Communications Assistant
Entry Level // Communications Department
What does a Communications Assistant do?
A Communications Assistant’s job is to help the Communications Director and Communications Manager on the company’s internal and public websites, and social media.
A typical day might include a range of activities, including pulling together information on prize winners and bestseller lists; working with the team on campaigns, editing the website to make sure it’s up to date, writing and editing content for the website and social media, making PowerPoint presentations, and keeping spreadsheets up to date.
Their job is to be supportive and assist their colleagues as well as to learn as much as they can about the company, the people in it and the books they publish.
What is a Communications Assistant good at?
- Communication; good at writing and checking their work for grammar and spelling
- Organisation; good at juggling lots of different tasks and making sure that everything is done on time
- Social media savvy; interested in different marketing techniques and an active user of all mainstream social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn
Who does a Communications Assistant work with?
A Communications Assistant usually reports to the communications director and works closely with colleagues in different departments.
How do I become a Communications Assistant?
As an entry level role, you do not need any experience to become a Communications Assistant. However, it helps if you can secure a placement of some kind, such as an internship or work experience. This will give you an insight into the publishing world and prepare you for the workforce.
If you want to study at university, you might choose a discipline in the humanities or social sciences, such as History or Media Studies.
There are also apprenticeships available for Communications Assistants (though not many in the publishing industry).
With experience, you could progress to more senior communication roles, or move into areas like advertising, sales or public relations.