Five Things Only Comms People Will Understand

Learn about Development Communications, meet our new Advisory Board Chair, join us for our virtual community hangout.

Hello Comms Superstars!

How are you doing? How did your week go?

Today, we’re taking a break from the career advice and the industry insights. This one is just for us.

If you work in communications, there are certain situations that need no explanation. Despite how distinct our organisations, industries, cities or countries may be, we have very similar career experiences.

Here are five things only we will truly understand.

1. Everyone Thinks They Can Do Your Job

Have you ever had a relative or a friend confidently say “but you just post on social media for a living”? Or maybe you received an email from a client who rewrote your caption word for word and sent it back like they’d done you a favour?

It’s also possible that you’ve heard someone say “anyone can build a career in communications, it’s not difficult” — with a completely straight face?

2. You Notice Typos Everywhere

Working in Comms means that you’ll often notice typos in the most random places. Eg, a restaurant menu or a flyer from a business you have no plans to patronise.

You’ll also spot tone issues almost immediately. One awkward social media caption and suddenly your brain has entered audit mode.

At this point, you probably haven’t read anything purely for enjoyment in a while because your brain simply will not allow it.

3. Your Work Is Underestimated Quite A Bit

Do you remember a time when you got a text saying “Can you just quickly write something for us?” Yes, quickly.

Have you ever received a request for a statement at 2:47pm that was needed by 3pm?

If not, you’ve probably been told “it doesn’t have to be long” and then you were handed enough information for a small novel?

And somehow, despite it all, we always deliver.

4. You Have A Complicated Relationship With Your Phone

For Comms people, our phones never fully go off.

A notification at 9pm on a Friday is either completely nothing or absolutely everything, and you will not know which until you check. You have to check to be sure it’s nothing because what if it’s something?

Your screen time report is not something you discuss with people outside of this industry because they might not understand that you need eyes everywhere.

5. Your Brain Never Fully Clocks Out

Have you ever been at a wedding and caught yourself mentally writing the couple’s social media caption?

Or maybe you watched a brand walk straight into a crisis and already knew word for word what their statement should say?

The comms brain does not come with an off switch and at this point you’ve made peace with it.

Working in Communications is a unique experience, and while it comes with its highs and lows, we honestly wouldn’t trade it for anything.

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Let’s Meet our Community Member of The Week

Hello TCA, I’m Kwame Torkpor-Aboagye coming to you from Accra, Ghana!

I’m an Adjunct PR Lecturer at Accra Technical University where I design and deliver industry-aligned lectures to upcoming PR professionals, mentor the next generation of communicators, and stay current with global industry trends. My areas of focus are strategic communication and adaptability.

Outside of work, I unwind by watching movies and I genuinely enjoy helping people.

On the learning front, I’m currently reading up on PR theories and exploring how public relations professionals frame and set agenda. Always something new to discover in this industry.

And something worth noting — Ghana recently celebrated her 69th Independence Day Anniversary. I’ve been following the coverage online.

I look forward to connecting with you on LinkedIn. Here’s the link to my profile.

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Let’s get into this week’s community updates.


Learn about Development Communications at our upcoming Masterclass.

If you’ve been looking to build a career in Development Communications or want to work with more clarity and effectiveness in the impact space, this one is for you.

We are launching a Development Communications Course as part of our CIA Specialist Masterclass Series. The course is designed for communicators working in development, advocacy, donor relations, social impact, and community-focused programmes.

It will be facilitated by seasoned communications professionals with practical, on-the-ground knowledge of the current development communications landscape.

Date: Saturday, 27 June and Saturday, 4 July 2026
Time: 9am – 3pm WAT
Format: Virtual, via Zoom

Register here - bit.ly/CIASpecialistMasterclass.


We have some exciting news to share. Meet our new Advisory Board Chair!

Mercy Akamo is joining The Comms Avenue as Chair of our Advisory Board — and we couldn’t be more excited about what this means for our community.

Mercy brings over a decade of experience across media, technology, manufacturing, bioscience, and experiential industries. Her expertise in youth leadership, communications, and innovation ecosystems is exactly the kind of energy TCA needs as we step into our next chapter.

Her leadership will be instrumental in shaping our strategic direction and expanding our reach across the continent. We are looking forward to the impact ahead. 🎉

Join us to learn about storytelling for Development Communications.

Storytelling is one of the most powerful tools in Development Communications.

It connects organisations with beneficiaries, donors, partners, and the communities they serve. But knowing you have a story to tell and knowing how to tell it in a way that drives action — those are two very different things.

In this LinkedIn Live session, Nicolas Emane, Development Communications Strategist and Founder of AMIE, will share how to turn reports, data, and programme updates into compelling stories that people genuinely connect with.

Date: Wednesday, 20 May 2026

Time: 1pm WAT | 2pm CAT

Register here - bit.ly/TCALive7

Finally, we would love to invite you to our Virtual Community Hangout.

Our Virtual Community Hangout is here again!

It is that time where we step away from work, learn, and just enjoy the company of fellow communications professionals who understand the work that we do.

Date: Sunday, 31st May 2026 Time: 4pm GMT | 5pm WAT | 6pm SAST | 7pm EAT

If you recently joined The Comms Avenue, there is no better way to find your feet, meet the people behind the community, and see firsthand what we are building together.

We would love to see you there.

Register here - bit.ly/TCAVirtualHangout2026

That’s all for today! Have an amazing weekend.

Yours professionally,
The Comms Avenue