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Ever had that one freelance gig or landed a job that showed early promise – only to have it do a quick 180º and end up a hot mess? It happens. And it sucks. But instead of beating yourself up or worse, bad-mouthing the company, take a minute to reflect on what you learned during that time. As the saying goes, when you lose, don’t lose the lesson. Writer Melissa Ligertwood shares her story about her stint as a would-be communications rockstar at an oil company…
After a year as a freelance journalist, I moved from BC to Alberta in search of a career in corporate communications. It wasn’t long before I found a position with a growing company and a very attractive salary. The CEO himself sat down in front of me and convinced me that this was where I needed to be.
They wanted to create a position for me, they said. I started with the corporate newsletter, but I had much bigger plans: I was going to build a corporate communications program from scratch.
One must strike a delicate balance when entering a new workplace environment. I didn’t come in guns blazing expecting things to change overnight; I tread lightly. I compromised a lot, but I pushed back too. I sought alliances with anyone who seemed to support my work. I developed strategies, created steering committees and built incredible networks. I worked weekends. I sacrificed vacations.
But in the end, no matter what I did, or how hard I tried, nothing worked. Nobody cared.
The truth of the matter was that the company just wasn’t ready for such a huge shift in thinking. So in 2008, when the economic downturn happened – and my layoff along with it, it was a welcome relief.
Could it have been avoided? I don’t think so. I mean, things happen for a reason and you carry on, hopefully a little wiser than you were the day before. I used what I learned and the connections I made to start my own company, which is probably the best possible outcome anyway. If I ever decide to take another corporate job, I won’t be so naïve.
See? Wiser.
Some lessons can’t be taught. They simply have to be learned. And now I know that while any organization can benefit from a professional communications strategy, there are a few not-so-magic ingredients for success. If you’re a budding communications pro thinking about diving head-first into an organization’s corp comm strategy here are a few pointers that will help save you from cracking your head on the bottom of the pool – like I did.
Know the why
Let me get the obvious out of the way first. Understanding your company’s needs and the reasons for bringing a communications person on board are essential. If you don’t know ‘the why,’ it’s going to be next to impossible for someone else to figure it out.
Trust the expertise
You have just hired a person who specializes in communications. Creative people have a craft and, just like any craft, there is a process. We do our best to educate and explain, it goes with the territory. But at some point, we need to spend less time justifying and more time getting the job done.
The truth of the matter was that the company just wasn’t ready for such a huge shift in thinking.
“We’ve always done it this way,” should be outlawed
One of the most important lessons I’ve learned in this industry is that you have to let go of fear. Fear of failure, fear that something won’t work out as intended, fear of getting it wrong. Do you want new ideas or not? I can’t stress thing enough – you have to have to have to be willing to try new things. Refusing to move with the times is akin to professional suicide!
Melissa is a professional writer with a background in psychology, environment, industry and Aboriginal relations. Based in Calgary, Alberta, her company Content Lime Communications specializes in digital projects, social media, web content and technical writing.
What are some of the lessons you’ve taken away from a previous job? We’d like to hear from you! Share your experiences in the section below.