Marketing Communications Today Blog

No one wants to find out that they’re being underpaid, no matter how much you love your job. It makes you feel under-appreciated and even taken advantage of. That's why it’s important to know what people in similar positions are being paid. Luckily, there are some very easy ways to figure out these statistics. Recruiters, friends in the business, and various websites that list the information you’re looking for are great places to start. Checking in at  Salary.com is an easy and popular way to find out what the salary range is for someone in your position. Other websites, like  salarylist.com, list out salaries at specific companies. Lastly, there’s  glassdoor.com, where current and former employees anonymously give information about their salary, benefits, and the inside "skinny" on what it’s like to work at the company.

These are useful tools that every working person should be taking advantage so as not to be in the dark about the generally accepted value of your job. In fact, I counsel people to go out on interviews occasionally, even if they’re not in the job market, to get a better idea of what else is out there and how much people are earning. But even with the most accurate information, your value in the marketplace compared to your value at your company is not so black and white. 

In our roles as communicators, we seek to help our clients and organizations solve problems or enhance their image with purpose. This can include seeking funding, increasing positive visibility, and motivating key audiences to act. IMC and DMC professionals might be surprised to know the multiple benefits of working with government.

With our guest, Mike Fulton, we will explore recent real-world case studies and the many benefits organizations have achieved by tapping into government resources and opportunities. Results speak volumes — grants awarded; third-party validation of products, services and programs; successful nominations of federal advisory committee members; earned media placements; social media support; and the receipt of proactive ideas from government officials.

Fulton teaches IMC 638 - Public Affairs at West Virginia University. He's the director of Asher Agency’s Washington D.C. office and has more than 30 years of business networking, government relations, and communications experience.

Take a quick skim through LinkedIn for the position title of Marketing Specialist.

You’ll find one job posting after another that seeks what has been dubbed a ‘marketing unicorn.’ The postings don’t explicitly say ‘unicorn’ of course, but they list desired skills that run the gamut from artistic to data-centric to coding. After reading just one listing that requests applicants with Adobe CC, photography, videography, copywriting, event planning, Google Analytics and HTML and JavaScript skills, you’ll be wondering if it was actually meant to be split up into several different positions.

With so many ‘marketing unicorn’ requests on job boards, it begs the question, is marketing an art or a science? The short answer is it’s both. Ultimately, the degree to which marketers need to channel their inner unicorn depends on the size of the company.

Molly Gilmore is the owner of Blue Genes Media, a consulting business in the New York City area that's focused on user experience design and product development. Gilmore's professional background includes more than 20 years in software product design at companies such as Microsoft, Intuit, Hyperion Software, and usability research at Scripps Networks Interactive.

We had the pleasure of interviewing Gilmore on our weekly  Marketing Communications Today podcast. Here’s what she had to say about UX design and how it bridges the gap between old and new technologies.

Cyndi Greenglass: Would you define UX for us in your terms: What does it mean to you? What should our listeners know about that term?

After graduating with an art history major and working in event coordinating,  Rickie Huffman decided to grow her career with a graduate degree in Integrated Marketing Communications. Rickie is a perfect example of someone who hoped to pursue a career that would nurture her creative spirit and her love of innovation.

Acknowledging the every-changing field of marketing communications, Rickie chose to pursue the  Integrated Marketing Communications graduate degree at  West Virginia University’s  Reed College of Media. She’s here to talk about how the online, first-of-its-kind IMC program prepared her for industry success. 

Initially, I wanted to work in museums or art galleries, but I knew I didn’t want to pursue a graduate degree that required more Art History training — but I still wanted to do something with the degree. I also felt a little burned out from four years of studying the subject.

As the founder of Wax Marketing — an integrated marketing agency based in St. Paul, Minnesota — Bonnie Harris and her team design and implement IMC strategies for clients across the United States, focusing primarily on mid-sized companies in the healthcare, technology, and manufacturing industries.

As an industry trailblazer, we’re excited that we had the opportunity to interview Harris on our weekly Marketing Communications Today podcast. Here’s what she had to say.

Michael Lynch: I want to talk about personas. What is the traditional definition of persona in an integrated marketing communication platform?

The healthcare field is growing, and with it, the need for talented marketing communications professionals — especially for marketers who have advanced knowledge of the particular needs within the healthcare industry.

In this article, we’ll explore a few top reasons why the field of healthcare needs marketing communications professionals more than ever before. And perhaps, if you’re considering a degree in Integrated Marketing Communications from West Virginia University’s Reed College of Media, why the niche field of Healthcare Communication could be the right fit for you

Healthcare is a dynamic field, and with so many complexities, there's a real need for trained professionals who have studied marketing communications from a healthcare perspective. What might work for other fields (related to marketing practices), cannot be assumed to work in healthcare — especially when it comes to implementing integrated marketing communications campaigns in unified, consistent ways.

I’m always trying to plan ahead, constantly thinking five years into the future.

A really bad habit of mine is actually getting on Apartments.com about three times a week to “just browse apartments I could live in one day” in a few cities that fit my “five-year plan.” I also do this on LinkedIn, but with job titles. I keep a running list of job postings that interest me and am constantly trying to uncover how I can be the “perfect candidate” for whatever job title I have decided I will be pursing post-graduation that week.