More on Hiring a Communications Manager

When I'm hiring, I focus on three key attributes:

1. Track record, experience in higher education or related field
   
2. Ability to put marketing into the academic context
   
3. Writing ability, experience on deadline
   

Higher Ed Experience

This can't be faked. If the candidate has had experience working directly with faculty, interviewing them, writing for internal use and pitching stories to the media, this is a plus. If the candidate has already worked with admissions officers, and placement officers, this is a huge plus.

Marketing in the Academic Context

Folks, we aren't the Coca-Cola Corporation. We don't have hundreds of millions in marketing money for specific products. In fact, one of the most unusual attributes of academic marketing is that, the harder it is for the customer to "buy" your product, the better for your brand. Hiring someone who knows this already can save a lot of misdirected activity.

Writing Ability, Deadline Experience

People who've been journalists, or at least trained as such, have a natural edge in this environment, because we are resource limited. People who a great talkers but expect someone else to put what they say down on paper usually come from an overstuffed communications shop or industry.