Proving Comms Value: Earning the Seat at the C-Suite Table

The job search experience for senior communications professionals in 2025 is tough. Applications go unanswered, interviews drag on, and many qualified people remain on the sidelines as companies look for perfect candidates, even at the expense of their own growth.

That’s why it’s critical for communicators to demonstrate forward-looking capabilities and strategic insights long before they apply for a job. Executives are looking for people who can drive business value and fit well into company culture.

Proven Media Solutions recently hosted two panels that tie these issues together. The first featured ITR Economics’ Mike Feuz, KCPartners founder Brooke Kruger, and DHR Corporate Affairs Managing Partner Jessica Bayer, who laid out what job seekers must understand about today’s cautious but growing hiring market. The second panel — with Notably co-founder Carin Warner, executive coach Scott Monty, and Hitachi Industrial Equipment Systems Chief Communications Officer Stephanie Roberts — dug into how communicators prove their value once inside the organization, guiding leaders through brand building, crisis response, and major transitions.

The Macro Picture: Growth With Caution

At the macroeconomic level, Feuz pointed out that leading indicators remain strong. Revenue growth is accelerating across sectors, which historically leads to more hiring. Despite tariff-driven uncertainty and a sluggish 2024, the fundamentals are improving.

The mismatch comes from psychology. Professionals compare today’s steady growth to the “sugar rush” after the pandemic — when companies threw money into the economy and hiring exploded. Additionally, people tend to look at lagging indicators like job numbers, even though the long-term trajectory is positive.

Kruger and Bayer described a hiring market defined by caution. Employers know they need communications talent, but they are reluctant to make mistakes. Interviews are longer, reference checks are deeper, and roles often stay open too long as companies wait for the “perfect” candidate.

That caution translates into frustration for applicants. Qualified professionals may go six, twelve, or eighteen months without landing a full-time role, despite deep experience. Hiring managers are also turning to contract-to-hire arrangements to reduce risk. For job seekers, contract work may open the door to a permanent seat.

Four Takeaways for Job Seekers

1. Labor costs are rising. Employers are investing in the right senior staff because retaining employees is cheaper than replacing them. Internal communications is especially valued as companies work to keep teams engaged and loyal. Bring the data to the interview!

2. Comms and government affairs overlap. Political uncertainty and tariff battles have elevated the need for communicators who understand policy. Professionals who can bridge external messaging with public affairs have an edge.

3. Your network matters more than LinkedIn applications. Online postings often attract hundreds of applicants, and resumes vanish into applicant-tracking black holes. Referrals and personal outreach are far more effective. And remember that your network is probably a lot bigger and more impactful than you realize.

4. LinkedIn is for storytelling. Don’t just post updates — use LinkedIn posts to demonstrate how you solve problems and engage thoughtfully on other people’s posts, Your voice, not just your resume, builds credibility.

From the Seat at the Table to Guiding the Table

The first panel showed that communicators are no longer just messengers. They have a seat at the table — influencing strategy, shaping narratives, and guiding leaders through uncertainty. But the real test of leadership comes when the strategy shifts: building the brand itself, navigating a crisis, or steering through executive transitions. That’s where the second panel comes in, showing how communicators translate credibility into influence once they’re inside the room.

Brand Strategy: The Story Behind the Logo

Building a company’s brand today is inseparable from the people who lead it. Roberts explained how guiding a new CEO through cultural and geographic transitions required weaving in personal experiences, not just company values. Monty’s Ford experience underscored the same point: even in a century-old brand, the CEO became the chief storyteller, humanizing Ford in 2008, when the company was facing enormous pressure from Congress. Warner highlighted that founders often struggle to answer a simple but essential question: What do you want to be known for?

Crisis: When Leadership Is the Message

Crises test whether leaders and brands are credible. Monty’s account of Ford’s response during the 2008 financial collapse showed how humanized leadership — from caravan road trips to congressional testimony — reframed the company’s story in the public eye. Roberts shared how in Japan, trust and relatability mattered as much as strategy when explaining tariff impacts. Warner pointed out that sometimes the CEO should not be the spokesperson — especially when their presence risks implying fault. Choosing the right messenger at the right moment can preserve credibility while still showing empathy and action.

Transitions: Balancing Legacy and Change

Perhaps the hardest challenge is guiding leaders through transitions — whether it’s a new CEO, a generational shift in leadership, or a brand refresh. Roberts described how Hitachi’s first non-Japanese CEO required careful storytelling to earn trust internally and externally. Monty emphasized consistency: repeating a clear and compelling vision until it cascades through every level of the organization. Warner pointed to Red Wing Shoes’ new fourth-generation CEO as a rare case where personal passion and company heritage align perfectly, making the leader herself the brand’s most powerful ambassador.

Conclusion: The Roadmap for Communicators in 2025 & 2026

Both panels bring a similar message: communications professionals have to guide long before the strategy is implemented. Bring the data, showcase your expertise, and speak C-Suite. Earn the seat at the table during the interview and even more so after you’ve arrived at it.