- What should your communications specialist resume include?
- How can you create a professional summary?
- How should you describe your work experience as a communications specialist?
- Include a fitting communications specialist resume education and certifications section
- Which key skills are relevant for a communications specialist resume?
- How to select the most impactful communications specialist resume template
- Copyable communications specialist resume example
- Key takeaways for writing a communications specialist resume
As a talented communications specialist, you’ll be an expert at boosting awareness of a product or business via cutting-edge PR campaigns. But, creating a buzz about your stellar communications skills on your resume can often be a lot easier said than done! In this resume example and writing guide, we’ll show you how to create a stand-out resume and advance your communications career.
This resume guide will cover the following topics:
What should a communications specialist resume include
Advice on each section of your resume (summary, work history, education)
Adding relevant key skills to your resume
Choosing the right resume template for a communications specialist
What should your communications specialist resume include?
Your resume is what gets you in the door, so it has to knock the recruiter’s socks off. Good communications specialists know how to analyze a company’s vision, mission, and values, boost brand presence, and leverage mass media to ensure the achievement of short- and long-range goals. Crafting a standout resume laser-focused on your success in these areas is one way to convince the hiring manager that they should invite you to an interview.
Your communications specialist resume should contain the following elements:
The resume header with your contact information
The resume summary
The employment history section
The resume skills section
The education section
How can you create a professional summary?
Your first chance to make a great impression is your professional summary. This is a snapshot of your relevant skills, experience, and success in communications. It’s around four key sentences that tell recruiters what unique qualities and value you can bring to their company. Highlighting your specific expertise in the strategic management and development of stakeholder relationships, combined with your talent for public speaking, content writing, and brand development will position you as the communications specialist to hire.
Keep this section short. Two or three sentences is ideal. Any longer and you can risk the hiring manager zoning out due to information overload. Recruiters often receive hundreds of resumes in response to a job posting, so keeping your summary direct and impactful will help you stand out.
See our adaptable communications specialist resume summary below.
Communications expert with significant leadership experience in media production and marketing. Adept at developing engaging content and campaigns, as well as planning and managing events and programs that support interests of diverse stakeholders and constituent groups. Well-versed in all aspects of online marketing and community engagement.
How should you describe your work experience as a communications specialist?
The work experience section is where you can make your time as a communications specialist shine. Avoid listing generic duties and responsibilities under each role as this isn’t really going to spark the hiring manager's interest.
Using the job description as your guide, include a brief description of what you have contributed in each role in paragraph form first. Then, use bullet points to highlight standout achievements. Include as much specific information as possible, such as the percentage of online followers your campaigns attracted and how this was achieved.
For example:
Grew online following by 20% by directing the launch of online digital marketing campaigns across eight separate social media platforms.
Take a look at the adaptable communications specialist resume employment history section below.
Communication & Training Specialist at STORIES IN MOTION, Boca Raton, FL 2016 - Present
Organize a range of individualized support programs, including providing free housing, furnishing, and financial support for individuals with visual disabilities and other life-threatening circumstances.
Apply a keen eye for operational improvement to minimize inefficiency including improving the management and use of resources.
Frequently spearhead budgeting, planning, team leadership, donations, and media relations operations.
Grew online following by 20% by directing the launch of online digital marketing campaigns across eight separate social media platforms.
Developed and implemented a six-week training program for 30 students covering 18 separate topics that enabled a 10% increase in services over the span of three months.
Boosted brand awareness by 10% by leading the production of new marketing content and e-newsletters in English, Spanish, and large print.
Improved PR and business relations by 20% over a two-year period by bolstering brand presence by 15% on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
Coordinator – Standardized Patient Mode at UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI, Miami, FL 2014 - 2016
Conducted one-on-one assessments to evaluate skill and knowledge development for more than 400 university students.
Increased the course curriculum by 15% by implementing a number of additional new simulations.
Expanded the project by 20% by directing educational and promotional efforts regarding treatment for amputees.
Business Development Associate at STEINER CLINIC, Coral Gables, FL 2012 - 2014
Improved awareness of a range of products and services by heading over 60 PR and public speaking engagements at rehabilitation centers, nursing facilities, hospitals, and universities.
Cultivated improved team relations through superior interpersonal communication.
Received the 2013 President’s Club Award in recognition of revamping marketing and sales operations in the Miami-Dade region that expanded revenue and business by 14%.
Spearheaded the organization of over 12 vendor fairs in addition to frequently attending national conferences to promote and educate individuals on various products and services.
Maintained total compliance with all relevant policies during the training of over 150 medical staff.
Polish your LinkedIn profile and provide a link on your resume
HR teams often check out your LinkedIn profile as a form of background check after receiving your resume. If your profile isn’t consistent or as up-to-date as your resume, then this won’t look great. It’s also a good idea to gain some positive LinkedIn recommendations on your profile too as these can serve as letters of recommendation. Check out this guide to creating a compelling LinkedIn headline too!
If you don’t have extensive experience as a communications specialist, don’t worry. Highlight your transferable skills that could help you in this role. This could include excellent written and verbal communication, strong interpersonal skills, creativity, and attention-to-detail. However, provide specific examples where you demonstrated these skills, whether internships, volunteer work, or projects.
