Communications Resume Example
If you're hoping to start a career as a communications professional, you'll need experience in managing PR strategies and analyzing audience metrics. A strong resume for communications professional applications showcases your skills, experience and achievements and helps you stand out from other candidates. In this article, we'll outline how to write a winning resume to boost your chances of success in your communications professional applications.
After reading this guide, you'll know what it takes to create a resume that really stands out from other communications professional applicants. You'll find useful insights on constructing a resume that makes the most of your unique skills, experience and strengths. You'll also learn how to tailor your resume according to the job description, and depending on your experience levels. Continue reading to find the best communications resume tips from careers experts at Jobseeker.
Main sections of a communications professional resume
Although the content of a communications resume may differ according to your experience and seniority, the main sections will remain the same.
If you're applying for junior, entry-level or graduate communications professional positions and you lack work experience, consider using a skills-based resume format to emphasize your skills and education. Likewise, an entry-level resume might focus more on soft and transferable skills, as well as details about internships, voluntary work or relevant training you've completed.
Work experience is typically the most important resume section for communications professional applicants with some prior experience. As such, it's best to use a traditional, reverse-chronological resume format. In your resume work experience section, outline your relevant achievements and showcase the impact you've made in your career to date. Make sure everything you include is relevant to the job description.
For senior communications professional applications, concentrate on your work experience and any accolades or achievements that prove your status as a highly experienced candidate. Use a reverse-chronological resume format with additional sections. Your senior resume will likely be more comprehensive than resumes for more junior roles. You can add extra details about your career, such as awards, publications presentations, professional memberships or certifications.
The order you present these sections can vary according to your career stage, but it's still essential to include each of the following:
Resume Header with Contact Details
A communications resume header contains your name and contact information. Add your first and last name, your phone number and your email address. Include your address or location, but avoid adding any other personal information. If you have a LinkedIn profile, you can add the URL to your header so the hiring manager can get a better understanding of your work history and experience. Make sure your resume header is as brief as possible and doesn't take up too much valuable space. Choose a clear, professional design that sets the tone for your application.
Opt for a professional-looking email address based on your name. If your email address could be construed as unprofessional or inappropriate because it contains nicknames or unsuitable language, create a new, more professional email address for your job applications. Always check your contact details to make sure they're up-to-date before you send your resume.
Joe Evans
joe.evans@example.com
(111) 222 33 444 55
221B Baker Street, Chicago, IL
linkedin․com/in/joe–evans123
Resume Summary
Your resume personal profile is a short, concise paragraph to highlight two or three key skills and achievements in communications professional roles. You may also see this section named as 'resume summary' or 'resume objective'. Resume summaries tend to focus on your career experience, while resume objectives cover your ambitions and plans for the future. In addition, your objective should highlight why you're an ideal candidate for communications professional roles by showing key skills and qualities that reflect the job description.
Alternatively, write a paragraph that concentrates on your career objectives and how this role fits with your wider ambitions and progression.
A good resume summary is short and snappy, and focused on the skills and experience listed in the job description, with evidence to back it up. It will also help the reader to form their first impressions of you by providing an insight into your personality and unique qualities. See below for some great examples of how to approach your communications resume.
Good example:
Dynamic and results-oriented Communications Professional with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications. Proven expertise as a Communications Specialist, adept at developing and executing strategic communication plans, enhancing brand visibility, and engaging diverse audiences. Skilled in content creation, media relations, and digital marketing, with a strong track record of driving successful campaigns and fostering positive stakeholder relationships
Bad example:
Communications professional with a degree in communications. Worked in roles involving communication tasks, trying to improve brand presence and talk to different groups. Have done some writing, media work, and online marketing, with experience in running campaigns and building relationships with people involved
Alternatively, a poor resume summary would include bland, generic information that does little to prove your suitability for the role, while failing to provide any useful insights on you as a person or as a candidate. See above for some examples of things to avoid when writing your communications resume summary.
Work History
In your work experience section, list any previous relevant roles you've worked in, as well as your key achievements as a communications professional. Add each previous employment in reverse-chronological order. This means starting from your current or most recent role and working back in time from there. Include your job title, the company name, the location of the job and your dates of employment.
