Friday, November 26, 2010

Thinking About a Career In Communication (s)--A Reality Check

Finding a job in the communications and/or media industries is not all fun and games.  In fact, it's hard work just to find an entry level job, let alone a regular job, especially in these tough economic times.  Companies hire you for what you know, as well as for your ability to do the job, either for the regular eight hour a day position many people currently hold, or for the entry-level/part-time/temporary position you may have.

There are many types of communications-related positions available: whether it's public relations, print journalism, advertising, radio and TV, marketing communications, new (digital) media, and/or related fields.  The key is finding the position that not only plays to your skills, talents, and abilities, but also the career you have a passion for.

So here then, is the reality check.

1. What field are you most interested in?  If you're a recent high school graduate looking to study communications in college, you need to know what field you're interested in.  Do you have a passion for sales, publicizing a company or organization, or maybe being creative?  If you don't know what field interests you the most, learning all of the new media in the world can only get you so far when it comes time to start the job hunt.

2. Know what classes/training you need. In addition to the core classes any freshman or sophomore has to take, there are also certain classes related to your college major that you need to take in order to earn a bachelor's degree in communications.  This includes finding the right institution for pursuing that degree, depending upon what field you want to pursue.

3. Be willing to start at the bottom:  No one goes straight from college, to becoming a spokesperson for IBM, for instance.  Therefore, you must be willing to start at the bottom, and work your way up.  If that means finding a job in the mail room, or being an administrative assistant, or taking some other not-so-glamourous job to get where you want to be, so be it.  Yes, large companies like IBM have media relations contacts all over the world.

4. Don't give up: Persistence is the key when searching for that dream job.  It just takes preparing correctly in college (or university, in some parts of the world), networking with the right people, and being in the right place at the right time.  So, don't give up, and good luck.

Communication Careers Corner Contacts:

E-mail: communicationcareers@gmail.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/commcareer

Monday, November 15, 2010

Creative Ways to Network and Job Search

Networking has become an important part of job searching, but  what are some ways can you creatively do that?  Here are at least five, in no particular order.

1. Attend job fairs in your area, or the city/town you plan to move to someday.

2. Use social media to get the word out about your job hunt.

3. Write articles on a specific topic for a newspaper, magazine, or even online publication, and get published.

4. Volunteer at a non-profit organization, for a cause your care about. 

5. Go back to school, if needed.

Those are just five ways to get yourself in the running for the job you've always wanted.  What are other ways you can build your network in hopes of landing the perfect position?  Send those responses via e-mail at communicationcareers@gmail.com, send comments at http://communication-careers-corner.blogspot.com/, or send a direct message via Twitter at http://twitter.com/commcareer/.

Monday, November 8, 2010

The Good and Bad of Social Media to find a job...

Within the last five years, social media has changed the way we've done things, including the job hunt.  But used improperly, social media can also hurt our chances of landing a job.  Click here to find out 10 ways social media can derail even the most promising job search.

Monday, November 1, 2010

Thinking About A Career In Communication (s)--Getting Started

So, you want to pursue a career in the communications and/or media industries, huh?

There are so many areas in this expanding field to consider, whether it be advertising, marketing communications, public relations, print media (i.e., magazines and newspapers), radio, television, and especially, the growing field of digital and/or "new" media, "aka" the Internet. 

So, the question you're probably asking is this: "How do I get started"?  Or, how about another question: "What skills and/or education do I need to get the job?" Or maybe even just as important: "How do I market myself so I can the job I want someday?"  That's the purpose of the "Communication Careers Corner", to help you find the rewarding job you desire, in the hopes of turning into the career you want to pursue.

If you're reading this first "official" post of the the "3C's", it's because of at least four things.

1. You're a middle or high school student wondering what to do after you eventually graduate from high school someday.

2. You're a high school graduate thinking about what study in college.

3. You're a recent college graduate looking for that first job.

4. You're an older adult that's been out of school for quite some time, looking a different career path.

Whatever your age or stage, a career in communications and/or media is possible, if you have the right mindset, or positive attitude.  The Occupational Outlook Handbook is a good place to start for aspiring communicators who want to jumpstart their career.  Click the following link to below to see the prospects for finding work in the various communications and/or media-related fields.

Occupational Outlook Handbook

Got questions or comments?  Contact us via e-mail at communicationcareers@gmail.com, or follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/commcareer.