What does a public relations assistant do?
A public relations assistant is responsible for assisting the development of promotional campaigns based on clients' specifications to boost brand awareness and generate sales for the company. Public relations assistants support the organization's public relations department, such as handling press releases, monitoring social media platforms, scheduling media advertisements, and perform market research to identify close competitors and adjust campaign strategies as needed. They also perform administrative duties, responding to the client's inquiries and concerns, conducting customer surveys, and requesting supplies for marketing campaigns, requiring them to have excellent communication and customer service skills.
Public relations assistant responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real public relations assistant resumes:
- Manage all copywriting elements for live broadcasts and promotional commercials.
- Research & propose introducing Google+ & LinkedIn to social media efforts to increase brand awareness & SEO.
- Photograph the store's merchandise, upload creative Instagram posts to increase consumer engagement and promote the store.
- Develop key PowerPoint presentation for commencement base on content provide by management.
- Create and administer Facebook and website content, including marketing of school programs/events.
- Produce PowerPoint presentations, article reprints and edit broadcast media placements as needed.
- Develop a SharePoint site for bank examiners to improve team productivity, project and document management.
- Used Dreamweaver and HTML to assist in design of the publications online catalog.
- Transcribe post-game interviews of NFL players and coaches.
- Coordinate travel arrangements for official ministry delegations.
- Pitch client product reviews to different outlets and actively follow-up with bloggers, YouTube subscribers and professional publications.
- Provide editorial direction to advertising agency for on-site, local, regional and national advertising.
- Develop proposals, budgets and execution strategies for magazine releases & projects following editorial deadlines.
Public relations assistant skills and personality traits
We calculated that 30% of Public Relations Assistants are proficient in Press Releases, Facebook, and Twitter. They’re also known for soft skills such as Interpersonal skills, Organizational skills, and Problem-solving skills.
We break down the percentage of Public Relations Assistants that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Press Releases, 30%
Maintained and developed media relations and promotional publicity including press releases and season ticket package offers.
- Facebook, 7%
Facilitated monthly social media planning meetings: maintained social media calendar, developed targeted text/ graphic content for Twitter and Facebook.
- Twitter, 6%
Assisted Manager with providing informational material to update social media vehicles (Facebook/Twitter).
- Press Conferences, 5%
Coordinated special events and press conferences by securing speakers, planning agendas and making facility arrangements while remaining within budget.
- Event Planning, 4%
Assisted Director of Events in various aspects of event planning, including executive level administrative assistance.
- Instagram, 4%
Expand our overall social media presence by establishing and monitoring Youtube and Instagram accounts in addition to previously established platforms.
"press releases," "facebook," and "twitter" are among the most common skills that public relations assistants use at work. You can find even more public relations assistant responsibilities below, including:
Interpersonal skills. One of the key soft skills for a public relations assistant to have is interpersonal skills. You can see how this relates to what public relations assistants do because "public relations specialists deal with the public and the media regularly." Additionally, a public relations assistant resume shows how public relations assistants use interpersonal skills: "provided the highest level of customer service and client relations which are based on outstanding communication and excellent interpersonal skills. "
Organizational skills. Another essential skill to perform public relations assistant duties is organizational skills. Public relations assistants responsibilities require that "public relations specialists are often in charge of managing several events or communications at the same time, which requires excellent skills in coordinating arrangements." Public relations assistants also use organizational skills in their role according to a real resume snippet: "job duties: prepared and edited organizational publications including press releases for external audiences. "
Problem-solving skills. public relations assistants are also known for problem-solving skills, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to public relations assistant responsibilities, because "public relations specialists sometimes must explain how a company or client is handling sensitive issues." A public relations assistant resume example shows how problem-solving skills is used in the workplace: "researched press coverage and high-resolution images via online and print to create, design and organize media clips. "
Speaking skills. public relations assistant responsibilities often require "speaking skills." The duties that rely on this skill are shown by the fact that "public relations specialists regularly speak on behalf of clients or their organization." This resume example shows what public relations assistants do with speaking skills on a typical day: "managed client schedules, represented clients at public events when needed. "