Also include some bullet points for each job mentioned, showcasing your achievements so the employer can see the impact you made on the company. Pay attention to the job description and make sure each point is relevant to communications professional roles.
A good resume work experience section includes your most relevant previous jobs and highlights your key achievements in each role. To make the best possible impression on hiring managers, make sure each entry in your work experience section references skills and experience listed in the job description, and shows how you added value to each role with quantifiable evidence and outcomes. See below for some good examples of what to include in your resume work experience section.
Good example:
Communications Specialist, January 2022 - Present
EchoWave Communications, Chandler
- Spearheaded a social media campaign, increasing engagement by 50% and follower count by 30% within six months
- Developed and executed a crisis communication plan, mitigating negative press and restoring brand reputation within two weeks
- Managed cross-functional team to launch a new internal newsletter, resulting in a 70% employee readership rate
Bad example:
Communications Specialist, January 2022 - Present
EchoWave Communications, Chandler
- Led various projects to enhance brand visibility and engagement across multiple platforms
- Coordinated team efforts to improve internal communications and employee engagement
- Implemented strategies to address and resolve communication challenges effectively
Above, you can see a weaker example of a resume work experience section to best avoid. Poor examples of resume work experience sections tend to be vague and fail to quantify your achievements and the impact you've made in your career to date. They may also focus on responsibilities above relevant skills and how you've used them.
Education and Qualifications
In your education section, include details of your most relevant communications professional qualifications and educational achievements.
A communications professional role tends to require candidates to have a university or college degree, so make sure you list yours in your resume. A Bachelor of Arts in Communication degree or similar is the most suitable for this job, but you could also include any other relevant qualifications that show your content creation proficiency or SEO and SEM.
For each entry in this section, add the name and level of your qualification, the institution you studied at, its location and your dates of study. You could also add one or two bullet points to draw attention to your grades if they were particularly good, as well as any specialist subjects you studied. This will help the hiring manager understand your knowledge and special skills better.
If you were a member of any clubs or societies, or volunteered for any causes while studying, you could also mention these in your education section.
Bachelor of Arts in Communications, 2017 - 2020
University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
Skills
The skills section of a communications professional resume is a chance to list any skills you have that match those of the job description. You could include content creation proficiency, public speaking proficiency or any other skills that show you're a suitable candidate. Additionally, read the job description to make sure your skills match those required for communications professional positions. You could also include some unique skills that help you stand out as a candidate.
How to include hard skills on your communications resume
Hard skills are the key technical skills required for communications professional positions. They include specific industry knowledge and abilities that you could learn on the job, or through a specialist qualification. Furthermore, your hard skills list helps to show employers how competent and experienced you are at key communications professional duties and responsibilities. Add up to five key hard skills that show you're an ideal candidate for the role. It can also be beneficial to add context to each skill, showing how you've used it to positive effect in your career to date.
If you want to make a strong impression with your hard skills list, focus on hard skills that align with your specific industry expertise, and that reflect the job description. For inspiration on the right type of hard skills for a communications professional resume, see below.
- Media relations expertise
- Social media management
- Content creation proficiency
Listing soft skills on your communications resume
Your soft skills are the core qualities and personal characteristics that make you a good employee. They tend to apply to multiple professions and jobs, though the soft skills you'll require may change as you move from junior to senior positions. Indeed, without soft skills, you may struggle to adapt to communications professional roles or meet the standards expected of you. So make sure you include several key soft skills on your resume. Aim to include approximately five soft skills that reflect the skills listed in the job description.
The strongest resume soft skills sections include a mix of skills that match your best personal strengths, and that reflect the skills listed in the job description. See below for some examples of effective soft skills for a communications professional resume.
- Active listening skills
- Public speaking proficiency
- Emotional intelligence (EQ)
Licenses and Certifications
In this section, include any communications professional certifications, training or licenses you hold that are relevant to the job. These could be official licenses required for the job or certifications that improve your employability. Therefore, list any official licenses and certifications, along with their dates, so employers can assess whether you've got the necessary qualifications to work as a communications professional.
