How to hire a public information specialist

How to hire a public information specialist, step by step

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

What does a public information specialist do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the public information specialist you need to hire. Certain public information 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

   Hiring the perfect public information specialist also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   Here's a comparison of public information specialist salaries for various roles:

   Type of Public Information Specialist	Description	Hourly rate
   Public Information 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.	$15-32
   Communications Consultant	Communications consultants are responsible for preparing media releases, whether through print, video, or email. They perform varied tasks that may include working on complete projects such as media analysis and branding, creating strategies to reinforced communication among clients and employees, and providing guidance and recommendations to a company's public relations team... Show more	$30-62
   Public Relations Internship	A public relations intern is responsible for assisting the public relations department in creating content to engage customers and prospective clients in availing of the goods and services of the company. Public relations interns participate in meetings to suggest strategies and observe areas of improvement... Show more	$11-18

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Web Content
   • Press Conferences
   • Fact Sheets
   • Public Speaking
   • External Audiences
   • Public Outreach
   • Informational Materials
   • HTML
   • Community Events
   • Media Management
   • Writing Press Releases
   • Social Media Sites
   • News Stories
   • Community Outreach

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage and design a new social media policy to include visual-base social media, like Youtube and Instagram.
   • Manage alumni database, and communication with other departments and alumni.
   • Provide content and maintain agency Facebook page.
   • Work with administrators, managers and department heads to add/edit/develop content as necessary, ensuring accuracy of content and utilizing SEO.
   • Head design and writing creation for Medicaid provider community.
   • Coordinate and edit all Florida Medicaid publications for print and online distribution.

   More public information specialist duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, public information specialists' average salary in mississippi is 51% less than in new jersey.
   • Seniority. Entry-level public information specialists 51% less than senior-level public information specialists.
   • Certifications. A public information specialist 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 public information specialist's salary.

   Average public information specialist salary

   $47,725yearly

   $22.94 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level public information specialist salary

   $33,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 23, 2026

   Average public information specialist salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New York	$62,862	$30
   2	Washington	$60,686	$29
   3	District of Columbia	$59,920	$29
   4	California	$57,701	$28
   5	Virginia	$55,411	$27
   6	Ohio	$55,378	$27
   7	Nevada	$47,278	$23
   8	Illinois	$46,636	$22
   9	Minnesota	$45,894	$22
   10	Arkansas	$45,837	$22
   11	Texas	$45,179	$22
   12	New Mexico	$44,501	$21
   13	Indiana	$41,906	$20
   14	North Carolina	$38,414	$18
   15	Florida	$34,674	$17

   Average public information specialist salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Chicago State University	$62,126	$29.87
   2	National Radio Astronomy Observatory	$60,579	$29.12
   3	New York State Restaurant Association	$56,490	$27.16
   4	Department of Public Social Services	$53,252	$25.60
   5	Wsp USA Buildings Inc.	$52,257	$25.12	95
   6	Travis County	$52,079	$25.04	1
   7	ROC Service	$51,456	$24.74
   8	City of Austin	$51,288	$24.66	1
   9	Minnesota State Fair	$51,222	$24.63	9
   10	University of Washington	$48,220	$23.18	14
   11	City of Fayetteville, Georgia - Government	$46,093	$22.16
   12	Snc-lavalin Project Services, Inc.	$43,279	$20.81
   13	County of Riverside	$43,098	$20.72	7
   14	County Of Los Angeles Public Library	$41,890	$20.14
   15	My Florida Regional Mls	$41,515	$19.96
   16	Texas State Teachers Association	$36,537	$17.57	2
   17	State Of Idaho	$35,295	$16.97
   18	Indiana State Police	$34,662	$16.66	7
   19	State of Ohio	$32,731	$15.74	28
   20	State Of Florida	$32,562	$15.65	163

4. Writing a public information specialist job description

   A job description for a public information specialist role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a public information specialist job description:

   Public information specialist job description example

   The primary office location for this position is in Virginia Beach and provides an opportunity for a hybrid office/work from home schedule following position onboarding, orientation and training.
   Brief Description: Under broad guidance, the Public Information Specialist is responsible for performing a wide variety of public relations, outreach and assignments related to communication with citizens, the media, local governments, civic organizations, NGOs, contractors and others relating to HRSD field activities and initiatives including, but not limited to, Capital Improvement Program (CIP) projects, maintenance and emergency repairs. Job Requirements: a. Education
   Required
   Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Public Relations, or related field b. Experience
   Required
   a) Experience in the construction or infrastructure industry to understand the business processes and practices. Demonstrated capacity to handle the intricacies of public relations duties in the public sector and in public and interpersonal forums
   b) Three to five years experience organizing, coordinating and communicating information as it relates to large projects
   c) Demonstrated experience as a professional communicator applying both skills and theory c. Training Levels
   Personnel in this category are fully qualified at grade 6 with an appropriate bachelor’s degree and experience as noted above. The following training levels are established for personnel who are not fully qualified: Grade 6a – Three years of applicable experience and ¾ hours toward Bachelor’s degree in a related field
   Grade 6b – Two years of applicable experience and ½ credits toward Bachelor’s degree or completion of an Associate's degree in a related field d. Job-specific Technical Competencies
   Required
   a) Broad functional knowledge of modern office practices and equipment
   b) Self-directed and able to work well independently with limited managerial oversight
   c) Detail-oriented with excellent time management and organizational skills
   d) Effective written and oral communications skills
   e) Strong administrative and clerical skills
   f) Solid technical skills; proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Access) is a must. Knowledge of or willingness to learn design software such as Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop) a plus
   g) Effectively utilize HRSD specific software applications as necessary
   h) Demonstrated ability to organize records, track large projects and follow directions
   i) Ability to build and maintain collaborative relationships with HRSD employees, customers, consultants, contractors, locality partners and other stakeholders
   j) Ability to work effectively with the general public
   k) Ability to maintain composure in face of conflict
   l) Familiarity with and ability to use social media sites to communicate project information
   e. Job-specific Behavioral Competencies
   Sets Clear Performance Goals
   a) Clearly communicates expectations for results, timeliness, quality and other important parameters
   b) Establishes deadlines for delivery of results f. Special Licenses
   Required
   Valid driver’s license from state of residence
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   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right public information 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.

   To find public information specialist candidates, you can consider the following options:

   • Post your job opening on Zippia or other job search websites.
   • Use niche websites that focus on engineering and technology jobs, such as pr news job board, pr council, prsa job center, hoojobs.
   • Post your job on free job posting websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit public information specialists, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up 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 public information specialist

   Once you've decided on a perfect public information 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.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new public information specialist. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are 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 public information specialist?