How to hire a media associate

How to hire a media associate, step by step

Here's a step-by-step media associate hiring guide:

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

What does a media associate do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your media associate job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a media associate for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   A media associate's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, media associates 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 media associate salaries for various positions.

   Type of Media Associate	Description	Hourly rate
   Media Associate	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.	$13-30
   Communications Coordinator	A communications coordinator is responsible for overseeing the communications department's operations, developing the brand image, and monitoring press releases, company articles, and other related marketing materials for business promotion and visibility. Communications coordinators actively interact with existing and potential clients, negotiate contracts, and build profitable partnerships... Show more	$16-30
   Publications Coordinator	A publications coordinator is responsible for assisting the publishing processes from the drafting to the distribution of materials. Publications coordinators check the accuracy and quality of the content, ensuring that the materials are free from plagiarism and adhere to publishing guidelines and regulations... Show more	$17-30

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Digital Marketing
   • PowerPoint
   • Facebook
   • Press Releases
   • Media Planning
   • Twitter
   • Web Content
   • Campaign Performance
   • Instagram
   • KPIs
   • Marketing Campaigns
   • Linkedin
   • Market Research
   • Media Buying

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage Facebook page and Etsy shop.
   • Manage blogs and microsites using best practices for SEO.
   • Assist managing social platforms and initiate the most popular weekly post on the company s Facebook page.
   • Participate in brainstorming sessions, proofread and edit marketing materials, manage magazine inventory.
   • Film events, conduct interviews, edit videos and promote the gym via Youtube and Vimeo.
   • Support communication initiatives including monthly newsletters, integrate Facebook campaigns, photography and copy choices for quarterly magazine circulation.

   More media associate duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your media associate job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A media associate can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, media associates' average salary in maine is 47% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level media associates 55% less than senior-level media associates.
   • Certifications. A media associate with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a media associate's salary.

   Average media associate salary

   $43,646yearly

   $20.98 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level media associate salary

   $29,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 22, 2026

   Average media associate salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	District of Columbia	$58,148	$28
   2	Connecticut	$55,155	$27
   3	New York	$54,726	$26
   4	New Jersey	$53,414	$26
   5	Massachusetts	$51,517	$25
   6	Pennsylvania	$50,789	$24
   7	California	$49,901	$24
   8	Rhode Island	$48,312	$23
   9	Arizona	$46,318	$22
   10	North Carolina	$45,979	$22
   11	Illinois	$44,717	$22
   12	Michigan	$42,883	$21
   13	Tennessee	$40,087	$19
   14	Colorado	$39,201	$19
   15	Nevada	$39,138	$19
   16	Minnesota	$38,163	$18
   17	Texas	$36,223	$17
   18	Georgia	$35,957	$17
   19	Alabama	$34,658	$17
   20	Florida	$33,228	$16

   Average media associate salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Goldman Sachs	$79,434	$38.19	1
   2	Lazard	$72,737	$34.97
   3	Bloomberg	$70,029	$33.67	2
   4	QuinStreet	$67,337	$32.37
   5	MARC USA	$63,480	$30.52
   6	Omnicom Media Group	$62,667	$30.13	13
   7	Spencer Stuart	$62,106	$29.86	2
   8	Response Mine	$61,884	$29.75
   9	Golin	$58,762	$28.25
   10	World Learning	$57,357	$27.58
   11	Marketsmith	$55,146	$26.51	2
   12	Situation	$54,682	$26.29	6
   13	Fox News	$54,619	$26.26
   14	International Center of Photography	$52,687	$25.33
   15	American Enterprise Institute	$50,941	$24.49	1
   16	PETROL Advertising	$49,889	$23.99
   17	Ferrara Candy	$48,242	$23.19
   18	Seer Interactive	$47,205	$22.69	3
   19	ION	$46,802	$22.50
   20	icon Mechanical	$46,064	$22.15	1

4. Writing a media associate job description

   A good media associate 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 media associate job description:

   Media associate job description example

   The Sustainability Management program is seeking Course Associates for the following course: .
   
   This is an interdisciplinary workshop for scientists, future NGO workers and journalists seeking skills in communicating 21st-century global science to the public. Scientists will be given journalism skills; journalists will learn how to use science as the basis of their story-telling. The course is designed to give students exercises and real-world experiences in producing feature stories on global science topics. While most scientists and international affairs professionals have been trained to write in the style of peer-reviewed journals, we will focus on journalism techniques, learning how to translate global science into accessible true stories that reach wide audiences.
   
   Science is performed by passionate individuals who use their intelligence and determination to seek answers from nature. By telling their histories and uncovering the drama of discovery, we believe that there are ways for science to be successfully communicated to readers who might otherwise fear it.
   
   A is a faculty line junior to a Lecturer, who provides subject matter expertise and supports the instructional process for a course section. Serving as a Course Associate is an excellent way to gain exposure to graduate-level teaching at Columbia University.
   
   Candidates must be available for in-person support for one of the following sections:
   
   Section 001
   Day/Time: T 6:10pm-8:00pm Location/Instructor: Claudia Dreifus
   
   The program is designed for those who wish to pursue a career in management that takes integrates sustainability considerations into economic activity. Graduates work to transform public and private organizations and governments by formulating and implementing tailored sustainability strategies. The coursework combines the study of management with classes in sustainability practice and science, with full-time and part-time options for those with current professional obligations. Students in the program learn the use of policy and management tools to address environmental impacts and risks, pollution control, and remediation to achieve sustainability. A Course Associate is a faculty line junior to a Lecturer who provides subject matter expertise and supports the instructional process for a course section. Serving as a Course Associate is an excellent way to gain exposure to graduate-level teaching at Columbia University.
   
   Responsibilities
   
   Attend weekly class sessions, assist with instruction, lead breakout sessions, and facilitate discussions.
   
   Hold weekly office hours.
   
   Evaluate performance, grade student work, and provide effective feedback as requested by the course Lecturer.
   
   Monitor and address student concerns and inquiries.
   
   Build working relationships with the students, provide guidance and mentoring, and respond to their inquiries in a timely manner.
   
   

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right media associate 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 media associate job on Zippia to find and attract quality media associate candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as pr news job board, pr council, prsa job center, hoojobs.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with media associate 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.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   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 media associate

   Once you've found the media associate candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   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.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

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 media associate?