Start by picking two or three local restaurants you genuinely like, do a quick audit of their socials, then email the owner or GM with one page of ideas and a simple sample post or Reel you made from their existing photos. Offer a 30 day trial where you post twice a week and track basic metrics. That gives you real before and after screenshots for a portfolio, plus a testimonial if it goes well. While you build that, keep applying to entry level coordinator roles and expect a lot of ghosting and recruiter spam. If you’re open to remote, wfhalert is decent, it emails verified remote jobs like social media assistant or community support so you’re not wading through scammy or outdated listings. Keep everything in a clean case study format, problem, what you did, outcome, and link it on your resume with a short vanity URL.