Dhani
What type of careers can you get into with a Mass Comm degree?
I'm trying to get more of an idea of what is out there for incoming freshman at my university. I am a mass comm major and I have received a few questions but they're not pertaining to my concentration within the major. #tennesseestate #masscommunications #hbcus #communications #marketing-and-advertising
5 answers
Nathalia Romano
Nathalia’s Answer
A few things you could do: Internal Communications, Social Media, Public Relations, Analyst Relations, Executive Communications, Account Executive (agency work), Creative Writing, Copywriter, Marketing Coordinator, etc.
A good reminder is that not all the options will focus on writing, there are several other things a communications professional can do and you can leverage your degree to find that dream job.
The options are endless, but I believe those who find their niche are the ones who will be able to secure a great job right out of school!
Hollie Walterson
Hollie’s Answer
Mass Comms may also fall under a Marketing or HR organization. Before working for companies with dedicated comms roles, the comms roles I held fell into these structures. Really just depends on the company.
You could also explore dedicated marketing, advertising and PR agencies, or even strategy focused agencies who help companies will all of these various needs develop their comms strategies - or they may even produce the content.
Lauren Murphy
Lauren’s Answer
I'm so glad to hear that mass communications is a focus for students today. It is a field that offers a variety of options, many of which have been outlined in other answers but I thought I would zoom in on the security/emergency management aspect of mass communications. This area is near and dear to my heart after working on global projects to implement this capability.
There are corporations whose entire business is dedicated to providing mass communications solutions to government, corporate, and educational/non-profit organizations. You may have seen these alerts in advance of severe weather, when there is a missing child (Amber Alert), or when there is a dangerous incident on a work or school campus. You could act as a consultant on behalf of the mass communication providers, offering clients guidance on how best to configure and use the solution to reach their desired target audience.
Alternatively, you can be part of an organization that leverages the mass communications solution, guiding your company on the best practices available to achieve their mass communications objectives. Your expertise would be used to answer questions like "If there is a tornado in Oklahoma, how we do find and account for the well-being of our employees?" or "How do we let our staff know that there was a pop-up protest near the office and they need to avoid coming in?"
This role appeals to my passion for taking care of others, and if that's something that also drives you, give it some consideration! All the best in your journey.
Jeff Maggs
Jeff’s Answer
With a Mass Comm degree you can work in the advertising and PR agency business. You can work in a corporate communications department within a company. I would make sure that whatever you do you secure a lot of knowledge in digital and social communications channels beyond traditional mass communications. Also make sure you work to get a professional internship or two before you graduate. It will be vital t you getting a job after school. Also taking some marketing and business classes will be important.
Bianca Hock
Bianca’s Answer
The most common fields that hire Mass Comm grads include marketing, public relations and political campaigns. When it comes to choosing a career path, however, feel free to think out-of-the-box. I graduated with a political science degree and a master's in journalism which ultimately led me to Creative Sports Marketing which is totally unrelated! To keep your options open, the key is to take on extracurricular activities in other areas of interest (in my case, sports) or spin how your degree can apply to a unique field — for example, when I was interviewing for this creative marketing position at ESPN they asked how I could fulfill this position without* a marketing degree; I answered by explaining how marketing/ads incorporate storytelling to inspire a viewer to tune-in or purchase a product which, with my journalism degree, is right up my alley. Do a little soul-searching; If you're interested in marketing, what type of marketing and what type of role? Think ahead for what skills could get you there? Intern within your area of interest. Hope this helps!
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