How To Write a Communications Specialist Resume
To write a winning communications specialist resume, demonstrate your unique ability to manage public relations and communication strategy for organizations. Show hiring managers you can build positive relationships with the media, stakeholders, and the public. We’ll provide valuable tips and insights to help you craft a results-driven resume and land your next big job opportunity.
1. Write a dynamic profile summarizing your qualifications
As a communications specialist, you know how to craft a message to engage an audience – take the same approach with your resume profile. Begin the paragraph with your job title and years of experience. Then, follow up with a few specializations that speak to the needs of the hiring manager. Let readers have a sneak peek of who you are before they get into your resume.
Stand out from other applicants by discussing what makes you uniquely qualified for the role. One way to do this is by using adjectives to describe yourself. Words like “strategic,” “creative,” and “analytical” are just a few.
Another way is through your skills. For example, if you can speak more than one language, put that into your profile. Do you have experience in leadership? Mention that here as well.
Profile Example #1
Inventive Communications Specialist with 5+ years of experience at startups and small businesses. Expertly coordinate engaging, high-impact internal and external communications for diverse audiences. Committed to continually gaining and applying new professional skill areas.
Profile Example #2
Resourceful Communications Specialist with 5+ years of advancement and experience. Ready collaborator who builds productive relationships with diverse internal and external stakeholders. Expertly balance and prioritize multiple tasks and projects in a fast-paced corporate environment.
2. Add an accomplishment-driven professional experience section
Crafting an accomplishment-driven professional experience section is the best way to show employers your capabilities. Instead of listing all your daily duties and responsibilities, use bullet points to outline your career achievements. Give concrete proof of your results by using performance metrics like percentages and monetary figures. Make it clear you’ll bring value to any communications team.
Hiring managers know your role is essential in maintaining a consistent voice and active public presence for organizations. But how have you found room for improvement? What are the outcomes of your communication strategies? These are the types of details that can help your resume stand out from the competition during the job search.
Professional Experience Example #1
Communications Specialist, AZL Inc., Boston, MA | August 2019 to Present
- Guide production of brochures, infographics, and short-form videos connecting the organization’s mission and services to a wider audience
- Strengthened company’s social media presence, driving 280% average increase in engagement on all major platforms
- Improved marketing department’s coordination with sales, operations, and other internal teams
Professional Experience Example #2
Communications Specialist, RAY Corp., San Francisco, CA | August 2019 to Present
- Co-develop and execute PR strategies to help position both short- and long-term organization success
- Member of strategic team that renewed company’s standing as an industry thought leader and innovator
- Provided expert project management, driving 100% attainment of deadlines and milestones
3. Include relevant education and certifications
Hiring managers are usually more interested in your hands-on work experience, but your formal training is still a vital part of your resume. List your academic history, starting with your highest degree earned. Then, include any relevant certifications. These credentials won’t guarantee you an interview, but they can distinguish you from other candidates.
For example, a certification like Communication Management Professional demonstrates your ability to plan, research, and manage communications inside and outside an organization. For more experienced professionals, specialized credentials can help hiring managers choose between you and another senior-level applicant.
Education
Template:
[Degree Name]
[School Name], [City, State Abbreviation] | [Graduation Month and Year]
Example:
Bachelor’s Degree – Communications, Hispanic Studies
University of San Diego, San Diego, CA | June 2016
Certifications
Template:
[Certification Name], [Awarding Organization], [Completion Year]
Examples:
Communication Management Professional (CMP), Global Communication Certification Council (GCCC), 2020
Accreditation in Public Relations (APR), Public Relations Society of America, 2021
4. List pertinent key skills
Just like you can optimize your online copy using search engine optimization (SEO), you can do something similar for your resume with keywords from the job description. Most organizations have started using some form of applicant tracking system (ATS) to filter through the resumes they receive. If you want to make it past initial screening, use keywords and phrases like the ones below throughout your communications specialist resume:
| Key Skills and Proficiencies | |
|---|---|
| Communication systems improvement | Communications channel development |
| Community outreach | Concurrent project management |
| Content creation | Cross-functional collaboration |
| Digital and social media marketing | Industry thought leadership |
| Internal and external communications | Media relations |
| Public health messaging | Stakeholder relations management |
| Strategic partnerships development | Strategic planning |
| Task prioritization | Training and mentoring |
How To Pick the Best Communications Specialist Resume Template
As a marketing professional, you know how important it is to present information with the audience in mind. Think about hiring managers who read through stacks of resumes as they search for the right candidate, and cater to them with a template that’s easy to read. Go with simple designs and minimal colors – anything more than that can be distracting. Look for well-organized and clean templates, drawing the reader’s focus directly to your accomplishments, skills, and qualifications.
Communications Specialist Text-Only Resume Templates and Examples
Years of Experience
- #1
- #2
- #3
Hideo Araki
123 Bridge Street, Boston, MA 12345 | (123) 456-7890 | [email protected]
Profile
Inventive Communications Specialist with 5+ years of experience at startups and small businesses. Expertly coordinate engaging, high-impact internal and external communications for diverse audiences. Committed to continually gaining and applying new professional skill areas.
