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Press secretary skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
Quoted experts
Jennifer Jackson Ph.D.,
Dr. Yolandra Plummer Ph.D.
Below we've compiled a list of the most critical press secretary skills. We ranked the top skills for press secretaries based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 33.2% of press secretary resumes contained press releases as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a press secretary needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 press secretary skills for your resume and career

1. Press Releases

Here's how press secretaries use press releases:
  • Author and electronically distribute national and state-focused press materials including statements, press releases, and scheduling items.
  • Drafted press releases and statements; proofread and edited other agency literature, including newsletters and informational brochures.

2. Press Conferences

Here's how press secretaries use press conferences:
  • Organized press conferences and facilitated travel for Democratic candidate throughout the State of Florida.
  • Ensured adequate media coverage for press conferences; cultivating solid media relationships.

3. Policy Issues

Policy issues are key issues that influence the economic, social, and political life of a place where conflicts arise over the direction of government policy. Often the policy issues are general, dealing with broad approaches to problems, such as whether the federal government should increase spending on national defense or whether social security should be privatized in some fashion.

Here's how press secretaries use policy issues:
  • Develop advocacy messages and promote education policy issues.
  • Communicated complex policy issues to national, state, and local media, and the 26 million residents of Texas.

4. Press Events

Here's how press secretaries use press events:
  • Hosted press events around the world, coordinating with international non-governmental organizations to influence the debate surrounding international trade negotiations.
  • Coordinated opposition research, direct mail efforts and press events, and worked collaboratively with the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

5. Strategic Communications

Strategic communication is the conscious use of communication by an organization to fulfill its mission. It is a prerequisite and a tool for effective policymaking and public participation that facilitates the exchange of information and establishes consensus amongst different points of view and interests.

Here's how press secretaries use strategic communications:
  • Developed and implemented a strategic communications program for all aspects of the Congressman s policies and political agendas.
  • Develop and implement strategic communications plan for proactively promoting Governor's initiatives and legislative priorities.

6. Opinion Pieces

Here's how press secretaries use opinion pieces:
  • Drafted and edited press documents including press materials, opinion pieces and talking points.
  • Drafted floor statements, talking points, and opinion pieces for 23-member Committee.

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7. Rapid Responses

Here's how press secretaries use rapid responses:
  • Established and oversaw comprehensive rapid response campaign to opposition attacks.
  • Assisted Democratic Leadership offices on rapid response for health care and trade policy matters.

8. Fact Sheets

A fact sheet is a short, typed or handwritten one-page document that contains the most important information about a specific topic, product, substance, or service in the least amount of space. The aim is to convey key facts and points on a topic in a clear, concise, and easily understandable way and to communicate the most relevant information effectively.

Here's how press secretaries use fact sheets:
  • Attend committee and floor hearings, author fact sheets and support letters, and maintain vital relationships within the community.
  • Drafted written communications materials: op-eds, releases, core messaging docs, fact sheets, quotes, etc.

9. News Stories

News Story is a term that is quite self-explanatory as it refers to all the information that is recorded either in writing or as an interview and aims to inform the public about any particular matter, event, idea or mishap. A news story can be very short as well lengthy depending on the type and quantity of content and consist of relevant facts and figures.

Here's how press secretaries use news stories:
  • Performed long-term research and develop/deliver info packets pitching positive news stories to reporters.
  • Pitch news stories to media.

10. Editorials

Here's how press secretaries use editorials:
  • Briefed senior cabinet officers daily on local news and editorial coverage.
  • Pitch and place stories, opinion editorials, and letters to the editor highlighting the Senator's efforts and priorities.

11. Twitter

Here's how press secretaries use twitter:
  • Maintained online social media including Facebook and Twitter to increase constituent involvement.
  • Manage and post from senator's social media accounts, including Twitter and Facebook, multiple times a day.

12. Facebook

Here's how press secretaries use facebook:
  • Operated chapter Facebook group and update weekly chapter blog to actively engage members.
  • Fostered an energetic public discussion through Facebook and videos, exciting visual displays, carefully targeted humor and thought-provoking questions.

