Are you fresh out of college and wondering if your communications degree will help you land a job? Don’t feel bad if it is. The pressure to find employment after college is very real, but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming.
While other majors focus on the more theoretical aspects of the communication field, communications degrees are much more hands-on and practical in their approach. Communications degrees tend to be geared primarily toward reporting and journalism.
However, there are many possible job opportunities for communications graduates who choose to work outside of these fields as well.
I’ve learned that communication skills are incredibly useful. So let’s discuss different ways you can put your newfound communications degree to work.
1. Become a Public Relations Specialist
Communications degree holders can use this major to pursue careers as public relations specialists in corporate, government, and non-profit settings.
PR specialists are responsible for keeping their company or client’s name in front of the public, through media releases, and using various types of communication channels.
Public relations professionals help improve the visibility and popularity of their business or clients, which can be a product, service, place, idea, or person.
As a PR specialist, you generate positive publicity for your clients, write press releases, interact with the media, and manage marketing campaigns to drive sales.
You can make between $30,000 – $60,000 a year as a public relations specialist with just a Bachelor’s degree. If you have a Master’s degree, you can make pretty much, anything you want to, depending on your experience and what you do.
2. Consider Becoming a Meeting or Event Planner
Are you great at organizing events? Meeting or event planning may be the perfect business for you. This is one of those careers that appeal to specific personality types.
A good event planner can juggle seemingly endless details, works well under pressure, and is often described as a perfectionist.
They are also responsible for making sure that everything goes according to schedule. These skills make event planning a satisfying career path for many people. If you are a planner for a larger corporation, you can probably make about $50,000 – $60,000 a year.
This can go up to $70,000 or $80,000 if you are planning for a company in the Fortune 500. On the other hand, if you have a degree in communications and are planning corporate events, you can make even more.
3. Be a College Alumni & Development Officer
College alumni and development officers are the ambassadors for their college. They represent the institution and serve as the key contact for their alumni, parents, prospective students, and partners.
A college alumni relations officer maintains contact with alumni in local organizations, personally, through technology, and at special events to ensure that the college is at the forefront of alumni’s minds.
As the communications officer, you’ll work on different fundraising campaigns and help in fundraising efforts for the university. How much you earn depends on the kind of job you want to aspire to and your current level of experience.
However, it is important to note that the average income for alumni development officers with a bachelor’s degree is about $54,000 a year. If you have already graduated with a degree in communications, then the sky is the limit. Embrace this career if you feel led to it.
4. Work as a Media Planner
A communications degree can be the foundation of a career in media planning or media buying. As a media planner, you’ll play a crucial role in the success of an ad campaign. The process is essentially like playing chess with TV channels and convincing them to give you their best slot.
Media planning deals with how various forms of media are used to promote a product or service. The planner will deal with the client to understand their key objectives, and then make recommendations on the best use of available media to reach the target market.
You can expect to earn about $50,000 to $60,000 as a media planner. You can earn more depending on your skills and expertise.
5. Become a Social Media Manager
Communications majors are known for being efficient, detail-oriented, and experts at juggling multiple tasks. Since many companies have switched to social media management there has been a huge growth in jobs for people with these skills.
Social media managers need to know how to use social media platforms effectively and create engaging content for their followers. You will also need skills in SEO so you can position and grow your company’s Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube accounts.
If you are looking for a job as a social media manager, then a communications degree could be helpful, but not necessary. Employers are more concerned about your abilities than where you got your degree from.
You can make a lot of money if you work in the right place. An average Pay for a social media manager is $55,000 to $85,000 per year.
6. Consider working as a Human Resources Specialist
A human resources specialist is a type of business professional who functions both as a talent recruiter and a talent manager for an organization.
The role involves attracting, hiring, and retaining productive workers to ensure that a company is able to meet the demands of its client base.
Working in the human resources department is challenging and can be stressful at times. You are responsible for all things human, including recruitment, hiring, benefits, training, pay scales, promotions, etc. You get the point.
To help you determine if an HR position is right for you, evaluate different job possibilities, and learn how to break into the field.
You can earn anywhere from $60,000 to $80,000, depending on several factors, namely: the location of the job, the specific industry, years of experience, and education level.
7. Work as a Business Reporter
If you have a passion for business, this job will let you explore that interest. You may cover a wide range of topics, from politics to the stock market. This position is an opportunity to learn about the latest trends and innovations that impact our economy and society in general.
Business reporters need to be able to write clearly and concisely, so you should take English classes, which are offered at almost any college or university. You should also take classes in accounting, math, government, and economics.
These are the core components of business reporting, so you should get good grades in these classes. Business reporters are paid at an average rate of $23 per hour, or an average of $47, 000 per year.
