Go to the live courses: everything is made it loud and simple. For example, at the Education Center or with colleagues at the SEO School and Analytics Academy.

 

 

 

Remember that learning should be practice-related. Read an article about collecting semantics – collect at least a small semantic core on an interesting topic. To check how well you did, show the result of your work to more experienced colleagues. Believe, you will get the answers. Why? Because once someone helped them too: prompted and directed.

 

 

Where to find the experienced professionals and ask for advice

 

In social networks:

·        SEO News;

·        Uncensored SEO.

 

On the webmasters forums:

·        Help forum for webmasters;

·        Internet marketing forum;

·        Webmasters.

·        Seo cafe.

 

 

 

How to become a SEO specialist

 

If you decide to link your path with SEO, first of all, read the Career section.

 

When you find the desired job, fill out the form and wait for an answer in the form of a test task. Warning, to perform a test task well, you need to know:

 

1.     Basic SEO terms.

2.  Google Tutorial for beginners and recommendations for Google webmasters.

3.     Read about [SEO present] under the microscope.

4.     11 stages of SEO promotion of the site.

5.     Read how we do an SEO audit of an online store.

6.    Sign up for Google Analytics. Set yourself a test account and examine GA reports.

 

 

What to expect from the interview

 

If you have completed a test task for a grade of 4 or higher, you will be invited to interview with a recruiter. Got an interview? You will be invited to the second, with the head of the SEO department.

 

What is usually checked at the interviews?

·        personal qualities – 80%

·        professional knowledge and skills – 20%

 

 

 

Simon failed just at the first one. Do you remember Simon? He did not understand why he was not hired.

 

First of all, it is not the knowledge that is checked, but the personal qualities of the candidate. Because knowledge can be increased in six months, but redrawing one’s own personality (views on life, principles, habits) can take a whole life.

 

 

What to do if you are refused

 

Don’t be upset. There are no bad candidates, there are inappropriate jobs. In addition, perhaps this is not our way. Some of our guys managed at the second time. So try further, learn, develop skills, and communicate with other specialists.

 

 

What will happen after I become a SEO specialist?

 

A probationary period for Junior SEO specialist lasts two months.

The first work week is meeting with colleagues, creating working accounts. At this time, you get access to internal services, study the company’s constitution, our Wikipedia, and get used to the forum.

Further – you carry out the functional duties.

 

 

What does Junior SEO specialist

 

At first, Junior is working under the supervision of a Middle SEO Specialist. A beginner selects the key phrases and makes up a semantic core, clusters queries. He proofreads the texts and checks them for uniqueness, compiles and checks the implementation: Title, Description, H1.

 

What else does Junior:

 

·        checks the work of registration forms, baskets in online stores;

·        simple usability testing;

·        draws up the requirement list for copywriters;

·        analyzes and cleans external reference mass;

·        conducts a mini-audit;

·        writes various technical tasks.

 

In addition, the newbie is trained to pass certification under the supervision of the team leader. After the probationary period, the employee is officially recruited.

 

 

How long does it take to become a good specialist

 

Remember that SEO training is an ongoing process. In the department, we have created a “Knowledge Base for SEO specialist”, which facilitates the search for information and fixes the minimum knowledge threshold for moving to the next position.

 

At the time of writing, there were more than 300 items in this database. And you need at least a year to master everything and work out in practice.

 

Career ladder of SEO department

 

To move to each position in the department, you need to defend the items of the “knowledge base” to the team leader and pass certification.

 

 

We wish you good luck in mastering the profession of SEO specialist. Learn, improve yourself and apply for a job desired.

 

And if you are a little bit Simon, be kinder to our smaller brothers (remember how he kicked the cat after the interview?). Many companies support the social projects, including some animal shelters.

 

 

Conclusions

 

The ideal candidate for the SEO specialist position has a general knowledge of the work of search engines, knows the basics of site building. He is familiar with the basics of layout (html, CSS, javascript). This person is literate, diligent, and able to concentrate.

 

Don’t you have something of the abovementioned? You’ll have to learn. Subscribe to channels for self-education and self-development on SEO, communicate, and ask for advice from specialists in social networks, on forums for webmasters, read profile articles, blogs, books. Learn from courses, attend online and offline conferences.

 

At interviews with a candidate for a Junior SEO job it is usually paid attention to personal qualities, professional knowledge and skills (80% to 20%).

 

If at some of the stages you did not pass, do not be discouraged. Continue to learn, develop yourself. Where to start, where to make an effort? Carefully read the post again and follow our advice and recommendations.

 

Any questions? Ask in the comments.