Studying communications can prepare you for a variety of different 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.
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 to benefit your client.
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.
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 the most communications jobs.
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.
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.
All different kinds of media outlets and organizations are looking for experts in social media who can engage online communities with their brand. A Social Media Strategist must be a strong communicator and really 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, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram.
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, an expertise in your native language and perfect grammar.
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 video, record interviews, Tweet, write and take pictures. Though multimedia journalists must work very hard, they are key to keeping journalism in the 21st century as media is increasingly consumed online.
Sources: https://www.thebalance.com/exploring-careers-in-marketing-2294887, https://www.prospects.ac.uk/job-profiles/public-relations-officer
Photos:
1. based on entrevue radio, by Andréanne Germain, CC-by-2.0
2. based on Communication, by euthiagobiz, CC-by-2.0
3. based on Communications Class1, by Tim Griffin, CC-by-SA 2.0