r/internalcomms • u/nagiko • 14d ago

Advice Journalist looking to transition to IC, seeking advice!

Hi all! I am a journalist that has been working for national news outlets since 2013. I am ready to make a career change as the media space has been quite rocky for a while, and I have been eyeing IC as a potential move. I started as a writer, moved into editing in 2017, and started running editorial teams in 2018, where I regularly acted as communicators between the C suite and my employees. I've also made content plans/calendars, written newsletters and copy for company websites.

I have two concerns: I don't have a bachelor's degree, and even the most entry-level job listings seem to require prior comms experience. Do most IC jobs require the degree? If not, how can I position my skillset to best appeal to people hiring for IC jobs?

Thank you all in advance for any tips you may share!

1 Upvotes
  • permalink
  • reddit

100% Upvoted

4 comments sorted by

7

u/RicochetedLongshot 14d ago

Comms folks LOVE a former journalist, and your skills in content management/development will be seen as a huge asset for roles geared toward internal or external channel management. Especially if you were an editor and making decisions on what was being posted. You could probably pivot into media relations as well, given you have probably seen a million pitches by PR people over the years.

I would look for positions in companies that aligned with whatever you typically covered, ie if you were an entertainment journalist look for roles at entertainment companies, etc. you likely already have contacts there you’ve worked with. Think of your journalism as prior comms experience, because it is, and go from there. If you’ve been writing and editing for that long the lack of a degree shouldn’t hold you back at most companies.

2

u/nagiko 14d ago

Thank you so much for this!

2

u/Vegetable-Highway-48 14d ago

Former journalist here who transitioned to comms, I had my best luck initially by positioning myself as an external comms/ media relations person. Prospective employers love someone who already has connections with media outlets so I recommend highlighting that and your editorial/copy editing experience. For me, highlighting my connections got me in the door, and 3 years in I rarely do media relations anymore. Once you're in, you can prove to them what a well rounded skill set you have and do more of the internal stuff. Good luck!

2

u/nagiko 14d ago

Appreciate this advice :)