How To Become A Communications Director
A communications director is responsible for seeing to it that the public will continue to see the company in a favorable light. You will be integral in forming the company’s corporate message, branding strategies and marketing campaigns to put the company in a favorable footing to its clients and the media. You will be responsible for finding opportunities to get your company featured on television or radio.
As the director of communications, it’s very important that you develop a great working relationship with the members of the media since they will be the ones who will bring your company’s message to the public. Thus, it is your responsibility to get in touch with representatives of radio, television and Internet outfits if your firm has upcoming activities.
If there are issues that the company wishes to address, it is also part of your task to set up an interview with members of the press with the representative of your organization, including that of your chief executive officer. You will also approve press releases before these are sent out to the different media outfits.
You will also be tasked with developing internal communications to keep company employees informed about the happenings within the firm. You will be taking care of newsletters, publications and emails that will be sent out to every member in the company.
To succeed as a communications director, you need to have excellent interpersonal skills. You also need to be a good speaker since you will be engaging with customers and members of the media regularly. Being persuasive is definitely going to be a plus. You also need to possess superior organizational skills since you will be handling many different things at the same time. Finally, you also need to be a good problem solver since you are bound to encounter negative publicity about your company which you must resolve.
Why Become A Communications Director
A career as a communications director is well-suited for those who want to work in the field of public relations. It is a great career fit for those who are fascinated with corporate branding and imaging and have the communications and interpersonal skills needed for the position. On the practical side, the field of public relations is also a fast-growing occupation which bodes of excellent job opportunities in the coming years.
Communications Director Work Environment
Many communications directors work for private companies and religious and civic organizations. They also work for public relations and advertising companies as well educational institutions and government agencies. The work is often fulltime and done during regular business hours but it isn’t unusual for these professionals to put in a lot of overtime.
Communications Director Salary
Communications directors are considered as public relations specialists. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics revealed that the mean annual wage of public relations specialists is $63,020. The lowest paid received only $30,790 while the highest paid got $103,240.
Communications Director Career Outlook
Although the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics does not have career projections for communications directors, it does have the job outlook for the larger occupational category of public relations specialists. The agency projected that for the decade covering 2012 to 2022, the job outlook for public relations specialists is set to increase by 12 percent, a rate that is similar to the national average for all job types. The Internet and social media are going to drive employment because these specialists will be needed to respond to the fast delivery of news on social media.
Communications Director Degree
A bachelor’s degree in communications, public relations and journalism is the common educational preparation for those who aspire to become communications directors one day. English or business degrees also equip future communications directors with the skills they need to succeed in the profession. Those who are hired for entry level positions in the field of public relations need to gain experience in the field before they get promoted to the position of communications director.
