What would you consider a "social media professional"?
Someone who has done social media on a professional level.
For reference, Community Manager Alison worked for two years at a humor content network doing curation and social media and another year running social media accounts for news outlets/theatres/wineries/pet insurance companies.
If you’re looking to build experience, starting small with managing social media for clubs or small businesses is the best way to do it. Build your own personal brand (its an eye-rolling term, we know, but it works) on your platform of choice to show that you can build momentum on your own as well!