An Insider's Guide: Building Your Career in Internal Communication
When I was choosing a track for my bachelor’s degree, a career in corporate communication never came to mind as a possibility. In fact, I probably couldn’t have told you what that field actually is. Think of corporate communication as an umbrella for all of the different communication functions within an organization. Beneath that umbrella are two key communication functions: internal (meaning specifically within the organization) and external (meaning for stakeholders outside the organization).
As an 18-year-old, unfamiliar with all the possibilities, I went with what I knew (and loved) for an undergraduate degree: journalism. This was an incredible foundation for understanding how to understand audiences, create content for them, understand that they can stop engaging with your content at any time, and build relationships with them. All of that would serve me well in corporate communications.
After a few years working in publishing, I was eager to explore other career opportunities that would leverage my journalism background and help me go further. A financial services company offered me the role of their first-ever in-house marketing communications copywriter. I accepted and entered the world of corporate communication.
Over time, I moved into increasingly more senior corporate communication roles and discovered that internal communication (IC) was what I enjoyed most. I found the ability to inspire, engage, and inform employees within organizations to be incredibly powerful. I could help them increase their performance, productivity, and workplace satisfaction. With no internal communication subject matter experts in my organizations to guide me, I set out on a path to deepen my education. Here’s what I did:
Earned a Communication Management Professional (CMP®) certification from the Global Communication Certification Council
Engaged with professional organizations like the Institute of Internal Communication and ICology
Listened to podcasts for communication professionals like The Internal Comms Podcast and Engaging Internal Comms (I would even have the honor of being a guest on those podcasts later on)
Joined conversational communities for communication professionals like Comms-unity and CommsSolo
Being the best, most effective IC professional we can be is an ongoing journey. What worked in the field yesterday or even today may not be the right move for continued future success. Mastery is an ever-moving target in IC. That’s why I’m committed to not only continuing my professional learning journey but also sharing my knowledge and expertise with other IC pros. Explore my Individual Support page for more details.
