How to hire a marketing communications specialist

How to hire a marketing communications specialist, step by step

Here's a step-by-step marketing communications 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 marketing communications specialist job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new marketing communications specialist
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a marketing communications specialist do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the marketing communications specialist you need to hire. Certain marketing communications specialist roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   A marketing communications specialist's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, marketing communications 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.

   The following list breaks down different types of marketing communications specialists and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Marketing Communications Specialist	Description	Hourly rate
   Marketing Communications Specialist	Market research analysts study market conditions to examine potential sales of a product or service. They help companies understand what products people want, who will buy them, and at what price.	$17-38
   Marketing Lead	A marketing lead is a professional who is responsible for overseeing a team of marketing specialists to help a company achieve its marketing goals. Marketing leads are required to create and manage marketing plans so that they can deliver marketing campaigns on time and escalate issues that may prevent prompt delivery... Show more	$35-70
   Communications Internship	When it comes to a communications internship, the tasks will vary depending on the organization or industry involved. However, one of the primary responsibilities is to observe proper etiquette in dealing with people and other situations... Show more	$11-21

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Digital Marketing
   • Project Management
   • Graphic Design
   • Web Content
   • Press Releases
   • Marketing Campaigns
   • PowerPoint
   • SEO
   • Channel Marketing
   • Customer Service
   • Trade Shows
   • Facebook
   • Twitter
   • Marketing Collateral

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Accomplish increasing the number of followers for the company's twitter account.
   • Create and manage distribution of bi-weekly HTML compliance notifications to subscribers, as well as monthly HTML newsletter.
   • Monitor and manage general company email address and company LinkedIn page
   • Lead information management, collaboration, CRM, and business intelligence initiatives.
   • Promote company wins by leveraging intranet access while managing logistics for the entire business development team.
   • Improve aesthetics, effectiveness, ROI and time-to-market of marketing communications by re-designing and effectively managing the development process and procedure.

   More marketing communications specialist duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the marketing communications specialist job description is a good way to get more applicants. A marketing communications 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 marketing communications specialist in Nebraska may be lower than in Delaware, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level marketing communications specialist. Additionally, a marketing communications specialist with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average marketing communications specialist salary

   $53,993yearly

   $25.96 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level marketing communications specialist salary

   $36,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 30, 2026

   Average marketing communications specialist salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Washington	$68,880	$33
   2	New York	$67,537	$32
   3	New Jersey	$67,511	$32
   4	California	$67,021	$32
   5	Colorado	$56,401	$27
   6	Oregon	$56,266	$27
   7	Massachusetts	$56,033	$27
   8	Minnesota	$54,533	$26
   9	Maine	$54,433	$26
   10	Ohio	$53,868	$26
   11	Virginia	$52,954	$25
   12	Maryland	$52,859	$25
   13	North Carolina	$51,839	$25
   14	Texas	$51,826	$25
   15	Illinois	$51,550	$25
   16	Wisconsin	$48,669	$23
   17	Iowa	$47,507	$23
   18	Georgia	$46,327	$22
   19	Utah	$44,306	$21
   20	Florida	$43,443	$21

   Average marketing communications specialist salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Apple	$110,885	$53.31	16
   2	Applied Materials	$103,936	$49.97	19
   3	Intel	$102,986	$49.51	1
   4	Micron Technology	$102,142	$49.11	3
   5	Juniper Networks	$99,655	$47.91
   6	Ciena	$97,897	$47.07
   7	Amphenol	$96,920	$46.60	12
   8	Infinera	$95,449	$45.89
   9	Koch Industries	$91,503	$43.99	2
   10	Ascensus	$89,677	$43.11	19
   11	Oracle	$87,979	$42.30	627
   12	Mayer Brown	$84,987	$40.86	3
   13	DuPont	$84,657	$40.70	7
   14	Jacobs Engineering Group	$81,485	$39.18
   15	Shutterfly	$81,075	$38.98
   16	Axalta	$80,570	$38.74
   17	NOVA Chemicals	$79,266	$38.11
   18	Brightstar	$78,381	$37.68	5
   19	Medical Mutual	$77,812	$37.41
   20	ABB	$76,560	$36.81	24

