Strictly Internal | Issue #12

40 new internal communications jobs at AmEx, eBay, GSK, J&J and more. Plus: Results from our certification survey.

Author

Kevin Blasko
July 25, 2024

Welcome to Strictly Internal #12! 40+ new internal comms jobs for you along with a nice mix of transformation/change comms roles. Four companies this week have two open internal comms jobs, and the are several remote roles, too.

Also, last week I asked if professional certifications are worth it…check out the results below, plus a few insights to consider adding to your reading list.

Let’s dive in...

New internal comms roles

The results are in…

Thank you to all who responded to last week’s survey on professional certifications! The results suggest a mixed view on certifications like CMP and SCMP, leaning toward “experience counts more” and “it depends.”

Comments from readers largely match the poll results…

  • “I have worked for major corps in very senior roles and most of the leaders around me have eschewed certs in favor of experience or formal degree programs.”

  • “As a freelancer, I think it will help me progress in my career and in getting more qualified leads.”

  • “It feels like an honor to share that I'm a certified communications professional. But my current employer didn't seem to care. I think (hope) the value might come from future employers/job opportunities.”

  • “I think the value is in the learning and the exposure to peers.”

  • I’ve spoken with comms leaders who have said it’s a waste of time. Courses to upskill are encouraged, but formal certs are unnecessary.”

  • “Having certification definitely helped me land a recent client, who referenced it directly.”

  • “Some change management roles are PROSCI as a desired qualification, but rarely as required.”

My take (FWIW): I’m in the “experience is more important camp.” However, I don’t think the certifications are harmful and the groups offering them don’t seem to oversell the benefits. My push to anyone considering a certification is to ask yourself, “what are you solving for?” If it’s a step change in your career, know that many employers will consider certifications as a “nice to have” and there might be a better path. If it’s rounding out your skillset and meeting peers, go for it.

New transformation & change comms roles

New insights

  • “I don't care how many pieces of communication you send out every month, but I care that your communication strategy or campaign drove our top-line growth or sped up our path towards profitability," says Jennifer Cohen, a comms leader at Johnson & Johnson, in this great interview from Whitney Wells’ Coffee with Communicators series. Important reminder for everything we do in comms!

  • “The key for genius teams is to find the sweet spot where tension is neither tepid nor toxic,” says researcher Merete Wedell-Wedellsborg in this article from the HBR. Interesting to read this article and think about your comms or leadership team.

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