A marketing communications coordinator is a professional who participates in the development of an organization's marketing campaigns and orchestrates the ways in which these campaigns are brought to the public. For example, a coordinator might help develop coupons and sales for a retail company, and then use radio, television, and social media to spread news of these sales. To become a marketing communications coordinator, it is essential to study marketing, communications, or a combination of the two. While it is not essential to earn a graduate degree to become a marketing communications coordinator, it can help you excel in a competitive job market.
Experience can be just as important as education for a person who wants to become a marketing communications coordinator. Education and experience, however, need not be mutually exclusive. As a matter of fact, you should start getting work experience in this field while you study for a degree. Consider volunteering to work for school newspapers, magazines, and radio stations. Any experience you can get using the media as a marketing tool can help strengthen your resume.
In addition to volunteering, you might want to engage in professional internships. Local businesses can often use help getting their messages out to the public. You can set up blogs, social media pages, and even websites that enable businesses to reach new customers. If you have a positive impact on businesses where you work, you can probably depend on good letters of reference.
To become a marketing communications coordinator, you should plan on working for several years as a marketing professional or assistant to a coordinator. At this stage in your career, you might rely on marketing strategies designed by higher level professionals. While this role can be frustrating for an individual who would like to become a marketing communications coordinator, it's important to remember that this can be an educational opportunity to learn about real world practices.
Once you have earned degrees and gained several years of experience, you might be ready to apply for coordinator positions. Some individuals find that they can move up the ladder in the companies where they started out. When this is not possible, you should network with colleagues you have met throughout your career to learn about job leads. If you find out about an opening, you should update your resume and compose a cover letter that is tailored to the specific company and position.
