Public Relations Resume Example: 25+ Samples and Writing Tips

Listen—

It’s not enough for your public relations resume to earn the recruiter’s trust.

It must persuade them that hiring you is the only right course of action.

How to do that?

Do some good PR, and craft a compelling narrative.

It all starts with making a resume to remember.

This guide will show you:

• Best public relations resume examples that get jobs.
• How to ace your public relations job description on a resume.
• How to write resumes for public relations that get the interview.
• Expert tips and samples to boost your chances of landing public relations jobs.

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Public Relations Resume—Sample

1. Choose the Best Public Relations Resume Format

On average, a recruiter spends 7 seconds scanning a public relations resume.

In other words—

Someone’s glimpse will play a vital role in your future career.

With so much at stake, your PR resume format must deliver. At a glance.

• Choose the reverse-chronological resume format. It gives prominence to the experience and key achievements on your PR resume.
• Use simple and readable resume fonts. The range between 10 and 14pt is the best. Write simple headings. Avoid clutter and use white space to your advantage.
• Stick to a single page resume unless you have the experience of Meredith O'Sullivan
• Start your public relations resume with an objective or summary. Add the experience and education sections below.
• Create a separate key skills section.Mention your membership in professional associations. Add a section on interests and knowledge of foreign languages.

Expert Hint: It’s best to export your media or fashion PR resume to a PDF file. It will remain readable to the ATS, and its formatting will stay untouched.

2. Start with a Public Relations Resume Objective That Turns Heads

How to start your PR resume?

With a message that sticks.

Use this formula to make a “sticky” PR resume objective or resume summary:

1. An adjective

2. Job title

3. Years of experience

4. What you can offer and how it will help

5. Your biggest achievement

Let’s put the formula into practice.

Resume Summary Example for Public Relations

The most striking difference between the two examples above?

The bad example is entirely about what the candidate wants, not what they can offer. The good one, on the other hand, is like a perfect elevator pitch.

What If You’ve Got No Experience?

An entry-level resume for public relations must also start with a bang.

If your professional experience is limited, start with a public relations resume objective, rather than a summary.

A PR resume objective concentrates much more on your achievements than experience.

Fresh graduates can bring up their education, and internship.

Entry-Level Public Relations Resume—Objective

Remember:

PR professionals, of all people, mustn’t mess their intros up.

Expert Hint: Revisit your public relations resume objective or summary once you've reached the end. Or even write it last. Go through your resume and cherry pick the bits you’d really like to highlight.

3. Write the Perfect Public Relations Resume Skills and Job Description Sections

The bad news:

Not even the craftiest intro has the power to salvage a lackluster story.

If your public relations resume job description underdelivers, this will be the end of the journey.

But—

You know that choice of words can work wonders.

So, craft the best job description for your PR resume.

This is what you need to do:

1. Read the job posting closely.

2. Fish out the public relations specialist duties and skills the employer desires.

3. Describe your public relations experience using phrases from the ad.

Public Relations Specialist Job Description for Resume—Example

This is how it works:

All PR resumes will be scanned by the ATS (Applicant Tracking System) before a hiring manager lays their eyes on any of them.

The first step it is toget past this stage.

Here’s the secret:

ATSs look for keywords for a public relations resume.

All these resume words appear in the job posting. In the example above, the highlighted sections are based on PR resume keywords from a job ad.

This is exactly why the choice of words matters so much.

In essence, the good and bad examples communicate the same thing. But the bad example will leave both the ATS and the recruiter unimpressed.

Speaking of which—

How to impress the recruiter?

Use action verbs, such as managed, developed, prepared, liaised, or oversaw. They communicate much more than the vague responsible for formula.

Quantify your PR duties by adding numbers and percentages.

Contrary to popular belief, PR is measurable. In fact, the entire industry is moving towards data-driven PR. So, demonstrate you’re a forward thinker, and come up with numbers where you can.

Single out one or two key achievements and put them in a separate subsection on your public relations resume.

Public Relations Resume Examples—Key Achievements

And—

Don’t forget to put the right public relations skills on your resume.

What public relations skills to put on resume?

You will find most of the time the desired PR resume skills in the job posting.

If you have them, put them on your resume. And use the list below as a source of inspiration.

Public Relations Resume—Skills

Public Relations Skills

• Written and oral communication
• Media outreach/relations
• Copywriting (websites, blogs, press releases, etc.)
  Drafting pitches
• Editing
• Presentation skills
• Public speaking (incl. speech writing)
• Crisis management
• Brand management
• Online research skills

Social Media Skills

• Digital marketing
• Social media analytics
• Social media press releases
• Engagement marketing
• Influencing
• CMS platforms
• Facebook
• LinkedIn
• Google+
• Twitter

Soft Skills

• Networking
• Negotiating
• Multi-tasking
• Time management
• Problem-solving
• Adaptability
• Collaboration
• Organization
• Interpersonal skills
• Leadership

Expert Hint: ATSs are not super-smart, so don’t paraphrase too much. And don’t put too many things on your resume. Only list the skills you’re really good at. You’ll avoid falling victim to the presenter’s paradox.

4. Turn Boring Education Into a Reason to Hire You

Education matters.

Especially when your experience isn’t exactly that of Ivy Lee’s.

Make the most of your resume education section, and—

Let the recruiter know about the coursework you took. Add info on your extracurricular activities, and don’t forget to show off your GPA if it’s north of 3.5.

Simple as that.

Entry-Level Public Relations Resume Sample—Education

Expert Hint: If you’re a seasoned pro you don’t have to list more than the school name, graduation date, and degree on your public relations resume.

5. Light Up Your Public Relations Resume With These Extra Sections

What do the best PR campaigns and PR resumes have in common?

A personal connection.

So—

Show your best side by adding information on your interests on your resume,  knowledge of foreign languages, and membership in professional associations.

Marketing and Public Relations Resume Sample—Associations

• Public Relations Society of America (PRSA)—Member
• Toastmasters International—Accredited Speaker

Fashion PR Resume Sample—Interests

• Fashion photography
• Modernist painting

Public Relations Manager Resume Sample—Languages

• French (Bilingual)
• Italian (Advanced)

Expert Hint: You can easily double your chances of landing an interview by writing a cover letter. More than 50% of the recruiters expect your job application to include one.

Key Points

To write the best public relations resume:

• Choose the best PR resume template. An entry-level public relations resume experience section doesn’t need as much room as a public relations director resume.
• Make your public relations resume look great. Use white space to your advantage. Avoid clutter by only focusing on relevant experience.
• Answer a specific job offer. Remember your marketing job description and skills must target a specific job ad.
• Make the most of your education. Especially when preparing a marketing intern resume or an entry-level marketing resume.
• Pepper it with extras. Prove you’re a well-rounded candidate. List your certifications, interests, and membership in professional associations.

Questions on how to write the best public relations resume? Want to share advice on how to prepare a resume for public relations jobs (fashion PR resume or marketing and public relations resume)? We’d love to hear from you. Leave your comment below.