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8 careers you can have with a professional writing degree

Blog | 04.14.2021

Writing can take you to an entire new universe. Whether you love to write creatively or creating captions for marketing content, there’s a wide variety of possibilities. Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College (SMWC) has a strong professional writing program that engages students in real life work and realistic situations that occur in the writing world. SMWC values the education that students earn and wants to ensure that each student knows the variety of paths that can be taken after graduation. Here are eight careers you can have with a degree in professional writing.

1. Public relations specialist

Working in front and behind the scenes – as a PR specialist, you’ll do both. With the ability to communicate clearly, you’ll have opportunities to build relationships with the public simply by ensuring your brand aligns with everything associated with it. Public relations employees are in high demand and take efficient work ethics. Critical thinking qualities are very necessary. You never know what a day’s work might bring, which makes this career one-of-a-kind.

Job tasks can include:

  • Proofreading and writing press releases
  • Being interviewed by news reporters
  • Approving content and scheduling date of information releases

2. Content researcher and writer

Having experience with several different platforms is one factor that can help you tremendously in this career. Researching popular trends in advertising and communications will be a constant part of your routine. It’s important to know the individual goals and values of your company to find strategies and content techniques that align. Understanding the typical views of the public are important as you will review analytics and others logistics.

Job tasks can include:

  • Promote and send surveys to engage public insight for company strategies
  • Present ideas to advertising teams for strong ways to promote business
  • Observe logistics and analytics of website and social media engagement

3. Content marketing specialist

As a content marketing specialist, you’ll have a wide range of tasks in your daily routine. From scheduling social media to writing content from the latest news involving your company. You must be efficient with time management, but also be willing to be flexible. It’s important to prioritize tasks and have a positive work ethic.

Job tasks can include:

  • Building presence on social media platforms
  • Set documents and content for release
  • Edit and proofread drafts for publishing

4. Social media coordinator

From selecting the perfect graphics to crafting catchy captions, you’ll have an exciting schedule as a social media coordinator. Having an open and creative mindset plays a huge role in this career. There will be times your peers and team rely on you to have different visions to communicate the company values through photos and just a few sentences. It’s important to be organized and have strong skills in delegation to meet deadlines. Setting schedules for different links and posts will be a constant part of your routine. With the world of technology, sometimes glitches just happen, so it’s important to have exceptional problem-solving abilities.

Job tasks can include:

  • Creating monthly schedules for social media posts on multiple platforms
  • Creating different social media ‘stories’ to engage followers
  • Backlink stories, blogs, or press releases

5. Freelance writer

Making it your own – that is the slogan of many freelance writers. With a wide variety of possibilities, you can take on as many or as few projects as you want. Being a freelancer is known for flexibility. You’re able to set your own schedule. Maintaining a positive relationship with clients is always important for a business, but especially if you and your business go hand in hand. Having clear communication is key in this career in order to keep clients fully satisfied with your work.

Job tasks can include:

  • Meet with clients (virtually and in-person) to discuss brands and ideas for content
  • Keep your personal website updated with availability
  • Discuss goals with clients for projects, campaign releases and website content

6. Director of communications

With strong leadership skills and being a team player, you’re sure to have an exciting career as a director of communications. This career can come with a wide variety of job descriptions and tasks, so having an open mind with whatever projects come your way is important. Being able to delegate is essential as you will be working with several team members with a plethora of skillsets.

Job tasks can include:

  • Heading brainstorming sessions/team meetings
  • Coordinating meetings with clients and team members
  • Set up release schedules for social media and web content

7. Grants specialist

As a grants coordinator, you’ll look for both formal and informal grant applications and opportunities for businesses and clients. Whether you work for a specific agency or an educational institution, you’ll be able to display your skills in research, time management and organization. Researching for grants can be a time-consuming profession, but it’s very rewarding when an application is accepted and approved. There’s a specific reward in knowing that you helped a community business in need.

Job tasks can include:

  • Research client-specific grant opportunities
  • Present multiple grant options to clients
  • Offer professional insight and advice on different grants and application processes

8. Journalist

Journalism has risen in demand and popularity among students in the last several years. From writing for newspapers to being a travel author, there are endless options when pursuing a career as a journalist. Having critical thinking skills and creative thought processes will benefit you in this career. Being organized and having the ability to take clear and concise notes is vital.

Job tasks can include:

  • Interviewing individuals for perspectives on news pieces
  • Taking notes at conferences
  • Taking and selecting photos for specific stories

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