The Communications Consultant.
Name: Alexandra Edmiston
Where do you live?
Beach
Profession:
Communications consultant
Please explain what you do in your job(s):
Let me begin by providing my definition of a communications professional. The marketplace relies on us to craft effective messages that rise above the noise and make others take notice. We could be asked to develop a magazine for employees, help an organization teach employees about their new strategy, create a plan to promote a Toronto film festival event, enhance the image of a politician, or plan glamorous events like Samantha Jones, the public relations diva from Sex in the City. For the past six years, I've operated my own communications consultancy, where I specialize in three areas: working with organizations to enhance their profile through the media, developing marketing strategies to increase revenue and creating compelling publications that attract and engage the appropriate target audience.
Current job:
Principal, Alix Edmiston PR
List of accomplishments:
- Started as a reporter working at various news organizations across Ontario including CBC Radio in Windsor;
- Moved into the corporate world where I produced an award-winning corporate magazine for Canada Life;
- Joined Royal Bank as manager of marketing and communications and then moved up to the role of director of marketing and communications at the Purchasing Management Association of Canada;
- Published a book called Confessions from the Cubicle; Women Talk about Surviving in Today's Work Force, which was profiled on CBC Radio's Later the Same Day, TVO and on the CTV morning shows in Toronto and Montreal.
- Served as president of the Toronto Chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC), the largest chapter in the world's leading professional association representing strategic business communication professionals;
- Currently serve as a trustee on IABC's Research Foundation, which funds and publishes research to advance the communications profession and to demonstrate the value of communication in organizational effectiveness.
How do you measure success in your profession?
We measure success by taking the time to understand our clients' needs and delivering what they need, when they need it.
How did you get your start in your chosen career?
I graduated from Ryerson's journalism program for university graduates and spent two years on a whirlwind tour of Ontario working as a general assignment reporter. News writing for the most part is left brained; you gather the facts and plug them into a formula called the inverted pyramid. I chose journalism because I thought it would allow me to write while tapping my creative side. Very early on, however, I realized it wasn't doing that. I saw a job for a corporate magazine editor at Honeywell and decided to give it a shot and discovered that I loved being involved in all elements of magazine production.
When did you decide this is what you wanted to do for a living? When was that 'moment'?
I really was a late starter. I decided this was what I wanted to do 'when I grew up' when I was 35 and started managing my own communications department. I feed off the creative energy of a team whether we're working together to develop a media campaign, planning conferences or promoting a new book.
What did you have to do in order to get involved with this profession?
Most job advertisements require a university degree in a related field or a diploma and/or a certificate in public relations. Many senior practitioners are choosing to become accredited because it provides a stamp of approval that they have reached a certain level of skill. IABC offers an accreditation program, which I'm currently working toward. IABC's salary surveys reveal that accredited communicators earn higher salaries.
Pros and cons of this job:
Communications really is a profession for adrenalin junkies. When you arrive at work you have no idea what to expect. Before you've had a chance to take your first sip of coffee you could be listening to a voicemail outlining a crisis you need to deal with, or you could be scanning an e-mail highlighting a negative story about your organization in that day's newspaper, or you may be rushing to a meeting to begin work on a plan to launch a product by the end of the week. Our work offers equal levels of excitement and stress. What we do is a bit like herding sheep as you try to quickly mobilize all the needed experts, and then try to convince them to place your job at the top of their huge 'to do' list.
Skills required for this job:
Strong writing skills, business savvy, customer service focus, positive attitude, flexibility and lots of energy.
What can youth expect if they want to pursue this job?
Many practitioners start out in an entry job in an agency, not-for-profit or corporation. It's a good way to learn the ropes while shadowing senior practitioners. It allows you to finely hone the essential skills required in our field, such as project management, problem resolution and client relations. I would encourage young people to join their professional association and become an active volunteer to learn skills they may not be able to develop in their day job.
The best move I ever made early in my career was joining the Toronto chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators (http://toronto.iabc.com/ ) during my first communications job. My volunteer involvement provides exciting opportunities to dabble in new things in a friendly and supportive environment while working side by side with many interesting, talented and supportive volunteers.
Your parents probably told you that it's not what you know, it's who you know. Those are wise words. Volunteering is an excellent way for young practitioners to expand their professional network. The person you met at last month's networking event could be your next boss.
Percentage of people who actually succeed in this field:
Anyone with passion and the drive to succeed will get ahead in this field.
Salary range:
According to the recent IABC salary survey, those starting out in the profession with less than one year are earning on average $40,000.
Advice to youth who are thinking about pursuing this field:
This field is ever-changing. When I started out 16 years ago we were viewed as a 'non-revenue generating' corporate department that could easily be chopped when profits were down. Today, we're the professionals that you call when the power shuts off right across the eastern seaboard or when a deadly disease hits Toronto or when the CEO is arrested for insider trading.
Anything else you would like to say?
Even though you have a university degree, no one's expecting you to know everything. I don't know everything and I'm not ashamed to admit that. We're all learning. Observe others and learn as much as you can.
Use every networking opportunity to expand your professional network or make a friend.
Here are three things you want to do before you leave your house to attend your next cocktail party or job fair.
1. Make sure you've summed up what you want if you're looking for help from others.
2. Invest in a professional business card that reflects your image.
2. Develop an elevator speech so you can respond when someone asks you about yourself. The elevator speech is a synopsis of yourself or in other words, it's what you would say to Donald Trump if you were alone with him in an elevator and wanted him to hire you on the spot.