Career Fields

Possible careers for Communication majors:

Teaching - According to the US Department of Labor, " teachers teach children to read, write, do math, and much more.  Teachers try to make their lessons easy to understand.  They teach things in different ways so that different students can learn in the way that is easiest for them.  Teachers might use a chalkboard, a projector, or a computer.  They make posters or worksheets before class starts.  Teachers plan the schedule for the day.  Most teachers have to teach what the principal tells them.  Teachers also assign homework and class projects.  They often have students work together to do projects.  When students are not doing as well as they should, teachers help them.  After class, teachers grade papers and projects. They also create tests. They write students' report cards. And they meet with parents to try to help their children do better in school. Teachers sometimes go to workshops to learn how to teach better. Some teachers also help with sports or other after-school activities."  Teachers in public schools must have a teaching certificate and a license to teach.  Depending on the age that is to be taught, different certifications are needed.  They are also expected to have a four-year degree from a college or university.  The job outlook for teaching is good expected to move to excellent depending where you live and what subject is being taught.  According to the US Department of Labor, "in May 2008, elementary school teachers had average yearly wages of $52,240.  Middle school teachers made an average of $52,570 each year, while high school teachers made $54,390 each year."

Social Work - According to the US Department of Labor, "social workers help people overcome problems and make their lives better.  They might work with people who are homeless, sick, or having family problems.  Or they might help students who are having trouble in school.  One of the ways social workers help is by finding resources for people.  For someone with family difficulties, social workers might find a parenting class or support group.  For a homeless person, they might find a place to live and a career training program.  For a student, they might find a mentor or a learning disability expert."  Social workers are expected to have at least a four-year degree but encouraged to receive further education with credits in psychology, sociology, economics, and ethics.  The US Department of Labor states that "before they can get a job, social workers need a license, certification, or registration.  The rules for getting these things depend on the State where you live.  Workers can also get a certification from the National Association of Social Workers.  This certification makes it easier to get some jobs."  Employment for counselors is expected to grow faster than average and the median annual wages in May 2008 were $43,120.

Counseling - According to the US Department of Labor, "counselors work in diverse community settings designed to provide a variety of counseling, rehabilitation, and support services.  Their duties vary greatly, depending on their specialty, which is determined by the setting in which they work and the population they serve.  Although the specific setting may have an implied scope of practice, counselors frequently are challenged with children, adolescents, adults, or families that have multiple issues, such as mental health disorders and addiction, disability and employment needs, school problems or career counseling needs, and trauma.  Counselors must recognize these issues in order to provide their clients with appropriate counseling and support."  A counselor usually must have a master's degree and must have some credit hours from counselor education programs which are offered at most colleges and universities.  Depending on the state, there are different licensure procedures.  Counselors can also elect to be certified with the National Board for Certified Counselors which is voluntary but can help to avoid some of the credentials needed.  Employment for counselors is expected to grow faster than average and the median annual wages of educational, vocational, and school counselors in May 2008 were $51,050.

Public Relations Specialist - According to the US Department of Labor, "public relations specialists handle organizational functions, such as media, community, consumer, industry, and governmental relations; political campaigns; interest-group representation; conflict mediation; and employee and investor relations.  Public relations specialists must understand the attitudes and concerns of community, consumer, employee, and public interest groups to establish and maintain cooperative relationships between them and representatives from print and broadcast journalism."  Other than a four-year degree in Journalism, Communication, Public Relations, or Marketing, there are no other required credentials to enter into being a public relations specialist.  Some companies look for employees who have completed internships and display excellent skills in which relate directly to the job but other than that, there are no pre-requisites.  The job outlook for public relations specialists is expected to grow must faster than average in the years to come.  The median annual wages for public relations specialists were $51,280 in May 2008.

Reporter - According to the US Department of Labor, "reporters gather information and write news stories.  These stories appear in newspapers and magazines.  Some reporters appear on television and radio.  To get information, reporters look at documents. They also observe the scene and interview people.  Reporters write about events.  These include things such as an accident, a rally, or a company going out of business.  Radio and television reporters often report 'live' from the scene."  Reporters usually need a four-year degree in Journalism but there are other majors that are acceptable.  There are no certifications or licenses needed for this occupation but an internship with a news organization is helpful for employment.  The job outlook for this career is expected to decline moderately through 2018.  In May 2008, reporters had average yearly wages of $44,030.

I chose these five careers because I am moderately interested in each of them but also, my desired career path isn't really researchable.  Hopefully in the future I will be associated with a college or university helping students with their educational goals.  The most closely related field would be being a counselor which I am really interested in learning more about.  According to HubPages.com, " Most students encounter challenges beyond the scope of teachers’ awareness at some point during their school careers.  In experiencing such dilemmas, many students develop the adaptive coping skills that help them navigate life’s difficult experiences.  Despite the natural coping ability that most students exhibit, their teachers can be ill-equipped to provide proper guidance counseling."  In one way or another, I definitely want to be involved in helping students through their struggles when receiving an education and I think that it's really important for them to have someone that they can trust and talk to.

References

United States Department of Labor.  (2010).  Bureau of Labor Statistics.  Retrieved from http://www.bls.gov/.

HubPages.  (2010).  The importance of school counseling.  HubPages.com.  Retrieved November 3, 2010, from http://hubpages.com/hub/The-Importance-of-School-Counseling.