IMC Hawks Blog

Category: Employment

  • IMC and You: How to Increase Your Chances of Getting a Job After Graduation

    For many of us in Advanced IMC, graduation is looming on the horizon. With the end of our college careers approaching, we are beginning to hunt for jobs in a less than promising market. We’ll be competing with thousands of other new graduates for a limited number of positions, and since we don’t want to be asking “Do you want fries with that” in six months we’ve got to get creative; IMC, or Integrated Marketing Communications, can help!

    Typically, IMC combines practices from public relations, marketing, and advertising to coordinate all forms of communication delivered by an organization or product. IMC campaigns require a lot of work and effort, however, the differences between a regular marketing campaign and an IMC campaign are vast. If done properly IMC creates a competitive advantage that boosts sales and profits, while saving time and stress. Just what we need as we look for our first “big kid” jobs!

    Once upon a time, marketing’s 4 Ps (product, price, place, and promotion) could be applied by new graduates seeking employment. You, the product, would promote yourself by sending out your resume to the places you wished to work. Following that, you would be called in for an interview and (hopefully) be offered a job; from there you could negotiate your price. This is a simplified version, but you get the idea. In today’s competitive job market this isn’t enough.

    The practice of IMC has shifted us away from the 4 Ps and has adopted the 4 Cs: consumer, cost, convenience, and communication. What does this have to do with finding a job in the less than stellar market? Everything!

    No longer can you focus on selling yourself, the product. Today one has to think about what they can offer the consumer, your potential employer. What are their wants and needs and do you match up to something they would want to invest in? In today’s economy, their choice to invest in you may be dependent on cost. Cost doesn’t just involve your wage; it also includes any time spent training or covering moving expenses, etc. This brings me to the next C: convenience. You have to make yourself easily accessible to potential employers; whether it be physically or virtually. The final of the four Cs is communication. Your resume isn’t enough to land you a job. Do you have any connections that could help you out? Word of mouth can do wonders when searching for a job. If a potential employer Google’s you, are they going to find anything interesting that you’ve written or participated in? There are a myriad of ways for you to communicate who you are beyond your resume.

    -Eliza Wadson

  • “I want to be an event planner!”

    Contrary to popular belief, event planning isn’t all white dresses and fancy cakes.  In the realm of IMC, events are everywhere. From trade shows to music festivals, it takes knowledge of budgeting, marketing, advertising, organizational planning, and more to carry out a successful event. Our education in Communication Studies gives us a head start on other event planning hopefuls by providing opportunities through the classroom, internships, and extracurricular activities.

    Dress for Success Fashion Show Logo
    2010 "Dress for Success" Fashion Show Logo

    At UNCW, students have the opportunity to assist in the planning of fashion shows, academic conferences and meetings, concerts, multiple charity functions, and fundraisers. These opportunities give us valuable insight into all the necessary components of event planning. We come to understand that it takes hard work and long hours, excellent writing and public speaking skills…the list goes on and on! At the end of the day, an IMC student evaluates the outcome of his or her efforts not by how happy Bridezilla was, but by how it changed the behaviors of the client. For example, the success of a charity event might be measured by an increase in donations, not by how much people enjoyed the show.

    UNCW Communication Studies Society raised over $5,000 for breast cancer research in October 2010!

    When searching through the thousands of job listings, there are a variety of titles to consider: conference coordinator, special event coordinator, and meeting manager to name a few. Dependent upon the more specific interests of the applicant, these titles can start you on your way to a career in event planning!

    -Tiffany Evans, Deji Adeleke, Anna Kate Babnik, Katie Eagle, Carissa Niederkorn

  • So you want to be a marketing communications coordinator?!?

    Knowledge of integrated marketing communication can help you get many different types of jobs. As upper classmen, we are beginning to think about our futures and where our lives are headed after graduating. With many members of our class graduating in May we decided to look up entry level jobs in the IMC field that are in North Carolina. One of the options with integrated marketing communications interest and knowledge is a position as a marketing communications coordinator for Dixon Hughes. For someone thinking about entering this career field, you can expect to need a Bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies, Marketing, or Business Administration.

