🚀Entering Tech #52: How to become a comms professional

Some trivia before we begin. Answers are at the bottom of this newsletter. 

Being a communication professional in tech is not the most popular skill out there, but it is a surefire way of entering into tech. Joyce Imiegha, a PR and communications professional, says that if you’re looking for significant room for creativity, autonomy impact and recognition for your work, then being a communications professional is the right way to go.

You must have heard the terms “content creator,” “content writer,” and “social media manager“, and while these roles appear eerily similar to what a communications professional does, they are different.

Joyce defines it as having the expertise, training, knowledge, and skills to effectively convey messages, build relationships, manage perceptions, and drive results to enhance organisational and individual goals through communication strategies and interactions.

Phew, you must be wondering all of these things for one person. 

Put simply, a communications professional is someone who helps people understand and connect with a company. They act as the company’s voice, ensuring clear and consistent messaging across all channels. Communication professionals do this by using language, design, and other tools to create clear, concise, and engaging messages.

Now that we know who a communications professional is let’s delve into the skills you need to become a badass communications professional communicator. 

💡 Communications is an umbrella that covers all forms of an organisation’s internal and external communications. PR is just one slice of the cake that focuses specifically on enhancing the organisation’s image or reputation. 

So, a PR personnel ensures that the company looks good on the outside at all times, while a communications professional ensures the communication of a company’s message regardless of the circumstances. “In terms of functions, communications roles centre around creating content for specific channels and audiences, while PR roles involve media relations, storytelling, reputation management and crisis management,” Joyce said. 

Comms professionals take on different titles like Communications Manager, Public Relations Officer, Engagement Manager, or even Director of Strategic Communications.

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• Skills needed: Writing, listening, public speaking, creativity, strategic, critical thinking, and interpersonal skills.
• Gadgets needed: Laptop, internet access, pen and paper, and lots of coffee.

So now that we know who comms professionals are, what kind of tasks do they do? Here’s teh five most important things communicators do.

• Developing communications targeted at employees or external stakeholders: This includes writing newsletters, announcements, and other materials for employees to keep them informed, motivated, and aligned with company goals. It may also involve developing press releases, social media content, and other materials to reach target audiences like customers, investors, or the general public.

• Managing messaging across channels and audiences: Comms professionals maintain a consistent voice and message across all internal and external communication channels to build brand recognition and trust. They also adapt communication to different audiences and platforms to ensure it resonates effectively with each group.

• Building engagement, trust, and loyalty for brands: This may involve using various communication channels and formats like podcasts or videos to make information accessible and engaging for different audiences.

• Overseeing all internal and/or external communications strategy and messaging: A communications professional acts as a bridge communicating effectively between leadership and staff, ensuring both sides are heard and understood within a company. A comms professional also represents the company, serving as a spokesperson for the company to external audiences, such as the media or the public, upholding its values and reputation.

• Finally, comms professionals liaise between leadership and staff or serve as public-facing representatives for all inquiries to the company. 

So how much do comms professionals earn?Raise your hands if you’re not learning a tech skill for the money. No hands, of course 👀. “Generally, communication professionals can have competitive compensation packages, but they may not always match the salaries in certain technical or high-demand fields like software engineering, marketing, and so on,” Joyce tells me. 

While the salaries may not always match the salaries of high-demand fields, “the level of experience and expertise you bring to the role can impact your earning potential.” Senior or specialised roles often attract higher salaries and the level of education and relevant training can also influence earning potential.

So, Joyce’s advice to you is to embrace continuous learning.

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