My Major Isn’t Less than Your Major: The Stigma Around Pursuing Communications as a Profession
With Thanksgiving around the corner, I’m sure many of us are dreading the impossible “What are you going to do with your life” questions from friends and family. For younger college students this means admitting to Aunt Becky that no, I don’t have my entire life figured out yet because I’m only 18. Unfortunately for seniors, we can’t dodge the question as easily.
While the imminent “What are your plans after graduation?” question is difficult for many, it especially hits hard when you are a communications major. It is sometimes hard for com students to even admit their majors when there is such a negative stigma around professional communications degrees. Even in this day and age where proper communications strategies are critical for the success of a business, we are still categorized as the “easy” major or the “college cop-out” for athletes. Fortunately, I’m here to give you the answers to those seemingly impossible questions by providing you with all the facts you need to defend your major and your future career.
What are you studying?
Such a simple question shouldn’t be so difficult to answer. Unfortunately, many communications majors fear the judgment that comes after answering. We’ve all heard it before, communications is thought to be one of the easiest majors in college. Too often I’ve answered this question only to receive blank stares and a, “What are you going to do with that?” Education is key. As a public relations major, most people don’t understand what it is we do, and therefore, are mainly asking you to give them an example of a career they are familiar with. Even if you don’t have your life figured out, provide them with a few examples of what you could do. You can feel attacked by this question, or you can take it as an opportunity to inform people of what it is we do. As communications professionals, it is our job to do what we do best and educate our communities. Take this chance to show our worth.
Communications is “easy”.
If you’ve gotten past the first question and you’re still feeling judged, it’s time to state the facts. Communications professionals are in demand and they will continue to be as long as organizations have a need to maintain their public image. Now that you’ve established that you have a career waiting for you after college, it’s time to defeat the stigma that the job will be “easy”. According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, “Public relations specialists create and maintain a favorable public image for the organization they represent”. As many of my fellow students may argue, it is so much more. A favorable public image doesn’t come without working to build mutually beneficial relationships between the organization and its publics. The number of organizational crises that occur because of bad or broken relationships with their publics are plentiful. Without communications majors, who would be there to reconnect that broken trust and put the brand back on track? Crisis communication is just one difficulty associated with a career in our field.
The fear of public speaking affects nearly 75% of the population and many communications professionals do it every day. It’s skills like these our major trains us to have that make us vital to any organization.
Love what you do.
In the end, the only person you have to convince of your worth is yourself. I’ve never met a group of people more passionate about their major than my advertising and public relations program. I can’t wait to see that passion translate into our careers.
Communications professionals have very real and impressive capabilities. There is beauty in not having a direct path from major to career and being able to choose based on your interests. While many of you may continue to shove your face with apple pie this Thanksgiving and avoid those impossible life questions, I urge you to face the stigma, educate your community, and be proud to be a communications major.
About Teagan:
Teagan Epley is a senior at Grand Valley State University studying advertising and public relations, with a minor in business. She is our VP of Member Services for GVSU PRSSA and an Account Associate for Grand Valley’s student-run PR firm, GrandPR. Her aspirations as a public relations professional include deepening her skills in media relations, social media and design. In her free time, Teagan enjoys watching movies or exploring Grand Rapids.