The Rock Family of Companies is made up of nearly 100 separate businesses spanning fintech, sports, entertainment, real estate, startups and more. We're united by our culture - a drive to find a better way that fuels our commitment to our clients, our community and our team members. We believe in and build inclusive workplaces, where every voice is heard and diverse perspectives are welcomed. Working for a company in the Family is about more than just a job - it's about having the opportunity to become the best version of yourself.
Rocket Central is a centralized hub that delivers thoughtful and innovative solutions for Rocket Companies . We are the center of operations, technology, marketing, HR, legal, strategy and more that propels our companies forward. Here, we'll give you the opportunity to launch your career and work with various companies, spanning multiple industries from fintech, to auto and real estate. We offer you the tools you'll need to succeed, no matter what stage you're at in your career. You'll be able to master your craft here by working on complex problems in a collaborative culture and challenging yourself to make a real impact.
Apply today to see all that Rocket Central has to offer!
Preferred Qualifications
Bachelor's degree in public relations, communications, journalism or a related field 2 years of experience in public relations or a related field Proficiency in the Microsoft Office suite
Job Summary
As a Public Relations Associate, you'll help tell the stories of the FinTech businesses that are a part of Rocket Companies. This includes the largest mortgage lender in the country - Rocket Mortgage - as well as quickly growing companies like Rocket Homes, Rocket Auto, Rocket Money and many others.
Beyond the core FinTech stories, this team member will spread the word about how the Rocket platform is making home buying easier, the new innovations behind that process and the creative ways we have told consumers about it - which has included Super Bowl commercials, PGA TOUR events and million-dollar sweepstakes.
On this team, you will make an impact on a Fortune 300 ranked company in the heart of Detroit.
This role requires flexibility and efficiency while remaining detail-oriented.
Responsibilities
Develop and implement public relations programs Identify and develop story opportunities Initiate and maintain media relationships Write press releases, articles and pitch story ideas Plan and manage press tours, conferences and events
Benefits and Perks
Our team members fuel our strategy, innovation and growth, so we ensure the health and well-being of not just you, but your family, too! We go above and beyond to give you the support you need on an individual level and offer all sorts of ways to help you live your best life. We are proud to offer eligible team members perks and health benefits that will help you have peace of mind. Simply put: We've got your back. Check out our full list of Benefits and Perks.
Who We Are
Rocket Companies is a Detroit-based company made up of businesses that provide simple, fast and trusted digital solutions for complex transactions. The name comes from our flagship business, now known as Rocket Mortgage , which was founded in 1985. Today, we're a publicly traded company involved in many different industries, including mortgages, fintech, real estate, automotive and more. We're insistently different in how we look at the world and are committed to an inclusive workplace where every voice is heard. We're passionate about the work we do, and it shows. We've been ranked #7 on Fortune's list of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in 2022, as well as ranking #1 for Fortune's Best Large Workplaces in Financial Services and Insurance List in 2021.
Disclaimer
This is an outline of the primary responsibilities of this position. As with everything in life, things change. The tasks and responsibilities can be changed, added to, removed, amended, deleted and modified at any time by the leadership group.
We are proud equal opportunity employers and committed to providing an inclusive environment based on mutual respect for all candidates and team members. Employment decisions, including hiring decisions, are not based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, military or veteran status or any other characteristic protected by state or federal law. We also provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities in accordance with state and federal law.
The Company is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer, and does not discriminate in any hiring or employment practices. The Company provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities in accordance with state and federal law. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation in completing the application and/or participating in the employment application process should notify a representative of the Human Resources Team, The Pulse, at 1-800-411-JOBS.
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How to hire a public relations associate
Public relations associate hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring public relations associates in the United States:
- The median cost to hire a public relations associate is $1,633.
- It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
- HR departments typically allocate 15% of their budget towards recruitment efforts.
- Small businesses spend $1,105 per public relations associate on training each year, while large companies spend $658.
- It takes approximately 12 weeks for a new employee to reach full productivity levels.
- There are a total of 58,558 public relations associates in the US, and there are currently 24,482 job openings in this field.
- New York, NY, has the highest demand for public relations associates, with 6 job openings.
How to hire a public relations associate, step by step
To hire a public relations associate, consider the skills and experience you are looking for in a candidate, allocate a budget for the position, and post and promote the job opening to reach potential candidates. Follow these steps to hire a public relations associate:
Here's a step-by-step public relations 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 public relations associate job description
- Step 5: Post your job
- Step 6: Interview candidates
- Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new public relations associate
- Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist
What does a public relations associate do?
A public relations associate is responsible for assisting the operations of the public relations department on developing campaigns and promotions to promote brand image on various digital platforms and other communication mediums. Public relations associates handle press releases, create digital content, organize public events, and identify business opportunities that would generate more revenue resources and attract potential clients. They also disseminate accurate information to the public regarding company news and special announcements. A public relations associate must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially on adhering to deadlines and business requirements.
