Whether you’re thinking about a communication degree or already working toward one, it’s important to look at post-grad job options. Thankfully, there’s a ton to choose from!
As you know by now, some communication students are detail-oriented. Others enjoy fine-tuning a master plan. Some are creative, others more organized and logical. If you study comm, you might be a writer, a public speaker, a social guru, or something else completely.
No matter what, professional communication focuses on the connection between people and businesses. If you like relationship-based work, check out the opportunities below:
Public Relations Specialist – $45,000 Average Annual Salary
This job is for the writers.
Every company has a relationship with the public. This relationship can be positive, neutral, or negative, depending on customer experiences. It can also be molded by a third party. That’s where you come in.
PR professionals manage the public’s perception of the company. They organize promotional events, write press releases, and handle PR emergencies. As a PR professional, you will persuade people to review products or forgive company mistakes. You might also conduct interviews or other research, so PR is a good option for those who like social science.
If you can influence through writing or find patterns in behavior, consider working in PR. However, this is a passion-driven job, so try to work for a company whose morals you believe in. The public might sense a lack of loyalty otherwise.
Human Resources Specialist – $51,000 Average Annual Salary
This job is for the helpers.
Sometimes, a company needs help communicating with potential employees. HR specialists help this communication process run smoothly for both parties.
If you decide to work in HR, you will help companies recruit and hire new candidates. You will use verbal, written, and design communication skills to do this. Some tasks may include conducting interviews, writing informative emails, or creating pamphlets.
Keep in mind that HR specialists also need to persuade. Recruiting candidates might involve making speeches or developing eye-catching job postings. Consider HR if you like a bit of creativity sprinkled into your daily work.
Event Planner – $50,000 Average Annual Salary
This job is for the organizers.
Cheers to fun parties and persuasive campaigns! All organizations need events planned, promoted, and managed by someone like you.
As an event planner, you will tap into the target audience’s desires. What do they like? What are they looking for? You will use this knowledge to frame upcoming events in enticing ways. Getting those people to attend is only half the battle, though. You might need to make phone calls, book caterers, and give speeches the day of the event. A love for public speaking is a must.
Despite the detail-oriented nature of this job, it’s a fun one that involves a lot of social interaction. Consider event planning if you want to interact more with the target audience.
Social Media Manager – $50,000 Average Annual Salary
This job is for the creators.
Every communication specialist needs to conduct research. Social media managers do this by looking at current trends. If you want to manage a company’s social media, you will need to feel comfortable in an ever-changing environment.
Oftentimes, social media posts need pictures to capture audience attention. This is an excellent job for those interested in photography or videography. After you evaluate your target audience’s social habits, you will create persuasive visual and written content.
Definitely consider this job if you can think outside the box and evolve as society evolves. For those in tune with pop culture, social media planning is an exciting option.
Media Planner – $51,000 Average Annual Salary
This job is for the critics.
Media planning involves understanding a target audience and its relationship to media. A media planner analyzes many platforms – such as TV, radio, books, and online sites – to help advertisers with delivery methods.
As a media planner, you will need to examine company advertisements with a critical eye. Are they working? If not, why? If yes, how do you know? This involves more than just research. You will need to explain to your superiors why you’ve formed your conclusions.
If you like taking chances and designing new plans on a continuous basis, consider being a media planner. The more often you succeed, the more your client will trust your expertise.
Community Health Educator – $46,000 Average Annual Salary
This job is for the goal-oriented.
If you want to make a positive difference in the world, health education is a perfect career option. As an educator, you will use your communication skills to promote healthy living in your client’s community.
Health educators don’t just provide answers to health problems. They discover the problems themselves. Oftentimes, organizations cannot locate the source of an issue. As an educator, you will study your target audience by interviewing or observing. This will help you create programs, plan events, and make speeches to large groups of people.
Remember, health education doesn’t have to involve physical health. It can focus on mental, emotional, or sexual health as well. It can also apply to social safety and security (such as driving with a seatbelt). Consider a job in education if you want to make a positive change.
Sales Agent – $50,000 Average Annual Salary
This job is for the persuasive.
You may not like the sound of “salesman”, but selling is a perfect option for those who like rhetoric. You already know how to test consumer behavior and create pitches. Why not use this to sell products or services?
As a sales rep, you will use your communication skills to forge a positive connection between your client and customers. You will need to understand both the customer and the product to do this. Remember, you may not be selling physical merchandise. Sales agents sell real estate, stock, and advertisement space as well.
If you enjoy persuasive writing or public speaking, think about a job in sales. It will improve your speaking ability, since you will practice good communication habits. Plus, those sales look great on a resume.
Brand Manager – $90,000 Average Annual Salary
This job is for the leaders.
The ability to sell products might someday lead you to brand managing. This position requires a knack for understanding consumer reactions to a company’s products.
Brand managers improve sales by overseeing every aspect of the selling process: from advertisement to delivery to customer experience. As a brand manager, you will direct moving pieces as needed. Let’s say the company receives bad reviews about a product’s packaging. You will make necessary changes until those reviews increase.
Consider this job if you can manage the bigger picture and trust subordinates. Micro-managing isn’t an option here, so make sure you are comfortable with delegation.
Business/Finance Reporter – $63,000 Average Annual Salary
This job is for the journalists.
If you were torn between communication and journalism, don’t fret! The two often overlap. You can use your communication skills to find reporting jobs in smaller niches.
Usually, reporters provide day-to-day information to the general public. A business reporter, on the other hand, conveys messages to people who work in business or finance. You will need to cover current changes in the business world for a smaller target audience. This still involves a fast-paced setting.
As expected, you will need an exploratory mindset as a reporter. Your personal connection with other business personnel will be crucial. Business reporting is for you if you love digging for information and keeping others up to date.
Alumni Relations Director – $61,000 Average Annual Salary
This job is for the passionate.
An alumni relations director makes sure graduates feel included after leaving college. This position requires a mix of planning social events and handling finances.
As a relations director, you will have two major goals: gathering donations and keeping alumni connected to the school. Of course, these goals are connected. You will use written skills to keep alumni informed. You will also need to research to persuade your target audience to donate. Finally, you will manage these donations.
If you can’t decide between event planning and salesmanship, a job in alumni relations is perfect for you. Plus, you won’t have to leave the school you’ve fallen in love with.
*Salary averages derived from various public sources.
As you can see, a communication degree teaches students an incredible range of skills. Before graduation, you will hone your ability to organize, manage, sell, plan, and create. This allows for an extensive variety of job opportunities after graduation.
Hopefully this list helped you find a few potential options based on your own interests. Remember, one job might lead to another, so explore every option with an open mind.