Communications Specialist Resume Guide + Tips + Example
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As a communications specialist, you already know how to represent yourself effectively. But do you know how to structure and compile a powerful communications specialist resume? No? We’re here to help! Use our guide to create a stand-out resume for a communications specialist role and grab the attention of hiring managers at your target companies.
Start by editing this communications specialist resume template, or explore our library of customizable resume templates to find the best one for you.
Communications specialist resume example (text version)
JAYNE ALVAREZ
Seattle, WA 98144
555-555-5555
example@example.com
Professional Summary
Multifaceted communications specialist helping clients effectively communicate both internally and externally. Committed to maintaining open communications with staff members and superiors in an ongoing effort to increase the effectiveness of communications and address weaknesses. Dedicated to utilizing knowledge of social media communications to manage online impressions and produce relevant content.
Summary of Qualifications
- Ability to effectively manage multiple social media platforms.
- Proven ability to analyze metrics to determine any weaknesses in communications efforts.
- Sound technical expertise pertaining to web content and setting up social media pages.
- Excellent interpersonal and organizational skills.
Skills
- Content production and management
- Project management
- Copywriting and editing
- Marketing and public relations strategy development
- Adobe Photoshop
- Content Management Systems (CMS)
- Time management
- Teamwork and collaboration
Work History
November 2021 – Current
Rakuten – Seattle, WA
Communications Specialist
- Monitor and manage social media strategies and provide social media training to five associates.
- Assist in preparing quarterly metrics reports to determine the effectiveness of communications efforts and pinpoint areas needing improvement.
- Coordinate efforts with the communications director, improving media coverage by 90%.
- Represent the company at 15 media shows and corporate presentations, often handling press issues.
September 2017 – October 2021
Spencer Technologies – Seattle, WA
Marketing Communications Specialist
- Coordinated with marketing and promotions staff to improve engagements with clients.
- Tracked KPIs and completed full analytics of digital campaigns.
- Prepared training materials for 12 new hires and conducted updated training classes for current employees about 21st century communications techniques.
- Developed and implemented targeted strategies, improving the reach of specific customers by 65%.
June 2014 – August 2017
Creative Circle – Seattle, WA
Communications Coordinator
- Updated website and social media pages with over 2 million followers with well-coordinated communications aimed at conveying information, generating interest and mitigating negative press by 85%.
- Created content for the company intranet and regularly posted documents, updates and clear communications pathways.
- Wrote and edited content for operations, marketing and public relations needs.
- Built communications toolkits for offices to leverage outside partnerships and available resources effectively.
Education
- Seattle University Seattle, WA
MBA Marketing - Seattle University Seattle, WA
Bachelor of Arts Communication & Media, Strategic Communication - Specialization: Strategic Communication
5 essentials of a top communications specialist resume
Contact details
Add your contact information to the top of your resume so hiring managers can contact you for an interview. As our sample resume for a communications specialist shows, your contact information must include your full name, city, state and ZIP code, phone number and professional email address. If you have a LinkedIn profile and professional website, add them last.
Personal statement
A personal statement, also known as a professional summary, is a concise, three-to-five-sentence statement that tells the hiring manager who you are and what you offer. Your communications specialist resume summary must include job-relevant skills and one or two notable accomplishments. It should also touch on how long you’ve been in the communications field. If you are applying for your first job or changing careers, use a communications specialist resume objective instead.
Skills
Create a compelling communications specialist resume skills section so hiring managers can see if you match their needs. Add your job-relevant skills to a bulleted list, making them easy to scan. It’s best to include both hard and soft skills, such as copywriting, public speaking and relationship-building.
If this is your first time applying for a communications specialist role, include transferable skills from other employment.
Work history
Whether this is your first job in this role or you’ve been at it for decades, a resume for a communications specialist must include a section to display your job history. In reverse-chronological order, show your current and previous employers and provide company names, locations and the dates you worked for them. Include three bullet points of measurable achievements for every job you list.
Education
As you can see in our communications specialist resume example, it’s important to include an education section in your resume, whether or not you have a degree. In reverse-chronological order, use bullet points to display the schools’ names and the years you graduated. If you did not attend college, list your high school information and the classes you’ve taken since graduating.
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Action verbs for a stand-out communications specialist resume
Use a combination of action verbs and numbers on your resume to make an impact.
Here’s a short list of powerful action words for a communications specialist resume:
- Craft
- Innovate
- Manage
- Produce
- Engage
- Discuss
- Analyze
- Monitor
- Develop
- Draft
- Organize
- Plan
- Liaise
- Foster
- Facilitate
- Perform
- Handle
- Write
- Create
- Represent
- Inform
Check out our collection of resume samples to help you write the perfect resume for a communications specialist job. You’ll find communications specialist resume samples to inspire you!
Need a professional resume now? Our Resume Builder has all the tools you need to create an attention-grabbing resume in minutes! Just fill in one of our templates and you can make edits as you go, download your finished resume and save it in any file format you want. It’s that simple!
