At Olivet Nazarene University two similar career fields under the communication umbrella have been majorly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Public Relations and Corporate Communication degrees are often interchanged and spoken to on the platform however, their differences make them unique, and the pandemic has affected them in unique ways.
“Covid-19 has drastically changed the communication field and how communication is done. Much more digitalized and much more socially distanced.”
Wyatt ganz- Olivet Nazarene Junior majoring in Corporate Communication and a minor in Business.
From Gantz’s experience, what he has witnessed will affect the execution of future internal communication in businesses thinking in ‘Covid-friendly guidelines’. Gantz talks about both public relations and corporate communication becoming heavy and almost reliant on digital media. Gantz thinks the heavy use of digitization will result in property downsizing for both public relations agencies and corporate dommunication. Public relation agencies and businesses will come to realize how much can be done remotely and take advantage of digital communication like email, zoom, and social media etc.
Alyssa Laidler, senior Public Relations major at Olivet, says the pandemic has and will continue to change the communication field. The events during the past year is creating a more ‘sensitive’ society. Laidler believes public relations professionals will have to be more mindful of how and when they use words and communication professionals will have to learn to be well versed in virtual and in-person work.
Despite the long-term changes in the communication field, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job outlook for Public Relation Specialists is at seven percent (faster than average) and the Communication field is projected to grow four percent (about as fast as average) from 2019-2029. To find more statistics on other careers visit the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
An article entitled, “Communication lessons from COVID-19 that will last long beyond the pandemic” from E-Content discussed what has and hasn’t worked for experts in the communication field during the span of pandemic. What has worked is providing information the target audience needs or wants to hear. Once company created a vlog and posted useful tips and insights. According to the article, what does not work is unclear communication and self-promotion.
Sergio Pena Pacheco, a double major in public relations and corporate communication, has witnessed the loss of nonverbals because of the masks and the decline of networking connections. Pena Pacheco gave the example of an in-person guest speaker and the difficulty of making interpersonal connections because of lack of nonverbal facial expressions.
PRSSA’s Progressions released an article providing tips on how students can launch their career and define their personal brand amidst COVID-19. Reiterated throughout the article is the importance of networking and clearly defining your personal brand to stand out to potential employers. Students need to continue to network, apply themselves, define a personal brand and continue to grow their communication skillset. For more relevant stories visit Progressions – Advancing the Profession and the Future Professional (prsa.org).
From Public Relations and Strategic Communication (olivet.edu), Olivet describes a bachelor’s degree in corporate communication drawing from both communication and business disciplines. Course content for corporate communication includes advertising and promotions, public speaking, organizational communication and more. On the same website, Olivet describes a bachelor’s degree in public relations learning how to develop and conduct programs important to an organization’s success in terms of public perception and engagement. Marketing, fundraising and employee, community or government relations are integral parts of course work for public relations majors.
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