13. Public Events

Here's how press secretaries use public events:
  • Managed as the executive branch's public relations manager for media, social media, public events and internal government communication.
  • Plan and coordinate press outreach and public events for the Governor, Secretary, deputy secretaries and agency staff.

14. Crisis Communications

Crisis communication refers to the communication systems, protocols, and technologies in place that enables an organization to effectively communicate both internally and externally during any major critics or threat faced by the business. Crisis can include major natural disasters, cyber-attacks, product failures, corporate mistakes, PR incidents, reputation crisis, and so on. Crisis communication is critical for reducing the impact of the crisis on the company's operations and public image.

Here's how press secretaries use crisis communications:
  • Assisted DEP Leadership in creation of communications policy, including crisis communications and promotion of Florida's natural resources.
  • Coordinate crisis communications in support of emergency response and disaster recovery activities.

15. NYC

NYC stands for New York City.

Here's how press secretaries use nyc:
  • Press Secretary/Deputy Commissioner, NYC Human Resources Administration/
  • Work as the principal spokesman for the NYC Children's Services.
top-skills

What skills help Press Secretaries find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What skills stand out on press secretary resumes?

Jennifer Jackson Ph.D.Jennifer Jackson Ph.D. LinkedIn profile

Assistant Professor, Missouri Western State University

Skills that stand out are all applied skills. These include work with video, photography, podcasting, layout and website design, and the coordinating computer programs (including coding, editing, etc.). The more skills your experience can show you have, in that applied fashion, the more they will stand out. This means not just listing a set of skills, but discussing the application of those skills in the previous experience listed on a resume.

What soft skills should all press secretarys possess?

Dr. Yolandra Plummer Ph.D.

Associate Professor, University of the District of Columbia

Essential soft skills include communication, teamwork, time management, and critical thinking skills.

What hard/technical skills are most important for press secretarys?

Dr. Donna Weimer

Chairperson of the Department of Communication, and Theater Arts at Juniata, Juniata College

Problem Solving; Organization of Information into Story packets; creative design in Social Media.

What press secretary skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Annemarie FranczykAnnemarie Franczyk LinkedIn profile

Associate Professor, Buffalo State College

No one location is better than the rest. The wider the graduates cast their nets, the luckier they will be in landing a job.

What type of skills will young press secretarys need?

Gheni Platenburg Ph.D.Gheni Platenburg Ph.D. LinkedIn profile

Assistant Professor, Auburn University

To prepare for tomorrow's jobs, students need a solid background in fundamental journalism techniques and the technical skills of today. This is a multimedia journalism industry, meaning journalists need to possess the ability to tell stories across multiple platforms. There is no longer such a thing as a journalist who only broadcasts work or writes stories for print. It's OK to have specialty areas, but all new graduates need to have writing, video, audio, and graphics skills.

Additionally, mobile journalism skills will also be essential. Before and after the coronavirus pandemic's start, the ability to produce quality work from outside of the newsroom remains a coveted job skill. I foresee the industry moving more into this direction as we advance. Therefore, students should take the opportunities now to perfect those skills.
Do you want to know more?
Read more about what experts have to say about press secretary

List of press secretary skills to add to your resume

Press secretary skills

The most important skills for a press secretary resume and required skills for a press secretary to have include:

  • Press Releases
  • Press Conferences
  • Policy Issues
  • Press Events
  • Strategic Communications
  • Opinion Pieces
  • Rapid Responses
  • Fact Sheets
  • News Stories
  • Editorials
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Public Events
  • Crisis Communications
  • NYC
  • Writing Press Releases
  • Press Materials
  • Web Content
  • Public Affairs
  • Editorial Board
  • Instagram
  • Press Coverage
  • Press Inquiries
  • Press Relations
  • State Government
  • Spokesman
  • News Conferences
  • YouTube
  • Message Development
  • Event Planning
  • Media Management
  • Legislative Issues
  • Campaign Events
  • Press Operation
  • Radio Interviews
  • Press Outreach
  • Caucus
  • Social Media Sites
  • State Agencies
  • Position Papers
  • City Agencies
  • Press Interviews
  • Local Press
  • Public Appearances
  • Clips
  • Public Relations Strategies

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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