See below for some suggestions of relevant certifications for a communications resume:
- APR Certification, 2022
- CMP Certification, 2022
- PCM Certification, 2022
Resume tip:
Optional Sections
To provide further information on your suitability for the role, you could add some optional sections to a communications professional resume. Choose optional sections from the list below, if they help to showcase your relevant skills and experience.
Hobbies and Interests
Hobbies and interests can be a useful way of showing your skills and experience beyond your work and education. Consider listing hobbies and interests to help your resume stand out, or to provide the employer with some insight into your personality and wider interests. They're perfect for candidates who might lack genuine work experience as a communications professional. Don't include hobbies and interests in your resume unless they showcase a specific interest or aspect of your personality. You'll want them to add something to your application that you can't add elsewhere.
Volunteer Experience
Listing volunteer work is another useful way to prove your relevant experience for communications professional roles. Write your volunteer section in a similar format to your work experience, including your role, the organization name, relevant dates and the details of your contribution.
References
References aren't a standard communications resume section, but employers do sometimes ask for them. Check the job advert and only include them if requested. Only include referees that you've had prior approval from, and notify them to expect contact from the employer.
References can be provided upon request.
Best words to use in a communications professional resume
Action words can help illustrate to the hiring manager the difference you made in each of your previous jobs. Add strong verbs from the list below to create a greater impact with your work experience section.
- Develop
- Coordinate
- Implement
- Articulate
- Strategize
- Negotiate
- Facilitate
- Streamline
- Manage
- Enhance
For help creating an eye-catching resume design to catch the attention of hiring managers, see Jobseeker's professional resume layouts. You can also use our clear, effective cover letter templates to complete your application.
Example of a communications resume
Now we've covered the main sections to include in your communications resume, let's take a look at how it all comes together in the example below:
221B Baker Street, Chicago, IL
•
joe.evans@example.com
•
(111) 222 33 444 55
•
linkedin․com/in/joe–evans123
Dynamic and results-driven Communications Professional with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and proven experience as a Communications Specialist. Adept at crafting compelling messages, managing media relations, and executing strategic communication plans. Skilled in leveraging digital platforms, coordinating public relations efforts, and enhancing brand presence. Proven ability to engage diverse audiences and drive organizational goals through effective communication strategies
Communications Specialist
2020
-2022
Nexus Communications Ltd (Spokane)
- Developed and executed a comprehensive social media strategy, increasing engagement by 40% and follower count by 25% within six months
- Managed crisis communication for a high-profile client, successfully mitigating negative media coverage and restoring brand reputation within two weeks
- Spearheaded a cross-functional team to produce a multimedia campaign, resulting in a 30% increase in product awareness and sales
Bachelor of Arts in Communication
2017
-2020
University of Rhode Island (Kingston, RI)
Media relations expertise
Social media management
Content creation proficiency
Active listening skills
Public speaking proficiency
Emotional intelligence (EQ)
APR Certification
CMP Certification
English - Fluent
Spanish - B2
Do's and don'ts of a communications professional resume
Simple tips for creating a winning resume
- Aim for a brief, concise communications resume. One page is ideal for junior roles, while two pages are more suitable for senior positions.
- Add your relevant education details, including any high grades such as your GPA or degree result.
- Tailor your resume to make it as relevant as possible to the role you're applying for. Consult the job description and adapt your resume to reflect the required skills and experience.
- Quantify your achievements and show evidence of how you've used your skills to bring positive outcomes in your career to date.
- Action verbs can help show the actions you've taken and the impact you've made in communications professional jobs (e.g. 'facilitate', 'streamline', 'manage').
Steer clear of these common resume writing errors
- Don't include hobbies unless they help you prove a skill or experience that's necessary for the job.
- Don't forget to keep your header up-to-date with every application, to make sure you don't include old contact information.
- Don't lie or exaggerate on your communications resume, as this can create false expectations in employers and harm you in the future.
- Don't add work experience that's unrelated to the role you're applying for, as it isn't likely to help your chances of success.
