Career Opportunities
“What can I do with a communication degree?” is one of the most frequent questions students and parents ask when considering communication studies as a major. The breadth of the communication discipline makes it possible for graduates to pursue a wide range of career opportunities in areas as diverse as public relations specialist, sports announcer, videographer, sales, political campaign specialist and event planner.
The May 2016 issue of the National Communication Association’s magazine, Spectra, cites a National Association of College and Employers’ (NACE) study regarding future outcomes for communication majors. In this national survey, NACE found that approximately 61 percent of college graduates (bachelor’s degree) in communication studies secured full-time employment within six months of graduation. The average for all graduates is 55.4%.
It is clear that employers are looking for college graduates who possess excellent communication skills. Based on a 2015 national survey, NACE reported that employers seek out specific skills and attributes on college graduates’ resumes. The top five are communication skills/attributes:
1. Leadership
2. Ability to work in a team
3. Communication skills (written)
4. Problem-solving skills
5. Communication skills (verbal)
According to the EIU Career Service 2016 Annual Report, based on alumni surveys, the career outcome rates for communication studies is extremely high: Corporate Communication (100%), Public Relations (100%), Interpersonal Communication (100%) and Mass Communication (86%). To read the entire report, see https://www.eiu.edu/careers/faculty.php
Resources
For information about EIU’s Office of Career Services, see https://www.eiu.edu/careers/
For recent job postings in a communication area, please see http://www.communicationsjobs.net/
See the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook for Media and Communication Occupations:
http://www.bls.gov/ooh/media-and-communication/home.htm
For general information about careers in communication studies see:
http://www.topuniversities.com/student-info/careers-advice/what-can-you-do-communications-degree
Sources:
Mimi Rogers, “The Employment Outlook for the Class of 2016 Communication Graduates,” Spectra, May 2016, pp. 24-27.
