Careers Bulletin – 29th January 2024

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Communications
What is communications?
A communications degree is all about learning how to communicate information ef-
fectively.
Good communication is essential in all industries, helping to sell products to the pub-
lic, maintain strong relationships with investors, clients and customers.
Your communications degree will build awareness of how to convey information to di-
verse audiences effectively, with specific business goals in mind.
Why are communications skills important?
Strong communication skills are invaluable in order to provide meaning and reso-
nance to a companies’ aims, and to present the company and its services or products
in the clearest possible way to consumers, clients and colleagues. It is important to
continue to build on these skills, particularly as the field of communication is continu-
ally changing.
It is important to ensure that the communications programme you study is constantly
updated and adapted to include economic, sociological and technical developments in
the communications industry. Students should be able to specialise in the areas of
communications that most suit their career aspirations and interests.
What jobs can I get with a communications degree?
Here I look at a selection of more typical jobs in communications; from HR depart-
ments to the world of advertising – these are the typical roles where your communica-
tion skills are most in need.
Communications careers in business
With communications playing such a key role in any business or organisation, a com-
munications degree is a great way to enter the business world.
Regardless of product or industry, entry-level communications roles will require you to
demonstrate strong written, oral communication and presentation skills, along with
knowledge of how a business functions across departments.
There is also the potential for career development into executive, managerial and
training roles after gaining some experience.
Communications careers in human resources
A key department of any large business, human
resources is vital for developing and maintain-
ing worker ethics, performance and motiva-
tion.
As a communications graduate, you may be in-
volved in recruiting new staff, raising aware-
ness about training or professional development programs, or ensuring company
guidelines and regulations are clearly communicated.
Communications careers in this area will benefit from an aptitude for nurturing rela-
tionships and communicating well with many different types of people.
Communications careers in marketing, public relations and advertising
Marketing, public relations and advertising
are three more great fields you can enter
with a communications degree, delivering
effective written and oral communication to
consumers, colleagues or clients.
This could be in the form of press releases,
advertising scripts, company presentations
and print campaigns, as well as attendance at media events and the ongoing develop-
ment of professional relationships with clients and the media.
Communications careers in media
Media jobs with a communications degree
are extensive – as you’d expect, since the
main aims of the media sector are to com-
municate information and provide enter-
tainment.
Whether you’re interested in becoming in-
volved with TV and film production, maga-
zine and newspaper journalism, or online and digital channels, media careers all re-
quire graduates with excellent communication skills, and the ability to curate and dis-
seminate information in engaging and relevant ways.
Media is, however, a very competitive industry, and it’s unlikely (though not impossible)
that you will be hired by a big media corporation such as the BBC or the Huffington
Post straight after graduation.
Relevant work experience is essential, so those interested in entering the media world
should consider undertaking internships or getting involved in student media produc-
tions while still studying, to increase their chances of getting a related role upon grad-
uation.
Those interested in journalism may also consider building a portfolio of their own jour-
nalistic work and/or gaining a relevant postgraduate degree.
Less typical careers in communications
What can you do with a communications degree if you don’t want to go into the typical
careers outlined above? Read on for a selection of less typical jobs with a communica-
tions degree, from film producer to legal secretary.
This is not an exhaustive list; communications graduates are sought-after in almost
any industry you can think of.
Communications careers in digital media
The digital media industry has reshaped the way
society consumes media and information. Online
news sites, social networks and digital technolo-
gies are all areas of the industry continuing to
expand, leading to significant increases in job
opportunities for those with a combination of
communication skills and digital proficiency.
Digital media is an expanding field that incorporates careers in journalism, video pro-
duction, web design, social media and online publishing – and more roles are appear-
ing as technologies and audience behaviour continue to evolve.
Communications careers in law
Although most people entering the legal indus-
try do so with a postgraduate qualification or
specialised law degree, communications grad-
uates may be interested in pursuing adminis-
trative and organisational roles, working for lo-
cal or national civil and criminal courts or even
governmental and independent legal firms. For
example, legal secretary roles and paralegal
roles are often held by communications graduates.
An undergraduate communications degree could also be a great starting point from
which to apply to law school.
However, if you do not wish to gain further qualifications there is a limit to your ad-
vancement in this industry, due to the requirements for roles such as a solicitor or
barrister. Depending on the hiring company, however, there may be the possibility of
gaining some additional qualifications while you work.
Communications careers in education
Another option is education, where your com-
munication skills will be utilised daily.
To be hired within primary or secondary educa-
tion, you’ll need a teaching qualification. De-
pending on the country you want to work in,
this will take at least a year to obtain.
For tertiary education, at institutions such as
colleges and universities, it is more likely that you’ll need a postgraduate qualification
in a related specialisation in order to teach.
