What Can I Do With a Communications Degree?

You’ve no doubt heard the saying “communication is everything.” Well, communication majors take that saying pretty literally. A communications major studies the best practices to convey information on both interpersonal and organizational levels, and it’s not always verbal.

Communication can happen in a variety of ways: verbal, written, gestural, formal, informal, and the list goes on and on. It’s up to communication majors to master these. By the time they graduate, they should know how to write and speak effectively and persuasively. Communications degrees can take a graduate anywhere they could ever hope to go, from journalism to public relations, music to film, and even politics in some cases.

Listed here are a few of your options, but with this degree, you could go anywhere.

Public Relations Specialist

This is a pretty safe bet for communications majors. Every company that has ever existed cares about what the public thinks of them. As a PR Specialist, you can influence just how the public sees your company. PR Specialists write press releases, organize press conferences, and convince media outlets that your company or an organization is of journalistic importance.

Social Media Manager

Social media is all about communication, so if you find yourself always checking Facebook and Instagram, then this job may be for you. It’ll be up to you to analyze the patterns of communication that are most effective, so they must be fantastic writers in order to compose messages about their organization. You must also be persuasive enough to be able to pitch ideas to and plans to staff and to convince customers.

Event Planner

Event planners are responsible for organizing and executing events such as conferences, weddings, and corporate gatherings. This role requires strong organizational and communication skills to coordinate with vendors, manage logistics, and ensure that events run smoothly. A communications degree helps develop the ability to negotiate, manage client relationships, and handle event-related communications.

Consultant

Communications consultants provide expert advice on communication strategies to organizations and individuals. They analyze communication practices, develop strategic plans, and offer recommendations to improve effectiveness. This role requires a deep understanding of communication principles and the ability to tailor strategies to specific client needs.

Human Resources Specialist

HR Specialists are big on communication, they focus on recruiting staff, orienting new employees, developing new training programs, and other communication-intensive responsibilities. This job is all about communicating effectively. HR staffers rely heavily on their public speaking skills to deliver presentations, their writing skills to create staff manuals and compose web content, and their verbal communication skills to counsel and advise employees.

Marketing Manager

So marketing managers are in charge of assessing a market’s demand for their company’s products and services. From there, they have to help identify their demographics, and how, where, and whom to sell them to. This kind of work requires excellent interpersonal skills. Marketing managers must also be good at gathering information and communicating effectively.

Business Reporter

There’s been a crazy amount of growth in financial and business media, so if you’re wanting to go into a more business and finance-oriented career then this one might be for you. If you chose to pursue a business reporter job, you’ll have to tap into your journalistic side to properly cover the industry’s developments for TV, web, newspaper, and magazine coverage. For this job, you’ll also heavily exercise interpersonal skills that you developed during your undergrad to cultivate relationships with business insiders.

Corporate Communications Manager

Corporate communications managers oversee internal and external communication strategies within an organization. They develop communication policies, manage employee communications, and handle public relations efforts. This role requires excellent writing and organizational skills, as well as the ability to craft messages that align with the company’s goals and values. A communications degree is ideal for understanding organizational dynamics and effective messaging.

Sales Representative

You probably wouldn’t initially think of a sales rep having a communications degree, but it’s a surprisingly good match. While you’re in your undergrad, communications majors typically learn how to properly assess an audience’s preferences, just like how a salesperson assess the needs of their customers. All of your learned interpersonal, written, and verbal skills will come into play in this career, especially as you create and deliver pitches to the various consumers of a business.

Non-Profit Communications Director

Non-profit communications directors manage communication strategies for charitable organizations. They develop fundraising campaigns, handle media relations, and create content to promote the organization’s mission. This role requires a passion for the cause, strong writing skills, and the ability to engage with donors and stakeholders effectively.

Producer

Looking to make it big, but don’t want to be in front of the screen? Then being a producer may be the job for you. Producers deal with the behind-the-scenes aspects of making movies, TV shows, stage productions, video games, and news broadcasts. If you decide to go this route, you’ll be in charge of coordinating personnel and tending to budgets and schedules. You’re going to spend a lot of time talking to people and organizing them, so your verbal communication skills are going to be put to good use here.

Entrepreneur or Business Owner

A communications degree can also be a valuable asset for entrepreneurs and business owners. Effective communication is essential for marketing your business, building relationships with clients and partners, and managing internal communications. Whether starting your own venture or joining a startup, the skills gained from a communications degree can contribute to your business’s success.

Content Writer or Editor

Content writers and editors create and refine written content for various platforms, including websites, blogs, and print media. This role involves researching, writing, and editing content to ensure it is clear, engaging, and aligned with the target audience. A communications degree provides strong writing skills and an understanding of audience engagement, which are essential for success in this field.