How I Made it in Social, Featuring Stella Kleynerman, Social Media Manager, McDonald's

Welcome to Make It Go Viral’s weekly interview series, How I Made It In Social. Every Wednesday, Pennant Digital Social Media Director Anna Fogel talks to the best and brightest people working in social media about their career journey.

Next up: Stella Kleynerman, a social media manager at McDonald's who has worked on all of your favorite posts from Grimace to Minecraft, and she also writes her own newsletter: The Weekly Pause. Stella shares what has changed since her career started, valuable lessons she’s learned, and her favorite piece of content she created.

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What was your first job in social? And what year did you start?

I started dabbling in social during my first job out of college. I was on the Business Transformation team at Edelman, helping McKinsey & Co. with their social strategy.

What has changed about the industry since then?

Social has become more saturated than ever. Standing out is tough because brands have cracked the code: show up as a person first, brand second. From Gen Z lingo to hopping on trends and blending into the FYP — the era of the polished corporate voice is over. Now, it’s all about originality and authenticity, which makes cutting through the noise even harder.

First piece of content you ever hit publish on?

In this current role, my first-ever campaign was Grimace’s Birthday. The first piece of content I hit publish on at McD was a selfie of Grimace paired with some chaotic gibberish copy. 

What was the most valuable thing you learned early on in your career?

1. Chase the experience, not the title.

2. You wouldn’t have a seat at the table if you didn’t earn it.

3. You are your own best advocate  — no one will speak up for you like you can.

How did you showcase your body of social media work?

Not proud to admit it but I’m a screenshots all over my desktop girly.

What is your current role? 

I’m McDonald’s Social Media Manager.

Where did you initially find this opportunity?

I found my first role at McDonald’s through LinkedIn. After a year doing strategy on the DEI Marketing Strategy team, I made the jump to the Social team.

What do you think was the key factor in getting a foot in the door to your new role?

Connections and networking — hands down. Submitting your resume into the void won’t get you far without also reaching out to 3–5 people on LinkedIn who can refer you. It’s all about who can vouch for you.

Did your own social media habits or ‘personal brand’ help (or hurt) your job search? Do you think brand building is something social pros should set aside time for?

I like to believe that having a personal brand definitely helps — especially in this industry. Sharing who you are outside of work, your interests, and side projects creates a memorable, well-rounded presence. Now that I’m hiring for my own team, I can say: the people with newsletters, blogs, portfolios, etc., always stand out.

Now that you’re in the seat, what’s the number 1 attribute you’d look for in a replacement? 

Curiosity. You will never be the smartest person in the room – let that motivate you to keep learning.   

Favorite piece of content you’ve ever created?

I have a newsletter called The Weekly Pause and I honestly love everything I publish because it’s always the advice I desperately need to hear in that moment.

Favorite follows? 

My fave recent follow is AriZona Beverage Co. They’re killing it

What’s the best part of your job? 

Best part of my job is going on shoots because I get to spend time with my team and the agency team! 

Coolest experience you’ve had while working in social media? 

Seeing fans go absolutely crazy for the recent Minecraft campaign.  

If you'd like to nominate someone (or yourself!) for a future edition of Make It Go Viral’s interview series, How I Made It In Social, please send Anna Fogel a message on LinkedIn or reach out to me at anna@pennantdigital.com!