Being a working mom can be hard. A stressful job can make it harder. More and more moms are finding ways to leave the corporate environment to start businesses or become stay at home moms. Other moms find that those options aren’t available to them and seek alternative solutions to leaving their current position behind.
The answer may be finding a new career all together. With technological advances, the opportunities are endless, but may require additional education and training. One new job on the horizon is the Communication Manager position.
Why This Position is Needed?
As businesses, the time will eventually come when organizations saturate the domestic market and begin looking overseas for more opportunities. Taking a business abroad, however, is a massive challenge. Cultural and linguistic barriers can get in the way. A product or strategy that works in one country may not work in another.
The data suggest that the majority of firms experience tremendous difficulty selling their products overseas. More than 54 percent said that their performance was worse than they planned, and 62 percent said that they overestimated the market potential for their goods.
So, what’s causing all this? Part of the problem is things like social norms and language, but administrative barriers and the cost of shipping all play a role too. Firms don’t often realize ahead of time how expensive it is to move goods around the world and how it puts them at a disadvantage.
The solution, in the eyes of many, is “communications managers” – people who understand how to bridge the gap between cultures and sell products. These managers use their knowledge of local markets to help companies tailor their approach. Firms can’t just cut-and-paste their existing strategies into a new environment – it just won’t work. They have to try something fundamentally different.
Infographic by University of Southern California
As the following infographic shows, the need for such professionals is growing at a fast pace – as are their salaries. People who understand how native cultures operate and the challenges companies face can help organizations plan better future expansion. Could this be the career for you? Research and pray. No matter how old you are, you can always start over!