8. Become a Health Educator
A health educator is a term you may have heard but didn’t quite understand. If you’ve considered going into food or health education, you may already have an idea of what you could do with this type of degree.
Becoming a health educator can offer you a rewarding career. The job outlook is very good, and the pay is attractive. Among other things, health educators teach people about food, nutrition, exercise, and weight control.
You can help young people develop strong decision-making skills by encouraging them to make informed choices about their health. You may help students learn about nutrition, fitness, and healthy relationships.
Government, non-profit, and private organizations employ health educators to provide health and safety information to individuals and groups. The average annual salary for a health educator is around $53,720.
9. Work as a Scriptwriter or Translator
A communications degree can lead to many types of careers, from journalists and screenwriters to translators and interpreters.
Become a scriptwriter or translator. Students of French, Spanish, and other second language classes may find that they can use their knowledge to translate subtitles and scripts for film, television, and online content.
Those with a communications degree can find the experience they need to work on the formalized communications of institutions and companies.
You’ll put your skills to work in creating copy for brochures and advertisements, writing speeches, or crafting an entertaining video to entice customers.
You can make pretty good money as a translator. But it also depends on your experience and skills. Many people make a decent living doing freelance work as scriptwriters or translators.
The average salary of a translator is around $34,000 (the US median salary) and the average salary of a scriptwriter is around $50,000.
10. Become a Tutor
Aspiring college students of today are expected to know how to write well, conduct research, and stay organized. But along the way, these young minds are likely to encounter situations in which they get lost or confused about a specific aspect of their studies. Tutors can help with all these areas.
Tutors are professionals who instruct students in a particular subject. It is possible to tutor teens in person by visiting a tutor at home. Also, there are many online tutoring services available.
The market and demand for tutors are pretty dependable. You can start tutoring anywhere from $15 to $20 per hour if you have a solid background in a subject that is in high demand. As you tutor more, you will be able to charge more and get more tutoring jobs.
11. Become a Journalist, Editor, or Reporter
Becoming a journalist, editor, or reporter is a great way to make money. Journalism and communications majors learn skills that are very valuable in the job market.
Journalists are storytellers, and communications majors learn to “sell” ideas. Make sure you keep up to date on technology and news, as that is where newspapers make the most money.
It is possible to make a starting salary of $29,000 if you get a job as a journalist, editor, or reporter. The most valuable skill to have as a journalist, editor, or reporter is the ability to reach a wide audience. Most newspapers are moving over to using the Internet to bring in new readers.
12. Be a lobbyist
Lobbyists, otherwise known as the mouthpiece of the companies they represent, are people who use influence to sway political decisions in their favor.
For example, if you work for Coca-Cola and the government wants to limit the sale of Coke, you would lobby politicians to vote in your favor.
This field requires communication and political science skills as well as analytical abilities. A lobbyist’s or a lobbying firm’s compensation can vary widely.
An average lobbyist employed by a small business earns $74,430 annually, whereas one at a large company earns $114,340 annually.
FAQs
What should you know about the communications industry?
Communications majors are often able to take general business courses, such as marketing and management, to help them when they seek to start their public relations firms.
To pursue this career, students should hone their skills in writing, interpersonal skills, and public speaking.
In addition, you should also be able to work well in a team while also seeking to enhance your communication skills.
Who are the biggest employers of communications professionals?
As a communications professional, you will be responsible for the dissemination of a company’s message to people.
The public relations industry is one of the biggest employers of communications professionals.
Besides, it is one of the fastest-growing industries. If you have a strong background in communications or a related field, this field is certainly worth pursuing.
Is a communications degree a good major?
Yes. A communications degree has many job prospects, especially if you are interested in the media fields of television, radio, print, marketing, and advertising.
All of these careers relate to the study of communication, which is what a communications degree program prepares you for.
The broadness of this study helps graduates find a job that meets their needs and interests.
Final Thoughts
A communications degree can lead to an excellent career, such as an editor, reporter for a major television station, or public relations specialist. These positions remain in high demand and may provide you with a more promising future than if you choose an unrelated field.
Furthermore, don’t forget that networking is one of the most vital tools that you should have in your arsenal. It can help you find employment, get a promotion, and open up opportunities within your desired industry.
Having the ability to communicate with people is a good skill, yet many people lack it. If you’re not sure why they’re important, see this article that breaks down the benefits of good communication skills.
Additionally, if you’re planning to get a degree in a course, and you want to know about your career prospects after graduating, the website has a section for that.
Browse through the degrees pages. There’s no doubt it will be helpful to you and some of your friends. Let them know about it.
Thanks for reading.
