My Study of Communications

          Communication can mean many different things to many different people. The definition I like comes from the book, Thinking through communication: An introduction to the study of human communication. In the text it states, “communication is a process of acting on information” (Trenholm, 2008, p. 20). Although, it is a broad definition, I prefer to see it this way, as to not limit myself from any form of communication. However we receive information, whether it is from a person or a computer, we take in that information and decide what to do with it or how to respond.
            Since I am in the training industry, it will be beneficial for me, in my professional life, to have a thorough understanding of communication. Being a trainer can mean a number of different things. A training specialist may focus on training one specific skill or they may be a jack of all trades. One thing is usually certain with a career in training and development; a trainer will almost always work with adults. Because of this, it is important for a trainer to have exceptional communication skills.
            My motivation for studying communications is to make me a more well rounded person. I deal with many obstacles at work, people who have never used a computer before and will now have to chart on one. Or I may have to train a class where a language barrier is present. My goal is to be the best trainer I can be. Any insight I can gain on how to communicate through the obstacles, as well as the good times, will help me advance in my careers goals, as well as communicate more effectively in my personal life.

References

Trenholm, S. (2008) Thinking through communication: An introduction to the study of human communication (5th ed.). Boston: Pearson Education

Organizations available to Communication Professionals

As the time draws close for graduation, many communication students wonder what resources are available to us after graduation. I have researched and outlined 5 organizations for communication professionals below.

The Association for Women in Communications: This professional organization is geared towards women who hold positions within the communication industry. Such disciplines include print and broadcast journalism, television and radio production, film, advertising, public relations, marketing, graphic design, multi-media design, and photography. Being part of this organization will allow you to stay current within the industry, pursue new job leads through their job board, and take advantage of partner savings (www.womcom.org).

The American Communication Association: This organization was founded in 1993 and “is a not-for-profit virtual professional association with actual presence in the world of communication scholars and practitioners. ACA is committed to enabling the effective use of new and evolving communication technologies to facilitate instruction, research, and criticism” (“About ACA,” 2010, para.1). This organizations target audience is students and professionals in the industry.

National Communication Association: This organization is focused towards scholars, teachers, and practitioners. “The National Communication Association advances communication as the discipline that studies all forms, modes, media and consequences of communication through humanistic, social scientific and aesthetic inquiry” (“NCA’s Mission,” n.d., para. 1). Benefits of joining this organization are the many resources available on their website, as well as in print. They also have a career center online, where you can perform a job search as well.

Society for Technical Communication: This organization understands the importance of technical communications and wants to support how large the field has grown. “Technical communicators have become an asset to many companies with their understanding of technical processes, as well as their ability to communicate information in a clear and usable way to different groups, from consumers to end users” (“The Value,” 2010, para.2). Their target audience includes students and professionals within the industry. Membership benefits include electronic subscriptions to their publications, networking with peers, use of their logo, and ability to perform a job search through their online career center.

Public Relations Society of America: This is a large organization, which focuses on the professional development of public relation specialists. “PRSA provides professional development, sets standards of excellence, and upholds principles of ethics for its members and, more broadly, the multi-billion dollar global public relations profession” (“About PRSA,” 2010, para.1). Their target audience is PR professionals with experience in the industry, but they do accept full time graduate students working towards a degree in Public Relations. Benefits of joining this organization include, staying current in your field, networking with peers, and having the option to access the career center.

References:

About ACA. (2010). The American Communication Association Website. Retrieved November 11, 2010 from http://www.americancomm.org/about/

About PRSA. (2010). Public Relations Society of America Website. Retrieved November 11, 2010 from http://www.prsa.org/AboutPRSA/?utm_source=prsa_website&utm_medium=masthead&utm_campaign=about_prsa_nav

NCA’s Mission. (n.d.). National Communication Association Website. Retrieved November 11, 2010 from http://www.natcom.org/Default.aspx?id=46

The Value. (2010). Society for Technical Communications Website. Retrieved November 11, 2010 from http://www.stc.org/story/

www.womcom.org (2010). Women in Communication Website. Retrieved November 11, 2010 from http://www.womcom.org/

 

What Kind of Job Can a Communications Major Apply For?