 Communications Careers: PR vs. Marketing
Students who graduate with communications degrees typically veer toward public re-
lations (PR) or marketing careers. PR focuses more on maintaining relationships,
while marketing works to actively promote the company or the brand. Choosing
which communications career path best suits you could impact which courses you
take during your education, so it’s important to know where you want to end up.
Public relations careers
Public relations builds, improves and maintains an organisation’s relationships with
many different players. Public relations careers can involve investor relations, con-
sumer relations, corporate communications and employee relations.
The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) lists eight primary job responsibilities
for those pursuing PR careers:
• Programming. PR professionals work with people from all over the company, in-
cluding the CEO, to recommend and plan activities.
• Relationships. Those who work in PR develop relationships with management,
internal employees and external stakeholders, gathering information from multi-
ple sources to make recommendations.
• Writing and editing. Public relations careers can involve preparing press releas-
es, employee newsletters, video scripts, reports, brochures and magazine arti-
cles, amongst other writing and editing tasks.
• Speaking. Both one-on-one communication and public speaking are key skills for
successful PR careers.
• Information networks. PR professionals build relationships with crucial people in
the media and other important information outlets. They understand how to get
information to the right people at the right time.
• Production. Public relations careers do not usually require in-depth knowledge of
video or digital production, but PR professionals need to know how to leverage
technology to convey messages.
• Event planning. The PR department puts together press conferences and other
special events, including industry conferences, contests, new facilities openings
and other occasions.
• Research and evaluation. In addition to gathering information through conversa-
tions, PR professionals use tools like surveys to conduct opinion research. They
use research to provide advice on the direction of the company’s branding ef-
forts.
Most PR careers start with positions such as “communications specialist” or “public
relations specialist”, with professionals in this field then advancing to positions such
as PR director, manager or vice-president. A university degree is essential for a public
relations career. Earning an MA in Communications degree provides access to more
challenging communications careers and higher salary opportunities.
Marketing careers
Marketing professionals, particularly those with expertise in digital marketing, are in
high demand by employers right now. Research from recruiting firm Mondo found that
38% more companies are hiring digital marketing professionals, particularly those
with good technology awareness. Some of the most in-demand skills for those pursu-
ing marketing careers today include:
• Content marketing. Content marketing builds audiences by producing and curat-
ing high-quality information with the goal of establishing the company’s authori-
tative position and driving customer action.
• Big data. Marketing is becoming increasingly targeted and segmented, so profes-
sionals who have data analysis skills or knowledge of data analysis software have
an advantage.
• Search engine optimisation (SEO) and search engine marketing (SEM). Search
engines like Google and Bing are vital for directing web traffic to organizations,
so knowing how to optimize content for strategic search engine placement is es-
sential.
• Marketing automation. Segmentation means that companies juggle many small
campaigns. Developing automated campaigns and putting certain marketing
functions on auto-pilot helps organisations to reach more people.
• Lead generation. Today’s marketers need to know how to use social networks,
email lists and other data sources to find and generate leads.
• Creative. Knowledge of writing, graphic design, video production and other forms
of expression gets the right marketing messages to the right people.
• Social media. Today’s digital marketers must understand and use a wide range of
social networks for effective social media marketing.
• E-commerce. Online business is booming, and marketers need to know how to
get more people into the sales funnel by creating smart e-commerce strategies.
Today’s employers are struggling to find marketers because technological skills are in
short supply, so students should choose programs that emphasise digital marketing
and associated technology. As with PR careers, most marketing careers require a
bachelor’s degree, and a master’s degree opens the door to more lucrative positions.
The right communications career for you
Your personal qualities can tell you a lot about which communications careers would
work best for you. PR professionals manage the company’s reputation, so good judg-
ment, listening and diplomacy skills are essential. For those in marketing careers, a
focus on sales, data analysis and creativity is more critical. Whichever communica-
tions career appeals to you, combine your degree with practical experience by seek-
ing internships and on-campus opportunities. Also, start using both networking
events and social media to network with influencers long before you graduate.
Preparing for Careers in Communications
Communication may be an art possessed by the gifted – but that does not mean you
cannot enhance and perfect your own communication skills, and meet or beat the
standards set by naturally gifted communicators. The
expanding range of communications courses and
specialisations on offer at universities around the
world reflects the popularity of careers in communi-
cations, and the diversity of opportunities in this industry.
For those wishing to study communications, at undergraduate or postgraduate level,
it’s never too soon to start developing your professional communications portfolio and
preparing for entry into this highly competitive jobs market. First of all, you must know
that you are not supposed to be an eloquent orator or perfect writer to pursue a com-
munications degree, though a genuine interest in the art of storytelling is of course
essential. Also, you must be aware of the broad scope of the communications indus-
try. Communication is not just about talking to others. As a communications graduate,
you could go on to write for newspapers and magazines, broadcast on radio and TV,
make your name in the new media sphere, edit books and texts, shoot documentaries
and feature films – and much more.