Post a public relations associate job for free, promote it for a fee
Identify your hiring needs
First, determine the employments status of the public relations associate you need to hire. Certain public relations associate roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.
Determine employee vs contractor statusIs the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?Hiring the perfect public relations associate 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 relations associate salaries for various roles:
Type of Public Relations Associate Description Hourly rate Public Relations 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. $16-32 Campaign Coordinator A campaign coordinator is responsible for managing media campaigns and press communications for marketing efforts on business or other industry needs. Campaign coordinators perform administrative and clerical duties under the supervision of a campaign manager and develop event activities according to the campaign theme and requirements... Show more $13-29 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... Show more $16-30 Create an ideal candidate profile
Common skills:- Press Releases
- Web Content
- PowerPoint
- Writing Press Releases
- Blog Posts
- Fact Sheets
- Media Management
- Social Media Management
- Pr Campaigns
- Event Planning
Responsibilities:- Conduct SEO strategy to drive traffic in order to develop a competitive advantage.
- Manage public affairs and media efforts including writing and placing op-eds and mobilizing editorial campaigns.
- Coordinate with managers to tweet daily specials and promotions, as well as maintain the Facebook page.
- Work on affiliate marketing plan, as well as planned and implement company's first SEO strategy.
- Develop and maintain Facebook social media pages.
- Compile data from monthly reports to prepare directors' and executive management Microsoft PowerPoint presentation to board members.
Make a budget
Including a salary range in your public relations associate job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A public relations associate can vary based on:
- Location. For example, public relations associates' average salary in florida is 50% less than in washington.
- Seniority. Entry-level public relations associates 50% less than senior-level public relations associates.
- Certifications. A public relations 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 public relations associate's salary.
Average public relations associate salary
$48,953yearly
$23.54 hourly rateEntry-level public relations associate salary$34,000 yearly salaryUpdated December 29, 2025Average public relations associate salary by state
Rank State Avg. salary Hourly rate 1 Washington $69,388 $33 2 California $60,885 $29 3 District of Columbia $59,075 $28 4 New Jersey $58,167 $28 5 Maryland $57,868 $28 6 New York $56,918 $27 7 Minnesota $55,833 $27 8 Virginia $55,008 $26 9 Colorado $51,435 $25 10 Massachusetts $50,650 $24 11 Texas $49,984 $24 12 Pennsylvania $48,986 $24 13 Utah $47,218 $23 14 Tennessee $46,775 $22 15 Illinois $46,191 $22 16 Nebraska $45,472 $22 17 South Carolina $43,420 $21 18 North Carolina $42,999 $21 19 Iowa $42,928 $21 20 Alabama $40,417 $19 Average public relations associate salary by company
Rank Company Average salary Hourly rate Job openings 1 AstraZeneca $84,713 $40.73 2 2 JPMorgan Chase & Co. $77,178 $37.10 22 3 BlackRock $71,913 $34.57 4 Grant Thornton $71,830 $34.53 5 YouthBuild USA $69,990 $33.65 6 General Electric $66,937 $32.18 3 7 Goodwin $66,205 $31.83 8 Capgemini $65,115 $31.31 1 9 Ralph Lauren $64,029 $30.78 1 10 SmithBucklin $63,522 $30.54 1 11 Loyola Marymount University $63,358 $30.46 1 12 Curry College $59,799 $28.75 3 13 Industrial and Commercial Bank of China $57,753 $27.77 14 Mattel $56,649 $27.24 1 15 Memorial Healthcare $55,886 $26.87 16 Olson $53,769 $25.85 17 American Enterprise Institute $53,667 $25.80 2 18 Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center $53,175 $25.56 19 Teachers Insurance & Annuity Association of America $52,364 $25.18 20 Chico's FAS $51,362 $24.69 Writing a public relations associate job description
A public relations associate 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 public relations associate job description:
Public relations associate job description example
Post your job
There are various strategies that you can use to find the right public relations 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 public relations associate job on Zippia to find and recruit public relations associate candidates who meet your exact specifications.
- Use field-specific websites.
- Post a job on free websites.
Interview candidates
To successfully recruit public relations associates, 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.
You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.
The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.
Send a job offer and onboard your new public relations associate
Once you've found the public relations 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.
After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new public relations associate. 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.
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 relations associate?
Before you start to hire public relations associates, it pays to consider both the one-off costs like recruitment, job promotion, and onboarding, as well as the ongoing costs of an employee's salary and benefits. While most companies that hire public relations associates pay close attention to the initial cost of hiring, ongoing costs are much more significant in the long run.
The median annual salary for public relations associates is $48,953 in the US. However, the cost of public relations associate hiring can vary a lot depending on location. Additionally, hiring a public relations associate for contract work or on a per-project basis typically costs between $16 and $32 an hour.
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Updated December 29, 2025