    Someone applying for this job can expect high earnings, substantial travel, and long hours which include evenings and weekends. The Occupational Outlook Handbook for 2010-2011 does not have a description for marketing communications coordinator. We assume that it is because this job and most integrated marketing communications jobs are fairly new and still expanding. It seems that people in these jobs do a range of positions including public relations, advertising, and marketing. We did find through some research though that someone in the field will help oversee hands on day to day execution of marketing plans, write and assist with circulation of press releases, policies, and marketing plans. They might have to develop websites and even act as a liaison with media and the organization’s communications department. With this specific position at Dixon Hughes, the applicant will have to assist with client pursuits by preparing presentations, pitch books and writing proposals as well as assist with logistics for conferences, tradeshows, seminars and other sponsored events.

    According to payscale.com a marketing communications coordinators can expect a yearly salary of anywhere from $32,383- 44,847. They also say that there is room for advancement and bonuses with a position in this field. Indeed.com says that the average salary for a marketing communications coordinator in Charlotte, which is where Dixon Hughes is located, is around $39,000.

    Fortunately for us, UNCW offers many classes that help students learn the skills necessary for a career in this industry. Some of these for example are, of course, intro and advanced Integrated Marketing Communication, Public Relations, and Strategic Writing.  After researching careers in the IMC field we feel more prepared for graduation and what’s to come. We can also help those underclassmen who need help finding their niche in the communication studies world.

    http://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Marketing_Coordinator/Salary

  • A Big Thanks to Dr. Persuit

    As a class, we would like to say thank you to Dr. Persuit, our amazing professor for Corporate Communication. In two major service learning projects, she has taught us the importance of a strong corporate identity. Each of us believes that the knowledge learned in Corporate Comm. will benefit us after graduation. Here are our personal thoughts:

    I have had Dr. Persuit for several classes. Corporate Communication, like all of her classes, has secured my feelings about the field of Communication Studies. I have found what I wish to do after graduation due to the knowledge learned in Dr. Persuit’s class.

    – Lacey Inman

    Dr. Persuit finds a way to make each of her classes interesting and unique.  She expects a lot from her students because she believes that we are capable of achieving greatness.  I appreciate all of the skills I learned in Corporate Communication as well as the other three classes I took with Dr. Persuit over the past few years.

    -Sarah McIntosh

    I absolutely love Dr.Persuit. Corporate Communication is my 4th class with her during my time at UNCW and if I could fit it into my schedule before graduation I would be taking even more with her! She has such a passion for life and a dedication to her students. She is such a great example of a working mom who has it all going on! Thank you for everything Dr.Persuit, my future career will always put what you taught me to good use.

    –Emily Hunter

    I extremely enjoy taking classes with Dr. Persuit!  I have had several classes with her here at UNCW and I’m looking forward to her Advanced IMC class next semester as my last class with her before I graduate.  I have learned many things from Dr. Persuit that will help me in my chosen career field in the future.  She really gets us involved and strives us to think about how we would handle all aspects of communication after graduation.  Thank you for all that you do and have done Dr. Persuit!

    -Danielle Dorantich

    I have had the unique opportunity to work with Dr. Persuit outside of the classroom. As one of Phi Mu’s advisers, we have spent a lot of time together working on ways to better our organization. I am so glad that I have not only gotten the opportunity to work with Dr. Persuit with my sorority, but to also have her as a professor. It is nice to actually learn things in class that will come in handy in the real world. This corporate communication class has further validated my belief that I want to work in this career field. Thank you for everything Dr. Persuit!

    –Fran Greene

    Throughout my few years UNCW I have been blessed with amazing professors and Dr. Persuit is one of the very best.  She has shown me how to apply the concepts of our discipline and now Corporate Communication into the real world that we all will enter into after graduation. Her positive attitude to the hardest tasks makes me want to strive to do even better.  I hope to take at least one class with her next semester before I graduate. Thank you for everything Dr. Persuit you have been an inspiring professor!  You will be one of the professors in which I will never forget and want to thank for being so inspiring throughout this semester and the semester to come.

    Kelly Wiley

    Dr. Persuit is an amazing professor, from helping me immensely work through my DIS and now  class in Corporate comm, I have learned that she is a professor that every student in the communication studies department needs to have at some point. Her positive outlook on everything is inspiring to all of her students. She makes it a point to make sure that the students are learning and succeeding. Her guidance through my undergraduate career has help guide me onto the correct path into my future. I appreciate all the time and effort she has put into our class and her time with me. Thank you Dr. P for everything, you are an amazing professor!

