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Public relations director skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

5 min read

Quoted experts

Heidi Mau Ph.D.,

Hans Schmidt Ph.D.

Public relations director example skills

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical public relations director skills. We ranked the top skills for public relations directors based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 19.4% of public relations director resumes contained press releases as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a public relations director needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 public relations director skills for your resume and career

1. Press Releases

Here's how public relations directors use press releases:

Provided administrative and editorial support to the senior Archdiocese executive with responsibility for press releases and events and various regular publications
Drafted press releases and opinion-editorials and contacted media members to pitch stories and interviews with organizational representatives.

2. Web Content

Here's how public relations directors use web content:

Assisted with internal communications initiatives as well advising on newsletter content, web content and advertising content.
Coordinated and managed external communications including media relations, print newsletter, social media, web content, and annual reports.

3. Pr Campaigns

Here's how public relations directors use pr campaigns:

Managed social media accounts, created/maintained website, created/implemented PR campaigns
Developed PR campaigns for a variety of business-to-business clients.

4. Facebook

Here's how public relations directors use facebook:

Developed organization's social media imprint by initiating FaceBook, Twitter and additional social media channels as became pertinent.
Designed and maintained a social media network consisting of daily blogging and monitoring social activity on Facebook.

5. 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 public relations directors use crisis communications:

Assisted college president and college vice presidents with crisis communication, offering recommendations, preparing media statements and/or acting as spokeswoman.
Handled all crisis communications for division by preparing general manager for media interviews and interfacing with corporate office and legal team.

6. Twitter

Here's how public relations directors use twitter:

Developed successful social media campaigns (Facebook/Twitter).
Managed customer, employee & media relations Created Twitter & Facebook- respectively 262 followers & 510 likes

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7. Instagram

Here's how public relations directors use instagram:

Produce product and lifestyle photo shoots bi-annually including Instagram photos.
Manage Hinge's Instagram account and post daily images featuring both current users and past success stories.

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 public relations directors use fact sheets:

Prepare and distribute fact sheets, news releases, photographs to media representatives.
Created brochures, fact sheets, print ads and television commercials.

9. Crisis Management

Here's how public relations directors use crisis management:

Served as principal spokesperson for the organization and provided communications counsel to the leadership team, including media crisis management.
Managed internal communications, crisis management, hotel website, community and signature events, collateral development and advertising.

10. External Communications

External communications refer to the exchange of information between the organization one is working with and another organization.

Here's how public relations directors use external communications:

Managed overall corporate reputation and internal/external communications.
Developed and implemented all internal and external communications programs including newsletters, media relations, education and information collateral, etc.

11. Business Development

Business development is the ideas or initiatives that work to make business work better. Selling, advertising, product development, supply chain management, and vendor management are only a few of the divisions involved with it. There is still a lot of networking, negotiating, forming alliances, and trying to save money. The goals set for business development guide and coordinate with all of these various operations and sectors.

Here's how public relations directors use business development:

Specialized in analyst relations, corporate branding, strategic planning, investor relations, account management and new business development.
Provided leadership for day-to-day Agency operations, including account strategy, financial management and new business development.

12. Communications Strategies

A communication strategy is a plan used by a company to achieve its communication and interaction goals. It includes several elements such as approaching the target market, communicating with stakeholders and partners, and formulating target market plans.

Here's how public relations directors use communications strategies:

Develop partnerships with advocacy groups and collaborate across functions to develop communications strategies and messaging.
Developed and implemented corporate communications strategies for national and local print and broadcast visibility.

13. Public Relations Strategies

Here's how public relations directors use public relations strategies:

Directed the Public Relations strategies and execution for a major Chicago-based consumer goods company and its entire product portfolio.
Capitalized and produce comprehensive public relations strategies, campaigns featuring A-list celebrities and sports icons.

14. Event Planning

Here's how public relations directors use event planning:

Deepened program understanding and community awareness efforts through presentations and community event planning and execution.
Communicate with internal and external teams regarding event planning and execution.

15. Corporate Communications

Corporate communication is a way for a company or a business to communicate and interact with their clients, whether external or internal. They usually work as investors, government agencies, employees, the media sector, employees, and the public. It is written reports, advertisements, promotional materials, press releases, interviews, and meetings.

