The members of the International Association for Business Communication (IABC) rated the following skills most useful for those who are considering a career in business communication:

Advanced communication skills
Communication management
Basic communication skills
Audio-visual/video training
General management
Case-study/problem solving
Technical developments
Research

These skills--either directly related to the major in English at Heidelberg or easily attainable through elective courses in addition to the English major--lead to jobs in departments such as communications, public relations, marketing/advertising, public affairs, internal communications, and personnel/human resources (Foote -Smith ). And the types of jobs available are as varied as the departments, themselves.

Writing Jobs

Technical Writer
Proposal Writer
Policy Writer
Manual Writer
Specifications Writer
Copy Writer
Copy Editor
Proofreader

Writing jobs are difficult but not impossible to find. Company downsizing has caused businesses to rely on free-lance writers to do the actual writing (Bly 133 ) and in-house personnel to produce the documents.

In many businesses, in addition to an undergraduate English major, you would need a Master's degree in Technical Writing and specialized training in some other discipline. For example, to get a job as a technical writer at a pharmaceutical company, you would do well to have biology or psychology background.

Writers consult with engineers and scientists to help draft instructions, documentation, and other kinds of documents for the public based on the specialists' work. Copyeditors and proofreaders work with the documents during the production process, making sure that grammar, mechanics and style are correct and consistent and that no typographical errors have been made.

Print Production/Project Management Jobs

Promotions Assistant
Marketing Research Assistant
Publicity Assistant
Newsletter Editor
Technical Publications Manager
Production Manager

In these jobs, employees work at all stages of the production process, from writing initial drafts to distributing final products. Once the writing is done, project managers get printing quotes (prices), hire photographers, illustrators and graphic artists, get copy and layout approved, and manage the distribution process. Planning and organizing meetings, press conferences, seminars, and other events might be part of your job as a print production or project manager.

The best preparation for these jobs is a strong liberal arts education, with some courses in business. You should get practical experience in the field during summer vacations, and you should consider an internship that would add to your experience and help you make contacts in the industry.

Planning and Strategizing Jobs

Ad Manager
Marketing Manager
Manager of Public Relations
Promotions Manager

As a manager of a department centered on producing documents, you would be responsible for approving final documents and scheduling their production. You would also schedule advertising and/or print promotion campaigns. Part of your responsibility is to manage both the people who produce the documents and the budget of the department or division.

These managerial positions require in most cases five years of experience in the field. The payscale is considerably higher than that for writing or project manager positions, but you have to earn your way into the job and the salary as a general rule.

The Occupational Outlook Handbook provides a section on writing and editing jobs and another on advertising, marketing, promotions, public relations and sales managers.

The Society for Technical Communication provides information and networking opportunities for people interested in careers in technical communication.

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