    –Arielle Williams

    I graduate in two weeks and I must say that this has been the most difficult, yet fulfilling semester I’ve ever had. I feel that I’ve learned more applicable information in this one semester than I’ve learned in the past four years of my college career. I also believe that Dr. Persuit is the reason for this learning and growth. She is a constant inspiration and gives me hope in my future endeavors, as well as in the Communication Studies program at UNCW.  She believes in her students and pushes them to be great. I’m disheartened to say that this is the only semester I’ve had, or ever will have, with her as a professor, but I hope that her knowledge and wit stays with me as I commence on this journey called life. Thank you, Dr. Persuit, for your dedication to students and learning. You have helped make my last semester one to remember.

    -Breanna Alexander

    I have had the pleasure of having Dr. Persuit as a professor for 5 courses now. I continue to choose courses that she offers because she genuinely cares about her student’s education. Not only is she incredibly intelligent in her field of study, but she is also very in tune with current events and modern uses of social media and networking sites. She has taught us the importance of creating a well rounded online presence to become more competitive in the workforce and to learn from others. Dr. Persuit is constantly encouraging us to apply the concepts we learn to real world scenarios so we can see the relevance of communication studies in our everyday lives. UNCW is very lucky to have Dr. Persuit as a faculty member and we are all fortunate to have had her as a professor. I know that she will continue to enlighten many more Seahawks for years to come.

    – Gracie Anderson

    So many students take courses with Dr. Persuit semester after semester due to her unique outlook and engaging teaching style. Lessons are always relevant and she makes a point to get to know every student on a personal level. I feel very lucky that Dr. Persuit has taught numerous classes that are of interest to me. All knowledge and insight I have gained from being a part of her classes has already proven useful and I can only imagine how much I will be reminded of these courses when I am in the workforce. I cannot thank you enough for these past few semesters, Dr. Persuit!

    -Haley Williams

    Corporate Communication was an interesting and insightful class. The content of Good-to-Great was very surprising to me. Dr. Persuit showed excitement and enthusiasm when teaching. I feel the knowledge and groupwork experiences I had will be very beneficial. I enjoyed this course very much and the information I gathered should be very useful in career aspirations for me.

    -Sean O’Connell

  • What I Learned in Corporate Communication

    I cannot believe the semester is coming to an end. As I reflect on the Corporate Communication course, there are several things that I have learned. Thinking back to our first day of class and the definition of corporate communication we formulated, we selected several terms; brand, consistent, reputation, identity, narrative, integration, persuasion, symbolic, building/maintaining. These terms only started the process of discovering what corporate communication is about. From class discussions, our mid-term project and our readings there are more that I would add; discipline, alignment, values, vision, mission, responsibility, customer service, diversity and the list could go on!

    One concept that struck me the most from our readings was the Hedgehog concept. The story is about a fox and a hedgehog. The fox is cunning and always trying to get at the hedgehog in various ways. The hedgehog follows his daily routine and whenever the fox tries to pounce, he consistently rolls into a ball with his spikes protruding. The point of the story is the hedgehog has a simple plan and he wins every time. The underlying message of the hedgehog concept is to align your strengths with your passions and what drives you economically. As I reflect on the key terms from our definition of corporate communication and the Hedgehog concept, they are not solely meant for a corporation as a whole, but for each individual that breathes the life into a corporation as well.                                               -Jocelyn Beam-Walson

    Corporate Communication has certainly taught me a great deal over the course of this semester.  I have expanded my knowledge on all of the things Jocelyn touched on above, but I think the most important concept I am walking away from the class with comes from a book we read called Good to Great, by Jim Collins.  In the book, Collins talks about getting the right people “on the bus”.  This essentially means that if you want to succeed, you need to surround yourself with people that also want to succeed and who are driven and motivated to do so.  Although I’ve been doing group projects for most of my college career, this thought never occurred to me.  Obviously I never intentionally agreed to work with bad group members, it just seemed to happen.  After reading about the importance of getting the right people on the bus and the bad ones off, no matter what.  From now on I will always remember this concept and make sure that I get on the right bus with the right people!                                                                                                                                                         -Eliza Wadson