Writing skills. A commonly-found skill in public relations assistant job descriptions, "writing skills" is essential to what public relations assistants do. Public relations assistant responsibilities rely on this skill because "public relations specialists must be able to write well-organized and clear press releases, speeches, and social media posts." You can also see how public relations assistant duties rely on writing skills in this resume example: "monitored the production of press releases, brochures, and media releases assisted with public relations tasks including writing and press clippings"
The three companies that hire the most public relations assistants are:
- Havas Edge10 public relations assistants jobs
- Reid Health2 public relations assistants jobs
- PeopleReady2 public relations assistants jobs
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Compare different public relations assistants
Public relations assistant vs. Media coordinator
A media coordinator acts as a communications professional in charge of developing and implementing target communications and advertising for various media platforms. Media coordinators plan, implement, and monitor the social media strategy of an organization. They discern the most successful media outreach and establish advertising partnerships and business deals. They aim to increase their respective companies' brand awareness, strengthen their advertising campaigns, improve their marketing strategies, and increase their sales.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, public relations assistant responsibilities require skills like "external communications," "collating," "press clippings," and "press materials." Meanwhile a typical media coordinator has skills in areas such as "digital marketing," "social media marketing," "social platforms," and "video content." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
Media coordinators really shine in the manufacturing industry with an average salary of $48,229. Comparatively, public relations assistants tend to make the most money in the finance industry with an average salary of $46,270.The education levels that media coordinators earn slightly differ from public relations assistants. In particular, media coordinators are 0.1% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a public relations assistant. Additionally, they're 0.0% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Public relations assistant vs. Social media specialist
A social media specialist is an individual who is responsible for creating and administering content on all social media platforms to build an audience and ensure customer engagement. By using platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, social media specialists must create content that resonates with the interests of the intended audience. They are required to understand social media metrics so that they can use the information to ensure success in their social media strategy. Social media specialists must also work with industry professionals and influencers via social media to create a strong network.
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that public relations assistant responsibilities requires skills like "press conferences," "press kits," "external communications," and "collating." But a social media specialist might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "social media marketing," "digital marketing," "social media management," and "media management."
On average, social media specialists earn a higher salary than public relations assistants. Some industries support higher salaries in each profession. Interestingly enough, social media specialists earn the most pay in the professional industry with an average salary of $52,527. Whereas public relations assistants have higher pay in the finance industry, with an average salary of $46,270.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Social media specialists tend to reach similar levels of education than public relations assistants. In fact, they're 0.7% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.0% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for public relations assistants in the next 3-5 years?
Michele Cuomo
Dean, Arts and Communication, Seminole State College of Florida
Public relations assistant vs. 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. They also develop strategic procedures for creating the business' online presence, organizing promotional events, and media conferences. A communications coordinator must have excellent communication and organization skills to maintain a good reputation and customer satisfaction.
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from public relations assistant resumes include skills like "press kits," "collating," "press clippings," and "photo shoots," whereas a communications coordinator is more likely to list skills in "customer service," "patients," "community engagement," and "project management. "
Communications coordinators make a very good living in the government industry with an average annual salary of $46,362. On the other hand, public relations assistants are paid the highest salary in the finance industry, with average annual pay of $46,270.When it comes to education, communications coordinators tend to earn higher degree levels compared to public relations assistants. In fact, they're 5.7% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.4% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Public relations assistant vs. Publicist
Public Relations Supervisors are responsible for implementing the media and public relations strategy of an organization. Their duties include developing public relations campaigns, organize public relations events, assist in emergency response planning, updating documentation, monitoring media, improve management of press office, and manage media databases. They are responsible for assisting with journalistic content writing, refine internal processes, and track public relations activity performance. They help prepare reports as well as undertake competitor and market research.
Types of public relations assistant
Updated January 8, 2025