Here's how public relations directors use corporate communications:

Managed corporate communication and directed internal and external public relations & marketing initiatives for company's sporting goods and golf divisions.
Established message development, launch, and campaign planning processes to improve cross-functional collaboration between corporate communications and marketing.

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What skills help Public Relations Directors find jobs?

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

What skills stand out on public relations director resumes?

Heidi Mau Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Albright College

Skills particular to industry needs and unique experiences that help a candidate stand out continue to be important to highlight, but what is often forgotten is the emphasis on strong communication skills needed for all professions - written, verbal, visual, and digital communication skills. These are skills that continue to translate across all industries.

Proven skills in advocating and supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion are similarly important across all industries. Being able to speak concretely about actions that positively impact these areas is of particular interest and stand out on a resume.

Skills that highlight the ability to think critically, problem solve, be productive without supervision, and also to collaborate and work with teams - these are skills that continue to be important across all positions. Solid skills in interpersonal and applied communications can greatly enhance these abilities, which are important both within the field and across industries.

What soft skills should all public relations directors possess?

Hans Schmidt Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Communications, Coordinator, Schreyer and Cooper Honors Programs, Penn State University, Brandywine

I know that "soft skills" is commonly used, but I'm not a fan of the term. I think it implies that some of these skills are "soft" or "easy" or "unimportant." They aren't. In many ways, so-called "soft skills" - things like interpersonal communication skills - can be among the most important skills for any worker. This is especially the case in communication-related fields, where there is an expectation that human interaction - both in-person and mediated - is important. This is true with leadership skills and presentation/speaking skills.

What hard/technical skills are most important for public relations directors?

Anne Marie Mitchell

Associate Professor, Columbia College Chicago

Demonstrate you have experience with the tools that professionals regularly use, such as media list building/research (e.g., Cision or Just Reach Out), data analytics (e.g., Google Analytics, Hootsuite), and strategy/messaging (e.g., media pitching, message maps, strategic planning/creative briefs). You also will want a portfolio with real work for real clients (e.g., client presentations, press releases/media alerts, media plans/media lists for real clients, social media content, event management, influencer marketing, etc.). The tools evolve, so LinkedIn certifications are an easy way to supplement your experience.

What public relations director skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Clarke Caywood

Professor (founder group of IMC and PR in Medill) Joint Doctorate in Business and Journalism - Univ. Wis. Madison, Northwestern University

Rapid and changing from competitors who offer advanced textual intelligence systems to track brands, employees, competitors, public figures, customers, and more.

What type of skills will young public relations directors need?

John Hartman

Emeritus Professor, Central Michigan University

The ability to gather information through multiple methods and distill it, verify it, write about it, and communicate about it through various media and means.

What technical skills for a public relations director stand out to employers?

Jody McBrien

Professor, University of South Florida

Certainly, the technological skills needed in the present include expertise with managing work expectations through virtual platforms such as Microsoft Teams and Zoom. Given that new employees may need to work from home for several more months, self-motivation will be an important asset. Finally, given that distance work has now been a major form of employment for nearly a year, businesses will be needing to re-evaluate how work is done. There has certainly been a shift in how work is done, and many employees will have found that they may be even more productive from home. Employers will need to reconsider the importance of business sites and locations of their employees. They will need to be flexible in their thinking to consider arrangements in which their employees will be most productive.

Do you want to know more?

List of public relations director skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a public relations director resume and required skills for a public relations director to have include:

Press Releases
Web Content
Pr Campaigns
Facebook
Crisis Communications
Twitter
Instagram
Fact Sheets
Crisis Management
External Communications
Business Development
Communications Strategies
Public Relations Strategies
Event Planning
Corporate Communications
Press Conferences
Community Relations

Writing Press Releases
Content Marketing
Biographies
Press Materials
Community Outreach
Linkedin
ROI
Public Speaking
Public Relations Efforts
Graphic Design
Product Launches
Press Events
Press Coverage
YouTube
Media Management
Public Affairs
Promotional Materials

Trade Shows
Press Kits
Photo Shoots
Market Research
SEO
Feature Stories
Public Relations Campaigns
Social Media Management
Brand Positioning
Copywriting
Community Events
Public Relations Programs
Event Management
Strategic Plan
Non-Profit Organization

Updated January 8, 2025

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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