Every week, I am approached by recruiters looking to fill #communications manager or director positions. While I'm flattered and VERY happy in my #consulting business and serving fantastic clients, I always respond and willingly refer people in my network seeking new opportunities. Recruiters have a challenging job to do and I love to help. HOWEVER...
Many of the #communications job descriptions I see are from technical companies who THINK they know what a Communications Director or Manager role needs to be. My "spidey senses" go up when the job description:
😭 Contains five or more skill sets in one position. The person is expected to do external, internal, social media, investor relations, employee engagement, government affairs, graphic design, multimedia production, etc., and...
🤑 Pays a salary of a junior-level professional while seeking senior-level expertise listed above, and...
⬆ Reports through another function, or worse, multiple functions (like HR *and* Marketing). This relegates communications professionals to a "lesser" and "reactive" role, and minimizes visibility and influence as a strategic advisor to executives. Ideally, Communications should be its own department as it interfaces and supports all functions within a company.
What other "red flags" would you add here and why? How can we advise and advocate for better role creation in our profession?