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Communications Professional

Ngaio Whakawhitiwhiti Kōrero

Communications professionals develop strategies to promote the image of organisations to the public, shareholders and employees.

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Secondary education

NCEA Level 3 is required to enter tertiary training. Useful subjects include business studies, design and visual communication (graphics), digital technologies, English, media studies, social studies and te reo Māori.

Study fields

Study levels

  • Diploma
  • Bachelor's degree

Useful experience

Useful experience for communications professionals includes:

  • journalism or other writing experience
  • project management
  • marketing
  • event management
  • any work involving communications and networking.

What you will do

Communications professionals may do some or all of the following:

  • plan projects, publicity campaigns, functions and press conferences
  • write and edit press releases, in-house magazines, speeches, articles and annual reports
  • maintain online information about an organisation
  • keep important internal and external groups of people informed about the organisation
  • keep management informed about stakeholder, employee or community concerns
  • research public opinion by doing market research and analysing findings
  • advise politicians on how to deal with media
  • manage an organisation's public relations or marketing budget.

Skills and knowledge

Communications professionals need to have:

  • knowledge of digital channels and print media, and how to use them for publicity
  • the ability to write for different audiences
  • the ability to survey public opinion.

Māori liaison officers or iwi engagement managers need to have knowledge of Māori language and culture. Press secretaries also need to have an understanding of the political environment and knowledge of parliamentary procedures.

Pay

Communications professionals usually earn

$110K-$130K

per year

Senior communications professionals can earn

$130K-$180K

per year

Job opportunities
Good
Chances of getting a job as a communications professional are good due to a growing demand for workers.
Length of training
1-3
years of training usually required.

Industry

Advertising and Marketing

Communications professionals develop strategies to promote the image of organisations to the public, shareholders and employees.

Similar jobs in this industry

Entry requirements

To become a public relations professional you usually need to have a diploma or degree in areas such as: 

  • public relations
  • communications
  • media studies
  • business studies
  • journalism
  • politics.

Chances of getting a job

Opportunities good for communications professionals with digital skills

Demand for experienced communications professionals is high due to:

  • increasing use of digital channels and social media platforms by government departments, companies and organisations
  • more workers being employed as internal communications advisers.

Your chances of securing an entry-level job are best if you have communications work experience as competition is high.

Some public relations agencies and government departments offer graduate or entry-level role internships for communications professionals.

According to the Census, 4,341 communications professionals worked in New Zealand in 2018.

Types of employers varied

Communications professionals may work for:

  • local and regional government bodies
  • government departments
  • non-government organisations
  • private companies across a range of industries
  • not-for-profit organisations
  • public relations consultancies.

Find out more about training

Competenz
0800 526 1800 - info@competenz.org.nz - www.competenz.org.nz
Public Relations Institute of NZ (PRINZ)
(09) 358 9808 - national_office@prinz.org.nz - www.prinz.org.nz

Progression and specialisations

Communications professionals may become self-employed, or move into management or other roles such as journalist.

They may also specialise in an area of communications, such as:

Māori Liaison Officer
Māori liaison officers are employed by organisations to develop relationships with, and provide support to, the Māori community the organisation serves.
Press Secretary
Press secretaries advise ministers on how to deal with the media, and help them communicate government policy and decisions to the wider public.

Working conditions

Communications professionals:

  • usually work regular business hours, but often work more than 40 hours a week
  • usually work in offices
  • may travel locally, nationally or internationally to meet suppliers, designers and media staff from other organisations.

Useful personal qualities

Communications professionals need to be:

  • able to think creatively, strategically and critically
  • able to write using good grammar
  • able to simplify complex information
  • experts at networking, communicating, and negotiating with people
  • organised, and good at planning and managing projects
  • able to work well under pressure
  • good at researching and presenting.

Related Wintec courses

Industry

Advertising and Marketing

Communications professionals develop strategies to promote the image of organisations to the public, shareholders and employees.

Similar jobs in this industry

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