- Don't use an unprofessional email address. Instead, create a simple email address based on your name.
Tips on creating an ATS-optimized resume
Applicant tracking systems (ATS) are increasingly taking responsibility for the management and processing of job applications, helping hiring practices to become more efficient. This can include screening resumes by scanning and ranking each application according to how closely it matches the job description. There are several things you can do when writing your communications resume, to give yourself the strongest chance of ranking highly in the ATS stage and progressing through the recruitment process.
Here a some simple tips to follow for an ATS-friendly resume:
- Use a traditional resume format, such as reverse-chronological or functional. These will give your resume a structure that's easier for ATS systems to scan.
- Use of job description keywords throughout your resume will help it rank higher in the ATS scanning stage, as it will more closely match the requirements laid out in the job description.
- Using clear, simple headings makes it easier for an ATS application to scan your resume, as it can easily identify what's in each section of your document.
- Use a resume design that includes clean, professional design elements to give your content space to breathe. This might include clear, readable fonts, subtle color accents and simple design elements.
- Use simple, concise language to keep your resume to a maximum of one to two pages in length. This will make it easier for ATS software to read.
For help crafting a winning resume, read our in-depth career blog and review our resume examples for inspiration.
Frequently Asked Questions for a communications resume
As well as writing a professional communications resume, you'll need a cover letter to introduce yourself and emphasize your credentials.
Firstly, think about whether you want to write a full, formal cover letter or whether a brief email to introduce yourself and draw attention to your resume will suffice.
For a full, traditional cover letter, follow formal letter-writing conventions with your header, address line and greetings. The main text of the letter tends to be split into three short paragraphs. Firstly, introduce yourself, confirm the role you're applying for and explain why you're applying for the communications professional role. In the second paragraph, highlight your skills and experience that are most relevant to the job description. The third paragraph gives you the opportunity to express your enthusiasm for the role and your gratitude to the employer, while leaving a call to action which encourages them to make contact with you.
If you want to impress employers with a professional cover letter, use Jobseeker's simple and beautiful cover letter templates.
If you have no experience, it's still possible to write a professional communications resume that makes a positive impression on hiring managers. Select a resume format that emphasizes your skills and education over your work experience, such as a functional format. Additional resume sections such as volunteer work, hobbies and interests, certifications and internships can all help you showcase your relevant skills. These can be more prominent in your resume if you haven't got a lot of work experience.
Use a resume headline to make it easy for the reader to start assessing your suitability for communications professional positions at first glance. A well-constructed resume headline can help your resume rank highly with ATS screening tools by referencing some of the key information from the job description. Write a short, concise resume headline incorporating the job title, one or two key skills that match the job description and a reference to your reputation or track record.
See an example resume headline below:
- Aspiring Communications Specialist Enthusiast
- Strategic Communications and PR Expert
- Senior Communications Strategy Expert
The resume format that gives you the best chances of success depends on your experience levels, as well as the type of job you're applying for and its seniority level. For applicants without much relevant work experience, a functional resume format tends to be best. This places the emphasis on your key skills and relevant qualifications. Once you have some relevant work experience, and for senior positions, a reverse chronological resume format is typically best. This emphasizes your work experience, which will probably be the key thing employers want to know about.
Takeaways for a winning communications resume
The best resumes focus on your skills and the value you've added to previous roles, rather than focusing on your duties and responsibilities. Choose a resume structure that makes the most of your relevant experience, whether through work or other activities, and be sure to tailor your resume to match the job description.
HR-approved resume templates and other tools by Jobseeker are the easiest way to create a winning job application. Sign up and follow the simple instructions to complete a resume that stands out from the crowd. Jobseeker's expert-designed cover letter generator can help your applications make a strong first impression on hiring managers. Find detailed cover letter examples to complement your resume and get your application noticed.
Sources:
(1) Tips for Writing a Federal Resume, U.S. Department of Labor: https://www.dol.gov/general/jobs/tips-for-writing-a-federal-resume
(2) Resume Tips, Duke University: https://careerhub.students.duke.edu/resources/resume-tips/
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