How to hire a public relations coordinator

How to hire a public relations coordinator, step by step

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

What does a public relations coordinator do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the public relations coordinator you need to hire. Certain public relations coordinator 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

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a public relations coordinator to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a public relations coordinator that fits the bill.

   The following list breaks down different types of public relations coordinators and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Public Relations Coordinator	Description	Hourly rate
   Public Relations Coordinator	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.	$16-28
   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... Show more	$14-39
   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

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Press Releases
   • Facebook
   • Twitter
   • Instagram
   • PowerPoint
   • Event Planning
   • Press Materials
   • Media Management
   • Graphic Design
   • Social Media Management
   • Press Clippings
   • Promotional Materials
   • Writing Press Releases
   • Web Content

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Achieve first page Google ranking on key terms for the company blog, YouTube, and website after optimizing content.
   • Manage all copywriting elements for live broadcasts and promotional commercials.
   • Start the team Instagram page.
   • Film new internal training videos for domestic and international accounts and theBalm s YouTube channel.
   • Assist in social media efforts, utilizing Hootsuite, Quora and LinkedIn on the daily basis.
   • Control, write, and edit press releases, e-blasts, and social media through HootSuite.

   More public relations coordinator duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the public relations coordinator job description is a good way to get more applicants. A public relations coordinator salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a public relations coordinator in Montana may be lower than in Virginia, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level public relations coordinator. Additionally, a public relations coordinator with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average public relations coordinator salary

   $46,225yearly

   $22.22 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level public relations coordinator salary

   $35,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 20, 2025

   Average public relations coordinator salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	District of Columbia	$59,205	$28
   2	New Jersey	$58,657	$28
   3	New York	$52,784	$25
   4	California	$50,666	$24
   5	Washington	$48,751	$23
   6	Massachusetts	$47,898	$23
   7	North Dakota	$46,802	$23
   8	Nevada	$46,200	$22
   9	Ohio	$45,713	$22
   10	Wisconsin	$45,352	$22
   11	Texas	$45,340	$22
   12	Utah	$45,151	$22
   13	Alaska	$44,360	$21
   14	Illinois	$43,842	$21
   15	Colorado	$43,603	$21
   16	North Carolina	$42,801	$21
   17	Missouri	$40,863	$20
   18	Puerto Rico	$39,871	$19
   19	Florida	$38,975	$19
   20	Georgia	$36,548	$18

   Average public relations coordinator salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Shiseido	$60,117	$28.90
   2	Sidley Austin	$57,919	$27.85	9
   3	Latham & Watkins	$57,663	$27.72
   4	DataArt	$54,488	$26.20
   5	OSF HealthCare	$54,470	$26.19	2
   6	Washington State University	$53,510	$25.73	1
   7	Activision Blizzard	$52,926	$25.45	1
   8	Steve Madden	$52,645	$25.31
   9	King & Spalding	$52,454	$25.22
   10	Fox News	$51,694	$24.85
   11	Trustmark	$51,103	$24.57	2
   12	Ahmad, Zavitsanos, Anaipakos, Alavi & Mensing P.c. Or Aza	$51,060	$24.55	1
   13	Adventist HealthCare	$50,993	$24.52
   14	Jackson Spalding	$50,913	$24.48	4
   15	Medical Imaging Solutions USA	$49,989	$24.03
   16	Fig	$49,421	$23.76
   17	Fishman	$49,369	$23.74	2
   18	Snap	$49,277	$23.69	3
   19	Newmont	$49,237	$23.67
   20	AnMed Health	$49,049	$23.58

4. Writing a public relations coordinator job description

   A public relations coordinator 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. To help get you started, here's an example of a public relations coordinator job description:

   Public relations coordinator job description example

   Universidad Ana G. Mendez (UAGM) is a non-profit institution of higher education whose principal mission is to promote the cultural, social and economic development and well-being of the Puerto Rican society, as well as of other Hispanic communities outside of Puerto Rico, by offering educational opportunities for the benefit of the communities which it serves. UAGM Gurabo Campus through its Integral Development Unit, will serve as lead organization of the AmeriCorps VISTA Project: "Alliance of Volunteers in Action and Service to Puerto Rico (VIAS PR)". With the purpose of strengthening and supplementing efforts to eliminate and alleviate poverty, the VISTA project will seek to was to design and implement an outreach model program that enhances new labor market skills in participants through the development of a leadership program that provides the opportunity to advance in their academic careers and find employment. The VIAS PR sites and VISTA members will be located in Gurabo Campus, Cupey Campus, Carolina Campus and Bayamon and Aguadilla locations. Further help on this page can be found by clicking here.
   
   Member Duties : Employment Outreach Program Coordinator Gurabo Campus Assess current communication efforts and identify areas for growth, Create templates for outreach platforms, including social media content, Pilot outreach methods and monitor progress/interactions; Revise outreach strategy based on initial feedback and findings; develop and disseminate a profile of jobs seekers, develop and disseminate a profile of jobs and employers requirements,Research best practices and effective communication strategies; evaluate and improve new technological platforms; develop and disseminate the technological process; develop and distribute educational and promotion material; recruit volunteers; ensure the engagement of community participants in activities and trainings; coordinate employment services; and, communicate, provide orientation and train employers, participants, volunteers and community leaders in the use of the new platform.
   
   Program Benefits : Stipend , Living Allowance , Health Coverage* , Relocation Allowance , Childcare assistance if eligible , Training , Choice of Education Award or End of Service Stipend , Education award upon successful completion of service .
   Terms :
   
   Permits attendance at school during off hours , Permits working at another job during off hours .
   
   Service Areas :
   
   Community and Economic Development .
   
   Skills :
   
   Social Services .

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right public relations coordinator 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 public relations coordinator job on Zippia to find and attract quality public relations coordinator 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 public relations coordinator 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.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you 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 public relations coordinator

   Once you've selected the best public relations coordinator candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new public relations coordinator. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

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 relations coordinator?