Many senior communicators report to business leaders who may not be familiar with our profession.  As a result, many companies have opportunities to improve the way they hire communicators. If you are getting ready to recruit for a senior communications professional and have not done so before, here are my tips to make sure that you hire someone who can make a real difference at your company.

1. If you want a communicator, don’t hire a writer. Organizations have a wide range of needs for communication professionals. Unfortunately, many who have less experience with communicators assume that a writer/editor will meet all of their needs. Or a journalist. Or a video editor. If you need a strong generalist, a strategic advisor, a leader, or a team manager, look for candidates with a background to match. It’s true that being a strong writer is a cornerstone skill for any communicator – but it’s not the end of the story.
2. Hire to your mandate. What do you want your communications function to accomplish? Some companies need strong business to business relationships. Others need to drive communications within a specific business function that requires familiarity with industry or professional trends and issues. Rather than concentrating on your immediate need (such as to create an online community or web site), look for candidates who can describe how to apply communications competencies to reaching your objectives.
3. Insist on communications AND business acumen. You’ll find good communicators in every industry, and in many cases, these professionals cross industry boundaries well. The ability to communicate clearly, systematically assess needs and deliver a strategically-useful communications plan should be a part of any senior communicator’s portfolio of skills. So should a clear understanding of return on investment, the time value of money, and basic project management concepts. When you interview for a communications professional, ask yourself: Does the person I am interviewing understand the fundamentals of business. Seek out candidates who understand how your business makes money. Senior communicators should be able to look beyond knowing the regulations behind communicating in the banking industry or telling employees about benefit plans to seeing the opportunities to improve your bottom line with their skills.
4. Raise your expectations. I am amazed at how many high-level communications positions still advertise for a BA/BS degree in English or journalism (preferred) with five to seven years of experience. Professional degrees such as master’s level studies in communications or business (MBA) and credentials such as IABC’s Accredited Business Communicator (ABC) provide objective evidence that your candidate brings more to the table than exceptional proofreading skills. These candidates may cost more in terms of salary, but also bring more value in both the near and long term.
5. If you can only afford a ‘one person show,’ hire a star. Tight budgets – especially today – are a reality. So are small departments where everyone wears multiple hats. If you are looking to make a real impact on your company through strategic communications, look for generalists with a little more experience who are still ready to roll up their sleeves. In this job market, there are some exceptional professionals ready to show you what your extra salary dollars can buy.
6. There’s more to communications than PR and social media. What kind of communications professional do you need? Like many other professions, there are several disciplines in organizational communications that can add value to your team. Do the research to determine what kind of communicator is the best fit for your needs.
7. Listen to your recruiting professionals. Your Human Resources staff and ‘headhunters’ will reinforce those basic hiring practices that get you better employees in every specialization. Test for knowledge. Use behavior-based interviews. Your strategic communicator is out there ready to make a big difference in your organization. It’s up to you to hold candidates to a higher standard to find the right match for your company.

Tags: Business Alignment, Strategic Communications