Studying communications can prepare you for various career paths, depending on your interests. Whether you want to be a media professional, marketing expert, or work in human resources, a communications degree can prepare you for it all. So, if you’re asking yourself, “What can I do with a communications degree?” look no further than this helpful guide.
Public Relations Officer
Success in a public relations career depends on your ability to influence public opinion through various forms of media, which is why communications is an important field of study. Understanding different communications strategies and how the media world operates is crucial when you’re working to use media, including formats such as printed magazines, online newspapers, social media, and more, to benefit your client. If you think PR is the right career path for you following your communications degree, consider doing a PR internship abroad to get your foot in the door and hone essential skills that will set you apart from other applicants.
Human Resources Manager
The business world needs communications experts, especially among the personnel who are finding a company’s most valuable resource: its employees. Understanding both internal and external communications is crucial for a Human Resources professional. A lot of what you’ll learn through a communications degree can be applied directly to a Human Resources career. As a HR manager, you could be managing recruitment, overseeing onboarding and offboarding, managing employee compensation and benefits, ensuring compliance with laws and regulations, handling disciplinary procedures, organizing training sessions, and so much more. Excellent people skills are a must here, which is why your communications degree is so important. If you're interested in a career in HR, then a HR internship is a great way to test the waters of this in-depth career.
Marketing Manager
Marketers and advertisers know the importance of a strong, succinct message to motivate certain buying behaviors. Marketers must know how to tell a compelling story – but also how to look at sales data and analyze consumer behavior. Roles like Copy Editor, Market Researcher, and Client Manager are all within the marketing realm. Marketing professionals tend to earn more than people in most communications jobs, thanks to their specific and widespread knowledge. With so many areas of marketing to consider after your communications degree, a marketing internship can help you narrow down what role within marketing that you best suit.
Broadcast Journalist
Broadcast Journalists are charged with telling the news of the day in a way that’s conversational and easy to understand. Whether on the TV or radio, Broadcast Journalists use elements of theatre to make the news more engaging. Honing your production skills is key to becoming successful in this field, which you can do through an internship in journalism. It will be the perfect accompaniment to your degree in communications, widening your skillset for the future.
Professional Blogger
Blogging can be so much more than a pastime – it can also be a career. There are thousands of blogging jobs out there, covering a wide range of subject areas. If you love writing about celebrities, cars, being a vegan mom or anything, really, there’s a blogging job out there for you. One of the perks of blogging is that you can usually do it from home anywhere in the world with the added benefit of no commute. Bloggers are usually extremely charismatic and confident, which has usually been bolstered by something like a communications degree. If you're interested in learning more about blogging professionally, then an internship in journalism, publishing, & media could be a great bridging point.
Social Media Strategist
All different kinds of media outlets and organizations are looking for experts in social media who can engage online communities with their brands. A Social Media Strategist must be a strong communicator and understand what motivates a person to click, read, or comment on a certain post. A good social media manager knows how to start a healthy discussion online and truly engage people with their organization through Facebook, X (Twitter), Snapchat, and Instagram, so having a background in communications is a fantastic start. Boost your skills in this area through an internship in media or marketing.
Writer/Editor
Whether writing breaking news, listicles, or feature pieces for magazines, writers know how to use words to tell a compelling story. Many writers work their way up to being editors, so they also know how to whip someone else’s good story into great shape. As an editor, you are the gatekeeper of a publication, which requires an analytical eye, expertise in your native language, and perfect grammar - all things you will have experience and knowledge in, thanks to your communications degree. If writing feels like the right career following your studies, then interning in publishing could be a vital springboard for your future.
Multimedia Journalist
Communications majors can become the Swiss Army Knife of reporters as a Multimedia Journalist. As the way we consume media evolves, it’s increasingly important to hire journalists who can use publishing software, shoot videos, record interviews, Tweet, write, and take pictures. Though multimedia journalists must work extremely hard, they are key to keeping journalism in the 21st century as media is increasingly consumed online. Having a communications degree will be a big help in this career, and an overseas internship in journalism will tell future employers that you have great global knowledge, as well as all the technical skills needed to succeed.