Top communications specialist skills for your resume
Review the job description closely and match the skills listed under the requirements to your own skills and traits. You’ll want to include a mix of technical and interpersonal skills.
Below are some key skills you might want to list on your communications specialist professional resume:
- Content production and management
- Copywriting
- Copy editing
- Project management
- Public speaking
- Internal communications
- Social media management
- Press releases
- Media relations
- Marketing strategy development
- Adobe Photoshop
- Event management
- Content Management Systems (CMS)
- Analytics
- WordPress
- Verbal and written communication
- Relationship management
- Organization
- Leadership
- Collaboration
- Dispute resolution
- Problem-solving
Certifications for a communications specialist resume
Many employers will probably like to see a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field, like public relations or marketing, on your resume. In addition to this, however, having at least one certification on your document can be helpful. It shows hiring managers that you’re committed to continuing education and putting in the effort to keep your skills and knowledge up to date.
The following certifications can boost your resume:
Pair your resume with a matching cover letter
Communications specialist resume FAQ
1. What to put on a resume as a communications specialist?
A look at resume examples for communications specialist roles will give you a good idea of what to put on your own resume. In a nutshell, you should try to include the following:
- A compelling communications specialist resume summary that sells your value and shows off your copywriting skills.
- Any communication-related awards you’ve won will set you apart from the competition.
- Relevant certifications you’ve gained as an indication of your specialized expertise and commitment to learning.
- Specific accomplishments from previous work experience expressed using numbers and metrics if possible (e.g., “Coordinated strategic communications campaign over an 8-month period, improving brand sentiment by 54%”).
- Important keywords from the job description so that your application aligns with the employer’s specific needs and isn’t rejected by applicant tracking systems (ATS).
2. How do you write a professional summary for a communications specialist resume?
A good communications specialist resume summary should focus on what you can do for an employer rather than what you want from a position. As the name suggests, a professional summary should summarize the value you can bring to a role and the unique qualifications that make you an ideal candidate. Start it off by introducing yourself with a statement like “Strategic communications specialist with seven years of experience”. Be sure to illuminate your most valuable skills, experience and accomplishments. Try to keep this section short – it shouldn’t be more than three to five sentences long. Write using the first-person point of view but leave out personal pronouns to save space.
3. If you’ve never held a communications specialist job before, how do you write a resume for this role?
Writing a resume with little to no related experience can be hard, but it is possible. Focus on your education, highlighting relevant coursework, projects and soft skills rather than experience. Feel free to include unrelated work history, such as retail jobs, volunteer roles and internships, but be sure to point out any transferable skills you gained. To keep the focus on your relevant capabilities (and off your lack of experience), you might want to use a functional or combination resume format because they put your skills front and center. As someone just starting out in the field, you may also want to get experienced advice through a Resume Builder.
Do’s and don’ts for building a communications specialist resume
- Use measurable achievements to describe your abilities and experience as a communications specialist.
- Use action words to make an impact on your communications specialist resume.
- Tailor your resume to your target communications specialist job.
- Use keywords from the job description throughout your communications specialist resume.
- Format your communications specialist resume so that it is easy to read by ATS software and human eyes.
- Lie about your experience and skills in the communications field.
- Boast that you’re the “most effective communications specialist ever.”
- Include irrelevant personal information, such as your ethnicity and age.
- Add skills and experience that are not relevant to a communications specialist role.
- Forget to proofread. A communications specialist resume with errors is unprofessional.
Top 4 tips for acing a communications specialist interview
Research.
As a communications specialist, you’ll already know that it’s vital to take the time to learn about your target employer’s history, goals, values and people before the interview. Doing so conveys interest, passion and commitment — traits that can set you above the competition.
Practice.
Practice does make perfect. To prepare for your interview, start by reviewing the most common interview questions, such as:
- Which is more important to you – the job itself or your salary?
- What has your experience been like with public speaking?
- What is the most significant contribution you made to the company during a past job or internship?
You might also want to give some thought to a few behavioral interview questions, like:
- Tell me about a time when you missed a deadline for a project/assignment.
- Describe a situation in which you had to arrive at a compromise or guide others to a compromise.
Write down two or three possible answers for each question, then practice answering them with a friend or family member.
Ask questions.
Always have at least three questions for each person you speak with during the interview. Doing so shows that you’re interested and have been paying close attention.
Some questions you might ask for a communications specialist job are:
- What are the most important objectives for the communications team in the next year?
- Can you describe the ideal candidate for this position?
- What is the process for evaluating the success of communications campaigns?
Prepare references.
Have professional references ready before your interview — you never know if the hiring manager might want to contact them immediately. Ask a former manager and two former colleagues who can speak about your performance and who you know will give you a stellar review.
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Communications Specialist Resume Example
Dayle Kavonic is a professional online writer and editor with more than 10 years of experience in digital content creation. She has written extensively on the topics of resume and cover letter writing, job hunting and career development.