Include a fitting communications specialist resume education and certifications section
Highlighting your degrees, credentials, and certifications the right way is vital on your communications specialist resume, as recruiters want to see that you’re suitably qualified for the job opening. Here’s some key areas to focus on when crafting your education section:
List your education in reverse order with the highest qualification first. If you’re completing any relevant continuing education or certifications, include these as ongoing (or with an estimated completion date) as this really helps to build your credibility.
Include professional certifications and highlight any professional training relevant to your communications career, such as photography or copywriting courses. You can detail this information at the end of your education section as per our example.
Keep it simple. Only list relevant information—qualification level, subject, and educational institution—to keep this section clear and concise.
Bachelor of Science in Media Communications at FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY, Tallahassee, FL
Associate of Arts in Photography at BARRY UNIVERSITY, Fort Lauderdale, FL
Which key skills are relevant for a communications specialist resume?
Naturally, communication is a big part of what a communications specialist is responsible for, but there are many other skills you will need to be successful in this role. Tailoring your resume to the job description is the best way to make sure your resume gets read, particularly in terms of the applicant tracking systems (ATS) that many companies now use. To learn more about the ATS, read our article on Resume ATS optimization.
Review the job description closely and look out for terms that are repeated or emphasized as important skills and experience; these are the keywords you want to include. Sprinkle those key skills throughout your resume by demonstrating those skills in action—both in your work history and professional summary. For a communications specialist, a few critical skills might include:
Social media marketing
Public relations management
Brand development
Event management
Service and product expansion
Project management
Team training and development
Social Media Marketing
Public Relations Management
Team Training & Development
Event Management & Planning
Project Management
Brand Awareness
Service & Product Expansion
Sales Management
Problem Resolution
How to select the most impactful communications specialist resume template
Most recruiters favor an organized, visually appealing easy-to-follow resume. When you consider the number of resumes and the amount of time they spend during their initial review (mere seconds), this makes sense. Avoid design-heavy formats, colors, and photographs as these can result in ATS not parsing the information correctly and may result in your falling at the first hurdle in the hiring process.
Stick to reverse chronological order, with greater weight on more recent positions as these will be of most interest to recruiters. Ideally, your communications specialist resume should be one or two pages in terms of length and make sure the formatting is consistent to project your professionalism.
When exploring our many resume templates in our resume builder, start by selecting the resume layout that fits your situation best. Find inspiration with our over 100 available resume examples.
Copyable communications specialist resume example
Summary
Communications expert with significant leadership experience in media production and marketing. Adept at developing engaging content and campaigns, as well as planning and managing events and programs that support interests of diverse stakeholders and constituent groups. Well-versed in all aspects of online marketing and community engagement.
Employment history
Communication & Training Specialist at STORIES IN MOTION, Boca Raton, FL 2016 - Present
Organize a range of individualized support programs, including providing free housing, furnishing, and financial support for individuals with visual disabilities and other life-threatening circumstances.
Apply a keen eye for operational improvement to minimize inefficiency including improving the management and use of resources.
Frequently spearhead budgeting, planning, team leadership, donations, and media relations operations.
Grew online following by 20% by directing the launch of online digital marketing campaigns across eight separate social media platforms.
Developed and implemented a six-week training program for 30 students covering 18 separate topics that enabled a 10% increase in services over the span of three months.
Boosted brand awareness by 10% by leading the production of new marketing content and e-newsletters in English, Spanish, and large print.
Improved PR and business relations by 20% over a two-year period by bolstering brand presence by 15% on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
Coordinator – Standardized Patient Mode at UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI, Miami, FL 2014 - 2016
Conducted one-on-one assessments to evaluate skill and knowledge development for more than 400 university students.
Increased the course curriculum by 15% by implementing a number of additional new simulations.
Expanded the project by 20% by directing educational and promotional efforts regarding treatment for amputees.
Business Development Associate at STEINER CLINIC, Coral Gables, FL 2012 - 2014
Improved awareness of a range of products and services by heading over 60 PR and public speaking engagements at rehabilitation centers, nursing facilities, hospitals, and universities.
Cultivated improved team relations through superior interpersonal communication.
Received the 2013 President’s Club Award in recognition of revamping marketing and sales operations in the Miami-Dade region that expanded revenue and business by 14%.
Spearheaded the organization of over 12 vendor fairs in addition to frequently attending national conferences to promote and educate individuals on various products and services.
Maintained total compliance with all relevant policies during the training of over 150 medical staff.
Education
Bachelor of Science in Media Communications at FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY, Tallahassee, FL
Associate of Arts in Photography at BARRY UNIVERSITY, Fort Lauderdale, FL
Skills
Social Media Marketing
Public Relations Management
Team Training & Development
Event Management & Planning
Project Management
Brand Awareness
Service & Product Expansion
Sales Management
Problem Resolution
Key takeaways for writing a communications specialist resume
Communications specialists play a vital role in representing companies to their target audience, so much like a PR campaign your resume needs to effectively represent you as the PR guru to hire.
If you’re looking for your dream communications job, you need to highlight your PR expertise, top-flight relationship-building capabilities and (of course) your stellar comm
unication skills.
Use the job description as your guide and target your resume as much as possible to the specific job opening. Sprinkle keywords in each section, such as brand awareness, campaign management, and stakeholder engagement.
Make your life easier by using our online resume builder to create your communications specialist resume with adaptable templates and AI-powered content.