    Corporate Communication has given me a surprising amount of information and provided me with helpful experiences as well. I found the content of Good to Great very insightful. I was surprised by the attributes that forge the path to greatness. Rather than there being a miraculous transition or advances in technology, greatness is obtained through a collection of factors that synergistically interact, specifically having the right solidarity between indomitable perseverance, winning people, and valuing actual results over flashy appearances. The information gathered from this textbook helped me to view successful companies in a different light. This course also gave me some good experience with group work. I have had some unpleasant experiences with groups in the past; however, this semester I have been part of a group that displays efficiency, a desire to get things done, and putting forth equal effort in completing objectives. Corporate Communication has taught me new facts and ideas and I feel these will be useful in my future career aspirations.                              -Sean O’Connell

    This class was set up unlike any other class I have taken at UNCW.  It was structured to mimic a real work environment by allowing us as students to formulate class discussions.  Each class, we took topics from the reading and generated them into issues that were relevant to us.  When we presented our midterm papers, we arranged the class like a boardroom and fostered a conversation on our findings, rather than standing up in front of the class and lecturing.  Another helpful tool that we used in this class was the blog.  Having something that we are responsible for that reaches a large audience is empowering as students.  It also made us a part of the current transition in corporate communication towards social networking. This skill will prove useful to us in our future careers.  Overall, this class gave me a new perspective on corporate communication and what it means to work in the industry.  It made me excited to enter the work force and start putting these skills I have learned to action.                                                                                                                  -Sarah McIntosh

  • Branding, It’s Not Just For The Cows!

    When we think of branding, yes we can think of cows that are marked to receive their distinction, but in the business world it’s a company’s trademark. In communication, we typically think of the term in regards to businesses. Branding is a necessity for businesses, but it’s also important for professional individuals. Our theme this week is careers in corporate communication. Now that the end of the semester is in close sight and many are looking at graduating, we thought self-branding would be a good topic to discuss.

    According to the U.S. Department of Labor, people change careers approximately 3-6 times during a lifetime for various reasons. Our world is constantly changing and evolving and a career-oriented professional has to keep up with the times. Generations before us found a job after college and it was considered the norm for a person to stay with the same company and in the same field until they retired. Not many people do that now. This is one reason why it is important for us to brand ourselves. As most of us begin to carve out a career path over the next few months, there has been a lot of talk about what we want to do with our lives. The main focus is what we are passionate about and where are strengths lie. An interesting article points out that self-branding is the difference between “just a job” and a career. It can make you employable in a profession you are passionate about and open doors you never thought existed.

    There are many steps to self-branding and the first step for the college graduate is to discover what you are passionate about and where your strengths are within that passion. This brings to mind a chapter in one of our textbooks entitled, “Good to Great” by Jim Collins. He finds that the great companies follow the Hedgehog Concept. In short, the Hedgehog Concept is about aligning

    1) What you are deeply passionate about?
    2) What can you be the best at?
    3) What drives your economic engine?

    As you see, self-branding sets us apart from the rest of the cattle out there. Let’s go make it happen!

    Sarah McIntosh, Sean O’Connell, Eliza Wadson, Jocelyn Walson

  • Careers in the CC Realm

    Careers in corporate communication are not limited; there are endless opportunities for success and growth within a corporate setting. Often while looking for a job, the term “corporate” may intimidate one due to the fact that most corporate jobs equal large corporations that have maintained their reputation and entering their teams may entail a large workload. Settings of corporate communication careers vary widely; however, the worldwide web is becoming one of the main channels for corporate communication.

    A Corporate Communication Director is just one example of a career within the corporate communication realm. This position requires the understanding of the way communication is interpreted by individuals and in group settings through the study of theory and the nature of communication throughout history. While in this career, one will learn how to evaluate and do an analysis of communication, in print and orally. This career typically requires with a Bachelor’s degree in Communications Studies and can continue into the Master’s level. A person who has completed the required elements to become a Corporate Communication Director may also become a Public Relations Director, Advertising Director, Lease Negotiator, etc.

    Public relations and corporate communication tie directly into each other in the aspect that corporate communication professionals deal with external public relations for the most part. Through brand exposure, public relations increase industries’ media personnel and journalists. While dealing with the public relations aspect, relationships are formed with key personnel to maximize the quality of the exposure.

    In any career that deals with corporate communication, the person must have sound analytical skills and knowledge of the many theories of communication and be able to evaluate what is placed in front of them at any point in time.

    Kelly Wiley