Professional Experience
Communications Specialist, AZL Inc., Boston, MA | August 2019 to Present
- Guide production of brochures, infographics, and short-form videos connecting the organization’s mission and services to a wider audience
- Strengthened company’s social media presence, driving 280% average increase in engagement on all major platforms
- Improved marketing department’s coordination with sales, operations, and other internal teams
Communications Consultant, SEO Inc., Boston, MA | June 2017 to July 2019
- Facilitated rapid growth of this startup by helping manage and maintain positive communications with strategic partners
Education
Bachelor’s Degree – Communications
Boston College, Boston, MA
Technical
Microsoft Office Suite (advanced Excel, PowerPoint) | Adobe Creative Suite
Key Skills
- Communication Systems Improvement
- Communications Channel Development
- Concurrent Project Management
- Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Digital & Social Media Marketing
- Internal & External Communications
- Stakeholder Relations Management
- Strategic Partnerships Development
- Task Prioritization
Amar Singh
123 Santa Maria, San Francisco, CA 12345 | (123) 456-7890 | [email protected]
Profile
Resourceful Communications Specialist with 5+ years of advancement and experience. Ready collaborator who builds productive relationships with diverse internal and external stakeholders. Expertly balance and prioritize multiple tasks and projects in a fast-paced corporate environment.
Professional Experience
Communications Specialist, RAY Corp., San Francisco, CA | August 2019 to Present
- Co-develop and execute PR strategies to help position both short- and long-term organization success
- Member of strategic team that renewed company’s standing as an industry thought leader and innovator
- Provided expert project management, driving 100% attainment of deadlines and milestones
Communications Specialist, M. Henderson Corp., San Francisco, CA | June 2017 to July 2019
- Member of team that set new marketing mission and core strategy, inspiring better communication, and more active collaboration on shared goals
Education
Bachelor’s Degree – English
University of California, Berkeley, CA
Key Skills
- Communication Systems Improvement
- Communications Channel Development
- Concurrent Project Management
- Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Digital & Social Media Marketing
- Industry Thought Leadership
- Internal & External Communications
- Stakeholder Relations Management
- Strategic Partnerships Development
- Task Prioritization
Allison Rosenberg
123 Convoy St, San Diego, CA 12345 | (123) 456-7890 | [email protected]
Profile
Focused and strategic Communications Specialist with 5+ years of advancement and experience in the nonprofit sector. Expertly coordinate engaging, high-impact internal and external communications for diverse audiences. Equally effective in a leadership or hands-on role. Bilingual: Fluent in English and Spanish.
Professional Experience
Communications Specialist – Public Health, LBW Research Center, San Diego, CA | August 2019 to Present
Well-respected nonprofit focused on researching and mitigating issues such as domestic violence and drug and alcohol abuse.
- Orchestrate various community outreach efforts to promote awareness of key public health topics
- Increased leadership team’s influence by forging strategic partnerships with several state government agencies
- Introduced better training materials for new hires, contributing to an 11-point gain in staff retention
Communications Specialist, NVB University Institute, San Diego, CA | June 2017 to July 2019
- Launched a popular monthly newsletter providing affiliates with valuable updates on the institute’s research findings. Exceeded first-year readership goals by more than 75%
Education
Bachelor’s Degree – Communications, Hispanic Studies
University of San Diego, San Diego, CA
Languages
Fluency in Spanish | Basic proficiency in French
Key Skills
- Communication Systems Improvement
- Communications Channel Development
- Community Outreach
- Concurrent Project Management
- Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Digital & Social Media Marketing
- Internal & External Communications
- Public Health Messaging
- Stakeholder Relations Management
- Strategic Partnerships Development
- Strategic Planning
- Task Prioritization
- Training & Mentoring
Frequently Asked Questions: Communications Specialist Resume Examples and Advice
What are common action verbs for communications specialist resumes?+
As a master of communication, you know how powerful action verbs can be, but it’s often hard to come up with enough variety of words. You may start to sound repetitive or lose the effect you’re going for. So, we’ve created a list of action verbs for you. Use the words below to bring energy into your communications specialist resume:
| Action Verbs | |
|---|---|
| Achieved | Clarified |
| Collaborated | Created |
| Cultivated | Customized |
| Decreased | Designed |
| Distributed | Engaged |
| Enhanced | Improved |
| Increased | Launched |
| Managed | Messaged |
| Positioned | Promoted |
| Summarized | Updated |
How do you align your resume with a communications specialist job description?+
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment for positions within media and communication is projected to see an average growth rate between 2022 and 2032. On top of new jobs, about 114,000 openings will be available each year as people transfer occupations or retire.
Although the competition isn’t too stiff, you’ll need a customized resume to land your desired job. The best way to tailor your resume is to align it with the job description of each role you apply for. You can do this by studying the needs of the employers and speaking directly to them.
For instance, suppose a company is looking for someone with skills in social media management. If you’re a match, emphasize those related abilities. Throughout the resume, discuss your capacity to craft engaging content, grow online communities, and use data to make decisions.
What is the best communications specialist resume format?+
The best resume format for communications specialists is the chronological or combination resume. Which one you choose depends on your professional background.
If you’d like to present your skill set first, go with the combination resume. This is a great choice for entry-level specialists. For experienced professionals with an impressive or extensive work history, a chronological resume is a better way to go. After a profile and professional experience section, your education and skills close out the document.
Expert advice: include a cover letter with your resume
Creating a cover letter is one way you can help your chances of landing a job interview. The best way to write an effective cover letter is to customize your document for the job you’re applying for. Learn how with our cover letter guide. If you seek more inspiration, check out our marketing and marketing manager cover letter guides.
