The job market is hot for executive communicators

PR/corporate communications recruiter Lisa Ryan cites three reasons the job market for executive communications is hot—with a caveat.

First, the caveat: Ryan, a 20-year veteran of the recruiting wars and a senior VP and managing director at leading corporate communications recruiter Heyman Associates, says the most common weakness in speechwriting candidates is, “They forget how to be part of a team. They say, ‘Put me in a room and close the door.’”

Can you accept being edited?

That doesn’t work for most clients. “[Speechwriters] have to be able to handle being edited. Some of them take great offense [when their work is edited by a manager]. They say, ‘What do you mean? This is wonderful!’”

That said, Ryan wants—needs!—to hear from speechwriting candidates, a pool that’s been drying up for a number of reasons, all having to do with supply and demand. Ryan points to these trends:

Q.: What’s the biggest mistake speechwriters make?

A.: They focus too much on the job at hand!