4. Writing a marketing communications specialist job description

   A marketing communications specialist job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a marketing communications specialist job description:

   Marketing communications specialist job description example

   Medical Associates is hiring a Marketing Communications Specialist to join our marketing team! As a Marketing Communications Specialist, you will plan, develop, and produce effective visual and written communication. You will also support the execution of Medical Associates digital campaigns and tactics. Schedule: Core business hours are Mon-Fri 8:00-5:00 with occasional needs to work earlier or later. This will be an onsite position. Benefits Package is Worth Over $20,000 and Includes: Single or Family Health Insurance with discounted premium rates for wellness program participation. 401k with immediate matching (50% on the dollar up to 7% of pay + additional annual Profit Sharing Flexible Paid Time Off Program (24 days off/year) Medical and Dependent Care Flex Spending Accounts Life insurance, Long Term Disability Coverage, Short Term Disability Coverage, Dental Insurance, etc. Responsibilities and Essential Functions: Plan, create and produce marketing communication including written and visual content for ads, brochures, flyers, direct mail, invitations, displays, social media, Google ads, press releases, etc. This includes working collaboratively with internal clients to identify needs and interpret into a project plan. Present ideas using verbal and written communication skills. Plan and develop all marketing communication within a given budget and deadline, including obtaining bids from vendors, coordinating printing, placement, mailing, and digital dissemination. Stay abreast of marketing technology, including digital media and processes, as well as having an awareness of current trends in the visual arts. Coordinate media placement of advertisements and marketing communications, including Google advertising. Assist in website updating and maintenance. Record, edit, and produce video for social media. Complete all other projects and duties as assigned. What Skills You Bring: Knowledge of principles and practices of graphic design including color, line, typography, and composition Knowledge of principles and practices of public relations Ability to create and produce graphic materials utilizing specified computerized graphic and web design software and multimedia equipment Effective verbal and written communication Experience generating compelling, clever, and grammatically correct written content such as headlines, slogans, ad copy, scripts, social media updates, press releases, and blog posts Time management and organization skills Strong customer service skills with internal and external customers Capacity to translate and organize thoughts and ideas into visual/audio/written communication that informs or persuades a target audience Knowledge & Skills: Education: Bachelors/4-year degree required, Marketing or Communications degree preferred. Experience : 3-5 years of marketing or communications-related experience. Interpersonal Skills: A significant level of trust and diplomacy is required, in addition to normal courtesy and tact. Work involves extensive personal contact with others and/or is usually of a personal or sensitive nature. Work may involve motivating or influencing others. Outside contacts are important and fostering sound relationships with other entities (companies and/or individuals) is necessary. As a healthcare organization, we adhere to applicable CDC and OSHA guidelines regarding the use of masking and social distancing. Physical Aspects:
   
   Lifting - Raising objects from a lower to a higher position or moving objects horizontally from position-to-position. This factor is important if it occurs to a considerable degree and requires the substantial use of the upper extremities and back muscles.
   
   Fingering - Picking, pinching, typing or otherwise working, primarily with fingers rather than with the whole hand or arm as in handling.
   
   Grasping - Applying pressure to an object with the fingers and palm.
   
   Talking - Expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word. Those activities in which they must convey detailed or important spoken instructions to other workers accurately, loudly or quickly.
   
   Hearing - Perceiving the nature of sound with or without correction. Ability to receive detailed information through oral communication and to make fine discriminations in sound, such as when making fine adjustments on machined parts.
   
   Vision - 20 / 40 or better in the best eye with or without correction.
   
   Repetitive Motions - Substantial movements (motions) of the wrists, hands and/or fingers.
   
   Sedentary Work - Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects, including the human body. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time. Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required only occasionally and all other Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities. Please view Equal Employment Opportunity Posters provided by OFCCP here.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right marketing communications specialist for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with marketing communications specialists they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit marketing communications specialists who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your marketing communications specialist job on Zippia to find and attract quality marketing communications specialist candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as swipe files, exit five, marketinghire, american marketing association.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with marketing communications 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 marketing communications specialist

   Once you've decided on a perfect marketing communications 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.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   To prepare for the new marketing communications specialist first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

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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