How to hire a digital communication specialist

How to hire a digital communication specialist, step by step

Here's a step-by-step digital communication specialist hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a digital communication specialist job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new digital communication specialist
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a digital communication specialist do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a digital communication specialist, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A digital communication specialist's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, digital communication specialists from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list presents digital communication specialist salaries for various positions.

   Type of Digital Communication Specialist	Description	Hourly rate
   Digital Communication Specialist	Public relations specialists create and maintain a favorable public image for the organization they represent. They design media releases to shape public perception of their organization and to increase awareness of its work and goals.	$21-37
   Social Media Internship	In a social media internship, the primary role is to take part in managing a brand's social media platforms for public relations. One of their primary duties is to craft informative and captivating content while under the supervision and guidelines of a manager or supervisor... Show more	$11-18
   Account Coordinator	An account coordinator assists account executives by providing day-to-day administrative support such as preparing and filing sales contracts and reports. As coordinators, they must maintain a good relationship with their clients and vendors by addressing issues and with regular communication... Show more	$13-25

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Digital Communications
   • Digital Marketing
   • WordPress
   • Facebook
   • Graphic Design
   • Twitter
   • Project Management
   • Linkedin
   • HTML
   • Social Media Management
   • Media Management
   • Adobe Creative Suite
   • Email Marketing
   • Digital Platforms

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage the company facebook page.
   • Maintain distribution lists and manage and update HTML templates.
   • Manage websites and blogs using Wordpress, MODX, and others.
   • Manage copywriting for social media, website, blogs and print reports.
   • Manage organizational website using content management and HTML.
   • Develop and post product demos on YouTube, providing quick understanding of functionality to differentiate solutions and generate leads.

   More digital communication specialist duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the digital communication specialist job description is a good way to get more applicants. A digital communication specialist salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a digital communication specialist in Kansas may be lower than in New Jersey, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level digital communication specialist. Additionally, a digital communication specialist with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average digital communication specialist salary

   $59,208yearly

   $28.47 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level digital communication specialist salary

   $45,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 21, 2026

   Average digital communication specialist salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New Jersey	$77,489	$37
   2	Washington	$71,203	$34
   3	District of Columbia	$68,721	$33
   4	California	$66,551	$32
   5	Virginia	$63,562	$31
   6	New York	$62,423	$30
   7	Maryland	$61,561	$30
   8	North Carolina	$61,424	$30
   9	Massachusetts	$60,964	$29
   10	New Mexico	$58,552	$28
   11	Colorado	$57,000	$27
   12	Illinois	$56,226	$27
   13	West Virginia	$56,171	$27
   14	Wisconsin	$54,738	$26
   15	Oregon	$54,167	$26
   16	North Dakota	$54,016	$26
   17	Nevada	$53,855	$26
   18	Wyoming	$53,102	$26
   19	Indiana	$51,687	$25
   20	Louisiana	$51,102	$25

   Average digital communication specialist salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	McKinsey & Company Inc	$82,443	$39.64	8
   2	The Dow Chemical Company	$75,740	$36.41
   3	Colorado PERA	$73,266	$35.22
   4	Inter-American Development Bank	$70,934	$34.10
   5	Sony Electronics	$70,759	$34.02
   6	University of California-Berkeley	$70,168	$33.73
   7	SmithBucklin	$69,313	$33.32	1
   8	International Research & Exchanges	$67,265	$32.34
   9	Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center	$66,402	$31.92	1
   10	Harvard University	$66,031	$31.75
   11	University of California	$65,374	$31.43	3
   12	Aetna	$65,367	$31.43
   13	New York University	$65,336	$31.41
   14	UC Santa Barbara	$64,631	$31.07
   15	Touro College	$64,275	$30.90
   16	Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute	$63,866	$30.70
   17	Change Healthcare	$62,558	$30.08
   18	CSIU / Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit / IU 16	$62,246	$29.93
   19	Service Employees International Union Local 205	$62,230	$29.92	1
   20	People, Technology & Processes	$61,400	$29.52

4. Writing a digital communication specialist job description

   A good digital communication specialist job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a digital communication specialist job description:

   Digital communication specialist job description example

   Are you passionate about content creation, communication strategy, and improving the employee experience? Do you want to contribute to a high performing team that values collaboration, inclusivity, and fun? If you answered yes to the above, you may love the Digital Communications Specialist role on the Internal Engagement team in University Relations.
   
   The Digital Communications Specialist helps plan and implement a multidimensional communications strategy to inform, engage, and inspire University Relations colleagues.
   
   In this role, you will leverage your creativity, design skills, and ability to create and edit video every day to promote information sharing and collaboration across teams and across campus. You will also focus on timeliness, accessibility, message clarity and cross-channel consistency on all internal communications, including but not limited to: the newsletter, web applications, infographic design, email design, social media, and print design. You will serve as a creative thinker on the Internal Engagement team, researching and sharing best practices related to internal communications and employee engagement. We welcome and encourage those with diverse backgrounds and experiences whose talents elevate our work and foster an inclusive experience for everyone who cares for Notre Dame.
   Core Activities:
   
   VISUAL CONTENT CREATION
   
   * Lead strategy for visual storytelling campaigns related to internal communications
   * Ensure content is inclusive and supportive of the Diversity and Inclusion initiatives of the University of Notre Dame
   * Book, film, and edit video segments for internal engagement, including employee features, holiday campaigns, and leadership addresses
   * Book, shoot, and edit new employee headshots in partnership with the Onboarding team
   * Create and execute branding around internal engagement programming
   
   INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS
   
   * Redesign and test a mobile-friendly version of the departmental newsletter
   * Compose and edit copy for email, website and social media distribution
   * Plan and execute social media and outreach campaigns that connect with and engage employees
   * Utilize technology to improve the clarity and effectiveness of digital communications through the use of A/B testing and industry best practices
   * Capture and analyze reader and usage data across platforms
   
   INTRANET LIAISON
   
   * Lead discussions with IT partners and potential 3rd party vendors on how we can improve the design, user interface, and data storage within our UR intranet
   * Interface with Training/Onboarding partners to ensure timely and accurate updates on information housed within the intranet
   
   Why you will love this role:
   
   * Make a direct impact on the success of the University Relations Department and the future of the University: your work matters.
   * Join a highly collaborative team, with opportunities for continued professional growth.
   * Our hybrid scheduling with the team and support for your personal and professional priorities makes this role a perfect match for you!

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right digital communication specialist for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your digital communication specialist job on Zippia to find and recruit digital communication specialist candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with digital communication specialist candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new digital communication specialist

   Once you've decided on a perfect digital communication specialist candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new digital communication specialist. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a digital communication specialist?