It is useful to have a specialisation in mind when you enrol in a communications de-
gree, including
some idea of
where you want
to go after grad-
uation. If you have not thought about possible careers in communications, now is the
best time to do so. It’s important to take up as many challenges and opportunities as
possible, to raise your market value before and after graduation. Here are my tips on
how to start preparing for careers in communications while still studying.
Read, read, read!
Whether you want to become a writing professional or join the broadcasting world, it
is essential to have a good grip on copy writing. This skill develops with reading: the
more you read, the better you can write. Don’t assume that when you finish your de-
gree you will automatically have these essential communication skills.
The only thing you will have then is a piece of paper certifying completion of your de-
gree. The rest is up to you.
Embrace the art of storytelling
When you have developed the habit of reading everything in reach, it is time to get
creative. The communications industry is competitive and the opportunities are lim-
ited, though not for those who can really stand out from the crowd. And you can only
succeed if you know how to allure your audience. Whether you want to join a news-
room or a Hollywood studio, the art of storytelling should be one of your areas of ex-
pertise. You must be able to instil emotions in your work. Again, this can be a daunting
and time-consuming process. Don’t give up, keep practising!
Develop a communications portfolio
One of the most important things that could give you an advantage over other gradu-
ates is your communications portfolio. This is something you should start preparing
while you are studying, and once you have graduated you should use it to support your
job applications. A digital portfolio could be a good way to showcase your command of
new media communications skills, which in today’s world is as important as water to a
fish. Your communications portfolio should contain some published work that has
your name in the byline. Securing bylines should be among your primary goals during
your communications degree. Your communications portfolio can also include any
videos you might have made, and examples of other work – both completed as course-
work and in your own time. A well-maintained personal blog could also brighten your
prospects.
Diversify your communication skills
Although your interest might incline towards any of the subclasses of the huge com-
munications industry, you don’t want to be master of only one area. It is very im-
portant to have a basic understanding of all the major events and developments in the
global communications industry. Increasingly, employers value graduates with diversi-
fied communication skills. For example, if you are a print journalist, you’ll find it’s an
asset if you can also operate a camera or have at least a basic understanding of edit-
ing or design software. You won’t be expected to be an expert in everything, but it will
definitely help you stand out if you’re able to multitask. So prepare for everything and
don’t be afraid of trying new things to enhance your communication skills.
 Communication Skills Podcasts
Join Matt Abrahams, a lecturer of Strategic Communication at Stanford Graduate
School of Business, as he sits down with experts in the field to discuss real-world
challenges. How do I send my message clearly when put on the spot? How do I
write emails to get my point across? How can I easily convey complex infor-
mation? How do I manage my reputation? Think Fast, Talk Smart provides the
tools, techniques, and best practices to help you communicate more effectively.
Laura Camacho, PhD, is obsessed with sharing conversation skills with introvert
and ambivert leaders. Her clients learn high-level communication micro skills to
finesse their presentations, meetings and leadership. Laura teaches how to read
people (emotional intel), growth mindset and critical conversations with her crea-
tive and witty flair.
With Communicast, Scott works to distill down what it means to be a great com-
municator. Each episode features a conversation with a business professional
about communication skills and how they have impacted their career and overall
organization. Listeners will also glean tips around how to hone their own commu-
nication skills.
The Smart Communications Podcast helps busy nonprofit leaders build their
communications skills and develop their organization's voice. Every episode
shares insights and practical tips to help you leverage strategic communications
to advance your nonprofit's mission.

The communication Solution is all about changing the way we see communica-
tion. We teach and train evidence-based communication skills that increase en-
gagement, decrease resistance and move conversations forward in a productive
manner. Creating values-based conversations to align behavior with values, which
is often referenced as Motivational Interviewing, a behavior change communica-
tion method.
Communication & Leadership Learning Lab helps you become better communi-
cators, public speakers & leaders

Welcome to Change Your Mindset where it is all about believing that strong com-
munication skills are the best way to delivering your technical accounting
knowledge and growing your business. The way of building stronger communica-
tion skills is by embracing the principles of applied improvisation. Your host is Pe-
ter Margaritis, CPA a.k.a. The Accidental Accountant will interview financial pro-
fessionals and business leaders to find their secret in building stronger relation-
ships with their clients.
Become an excellent speaking communicator with your audience, clients, col-
leagues and prospects. Full of invaluable content, this show deals with everything
about speaking, and includes interviews with successful entrepreneurs who share
their top tips as well as masterclasses from speaker expert Susan Heaton-Wright.
Your Future Starts Here