If you’re hoping to snag a job as a Community Manager in the near future, it would behoove you to gain a real understanding of all that it entails. It is not a job for the weak, weary or faint-of-heart. If your skin isn’t thick enough to handle nasty, hateful trolls who often go for blood, work as an army of one, and gracefully handle the frustrations that come with  being the only person in the organization with a clue about what you do and how you do it, stop reading now. You don’t have what it takes.

It takes a specific skill set to manage online communities. And I’m not talking about posting updates on a Facebook fan page or managing a Twitter account. I’m not saying that’s not a community on some level, but true community management goes way beyond that and that is what I wanted to make known with the Community Manager Survey.

The report is a compilation of answers from 50 practicing community managers. These are people in the trenches, doing work that is sometimes stressful, most times daunting and always tough. It can be a lonely gig, and if you’ve ever felt alone in your struggles, this report will prove to you that you’re not. And if you’re looking to hire for this role or have hired someone already, this report can teach you how to support them and help them succeed.
Here are a few highlights:

– Only 1/3 of those surveyed report having a clear job description with well-defined goals and objectives.

– 41% indicate that they are “making it up as they go along.”

– More than half are seeking other community manager positions outside of their current employer.

– Most find increasing participation levels in the community difficult at best.

– More than half actively discuss issues related to their work with peers, yet 39% have not found an outlet for sharing experiences.

The best way to gain insight on this emerging role is from those who do it. The cost of the survey is $39.99. If you’re interested purchase your copy at communitymanagersurvey.com.

[Editor’s Note: I’ve reviewed Angela’s survey, and encouraged her to write about it here, because there is very valuable data to be had there. If you’re a community manager or involved in running anything (like a blog, perhaps?), you’ll find value in the data and survey results found there. –mrh]