Possible careers for Communications Studies Major:

Technical Writer - Technical writing is taking all that material or jargon and putting it into language that the user can understand. The Bureau of Labor Statistics said that “technical writers, also called technical communicators, put technical information into easily understandable language” (“Occupational Outlook,” 2010, para.1). The job outlook for technical writers is good because the number of occupations that need explanations of “electronic and scientific products” are increasing. Employers look for technical writers that have bachelor’s degrees, “often preferring those with a major in communications, journalism, or English” (“Occupational Outlook,” 2010, para. 9). The median annual wages for technical writers is about $60,000 per year.

Public Relation Specialists - Public relations is a collaboration of influence, organization, rules, community interest, open communication, persuasiveness, and conflict resolution coming together for the betterment of something. Public relations, in addition to journalistic writing have “many components, ranging from counseling to issues management and special events” (Cameron, Wilcox, Reber, & Shin, 2008, p. 10). Public relations specialists write to inform and persuade; they are writing in the best interest of their employer. “Many entry-level public relations specialists have a college degree in public relations, journalism, marketing, or communication” (“Occupational Outlook, 2010, para.11). Because of living in the global village and all the new social medias, jobs in PR are expected in continue to grow extremely fast. “Keen competition will continue for entry-level public relations jobs, as the number of qualified applicants is expected to exceed the number of job openings” (“Occupational Outlook,” 2010, para. 27). The middle yearly salary is about $51,000.

Training and Development Specialists - Training specialists, usually under the direction of Human Resource departments, plans, organizes, coordinates and conducts training and educational programs for employees. Sometimes this entails orientation for new employees, or, but certainly not limited to, skills and / or customer service training for seasoned employees. Training specialists have a wide range of duties and often spend time helping employees prepare for their jobs. A trainer often has to create and present material so it is important to have superior communication skills, both verbal and written. Since the majority of the job consists of talking to groups of people a trainer must be comfortable with public speaking.

Although a bachelor’s degree is a typical path of entry into these occupations, many colleges and universities do not offer programs in personnel administration,  human resources, or labor relations until the graduate degree level. However, many offer individual courses in these subjects at the undergraduate level in addition to concentrations in human resources administration or human resources   management, training and development, organizational development, and compensation and benefits” (“Occupational Outlook,” 2010, para. 27).

Job outlook is good for those individuals who have graduated from college and earned certification within human resources and / or training and development. The average yearly salary for training specialists is around $51,000.

Radio Broadcasting (Producers) – Producers “plan and develop live or taped productions, determining how the show will look and sound, They select the script, talent, sets, props, lighting, and other production elements” (“Occupational Outlook, 2010, para.20). A new job that is developing within this field is Web site or Internet Producers, who “plan and develop Internet sites that provide news updates, program schedules, and information about popular shows” (“Occupational Outlook,” 2010, para.20). Entry-level jobs in production are beginning to require a college degree (related majors are communications and journalism). “Individuals pursuing a career in broadcasting often gain their experience through work at college radio and television stations or through internships at professional stations” (“Occupational Outlook,” 2010, para.43). The outlook for this job is not good because the competition for jobs in this market is high. Also, many radio stations are consolidating their stations, with the need for less staff. The median hourly wage for producers is about $28.00.

 Journalists – “investigate leads and news tips, look at documents, observe events at the scene, and interview people (“Occupational Outlook,” 2010, para. 3). Once they have all that information gathered they complied all their material, figure out the purpose and focus of their story, and write it. The majority of employers will hire individuals with bachelor’s degree in journalism or mass communications and experience writing for a school newspaper is helpful. A decline is expected in this job market, mostly because of companies consolidating in the publishing and broadcasting industry. “Job opportunities will be best for applicants in the expanding world of new media, such as online newspapers or magazines” (“Occupational Outlook,” 2010, para. 24). The middle yearly salary for a journalist is about $35,000.

References

Cameron, G. T., Wilcox, D. L., Reber, B. H., & Shin, J. (2008). Public relations today: Managing competition and conflict. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc

Occupational Outlook.(2010). Retrieved November 3, 2010, from U.S. Department of Labor Web site: http://www.bls.gov