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Communication Officer - Personal requirements

Āpiha Whakawhiti Kōrero

Skills & knowledge

Communication officers need to have:

knowledge of the company they are working for, and its business and/or products and services
knowledge of the media, how it operates, and what types of media to use for different purposes
the ability to summarise and simplify complex information and communicate it to different groups
the ability to put together a communication strategy
excellent written and oral communication skills, including a good understanding of English grammar
the ability to form and maintain relationships, especially with managers and journalists
knowledge of different design and printing methods
computer and desktop publishing skills, as well as photography skills
good project management skills
time management, organisational and planning skills
leadership skills.

Michael Allen

"Good communication is really about getting your messages out there and making sure they are heard loud and clear by your target audiences."

Michael Allen - Communication Officer

Personal Qualities

Communication officers need to be:

outgoing and comfortable with meeting new people
confident sharing their ideas in a team
creative and enthusiastic
adaptable and open-minded
responsible
accurate
able to work well under pressure
consistent when dealing with staff, clients and members of the public
able to keep information private.

It's also helpful to have a good memory.

Phil McGrath

"Having a good memory is helpful, so you can recall information at the drop of a hat to answer queries from the public."

Phil McGrath - Communication Officer

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Updated September 2009

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Like many countries, New Zealand is feeling the effects of the global economic downturn. We will try to keep our job information updated to reflect these changes, but we recommend that you take the current economic climate into account when using our information.

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