Almost every institution, business, and organization will employ a number of communications professionals. From a vice president of communications to a communications specialist, these positions will include a number of responsibilities and tasks that fall under the umbrella of communications. These may include marketing, advertising, media relations, investor relations, public relations, public affairs, publications and web management.
Title
The position's title will provide prospective candidates with a clear idea of the level of experience and the degree of responsibility the position requires. A communications manager will require more skills and work knowledge than a communications assistant or communications specialist. If you are unsure of an appropriate title, be sure to list the years of experience in the first line of your job description. Here is an example:
Mid-size organization seeks professional with three to five years of communications experience to fill similar position.
Starting your description in this manner sends a clear message to prospective job seekers about the level of experience needed, despite not having a title.
Responsibilities
Communications encompasses a vast number of tasks and duties. Typically, the communications "umbrella" will include several related job functions such as marketing, writing, media relations, community relations, public relations, advertising, publications, editing, website management and speech writing. Many smaller organizations, such as nonprofits, will not have the budget to devote to a large communications staff; this will require one person, perhaps two, to take on all of the responsibilities under the communications umbrella. A job description of the responsibilities will look like this:
Responsibilities include but are not limited to writing for organizationwide publications and the website; creation of marketing materials such as brochures and pamphlets; media relations; photography; and public relations.
Skills
The No. 1 skill required for communications positions is writing. Communications professionals, regardless of the level, need to be able to convey their message through clear and concise writing. Technology has changed the way communications professionals do their jobs, so having the technical aptitude to learn and employ such skills as blogging, Twitter, and Facebook, is also important. Skills required for a position in communications are:
Writing;
Proficiency in desktop publishing and photo editing applications;
Knowledge of html and website management;
Knowledge of social media tools;
Media relations skills.
Education
Education, as with any position, is a key component and requirement. The majority of communications positions will require at least a bachelor's degree, and in some cases an advanced degree in a related field. For some positions, years of relevant experience can be substituted in lieu of an advanced degree.
Education requirements in a communications position will be:
Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree preferred. Years of relevant experience may be considered in place of advanced degree.
Applying
Most job seekers will find and apply to positions on the Internet. If you are posting a job in print and online, be clear as to how you want to receive applications. For example, giving a personal work email address will result in your email inbox becoming inundated with resumes. Fax and mail can also result in a large paper trail that you have to carefully go through. The best thing to do is to set up an email address specifically for the job search. This way, prospective employers can weed out candidates who are not qualified for the position and print out or save those who are.
It is also necessary to include an application deadline for the position.
Consider this when creating your position description:
Qualified candidates may submit a cover letter and resume to email address by this date. No phone calls please.
Tags: advanced degree, email address, public relations, relations public, will require, communications positions