How to hire a public relations internship

How to hire a public relations internship, step by step

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

What does a public relations internship do?

Post a public relations internship job for free, promote it for a fee

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your public relations internship job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a public relations internship for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   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 relations internship 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.

   This list shows salaries for various types of public relations interns.

   Type of Public Relations Internship	Description	Hourly rate
   Public Relations Internship	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.	$11-18
   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
   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

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Press Releases
   • Facebook
   • Twitter
   • Press Clippings
   • Instagram
   • Event Planning
   • PowerPoint
   • Blog Posts
   • Writing Press Releases
   • Press Kits
   • Press Materials
   • Fact Sheets
   • News Stories
   • Event Coordination

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage relationship with vendors, media partners, secure coverage, track ROI and event logistics.
   • Manage CEO's LinkedIn account by consistently posting in relevant groups and connecting with prominent industry people.
   • Manage and write copy for client social media platforms and ECPR's social media deliverable, which involve SEO streamlining.
   • Manage all copywriting elements for live broadcasts and promotional commercials.
   • Assist in defining the best use of social media for the club including Facebook, twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
   • Create and distribute press releases, pitch letters, news articles, community biographies, and other various content pieces.

   More public relations internship duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, public relations interns' average salary in alabama is 44% less than in washington.
   • Seniority. Entry-level public relations interns 38% less than senior-level public relations interns.
   • Certifications. A public relations internship 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 internship's salary.

   Average public relations internship salary

   $14.84hourly

   $30,868 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level public relations internship salary

   $24,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 21, 2026

   Average public relations internship salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Washington	$39,105	$19
   2	California	$36,349	$17
   3	New Hampshire	$36,025	$17
   4	Alaska	$35,916	$17
   5	Michigan	$33,564	$16
   6	Arizona	$33,467	$16
   7	Illinois	$32,836	$16
   8	Massachusetts	$31,711	$15
   9	North Carolina	$31,613	$15
   10	New York	$31,162	$15
   11	District of Columbia	$30,717	$15
   12	Oregon	$30,660	$15
   13	Georgia	$29,465	$14
   14	Connecticut	$27,973	$13
   15	Minnesota	$27,600	$13
   16	Maryland	$27,373	$13
   17	Missouri	$27,366	$13
   18	Pennsylvania	$27,241	$13
   19	Tennessee	$27,094	$13
   20	Wisconsin	$26,985	$13

   Average public relations internship salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Mayor Ethan Berkowitz	$42,679	$20.52	2
   2	The Motley Fool	$40,627	$19.53
   3	The Culinary Institute of America	$40,474	$19.46
   4	APCO Worldwide	$36,179	$17.39	2
   5	Lockheed Martin	$35,383	$17.01	1
   6	Thanx	$34,864	$16.76
   7	Associated Electric Cooperative, Inc Recruiting	$34,779	$16.72
   8	Amazon	$34,524	$16.60	64
   9	The AES	$34,515	$16.59
   10	T-Mobile	$34,178	$16.43
   11	BNSF Railway	$33,594	$16.15	9
   12	Compass Group USA	$33,389	$16.05	53
   13	Shaw Industries	$32,786	$15.76
   14	Edelman Financial Engines	$32,522	$15.64	1
   15	ALDI USA	$32,376	$15.57
   16	Community Legal Services	$32,250	$15.50
   17	Spectrum Health	$32,035	$15.40
   18	National Railroad Passenger Corporation	$31,620	$15.20	1
   19	Imre	$31,613	$15.20
   20	Sunbeam Family Services	$31,432	$15.11

4. Writing a public relations internship job description

   A public relations internship 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 internship job description:

   Public relations internship job description example

   Every great story has a new beginning. We're excited to announce that Discovery and WarnerMedia have combined to become Warner Bros. Discovery. WBD is a premier global media and entertainment company offering audiences the world’s most differentiated and complete portfolio of content, brands and franchises across television, film, sports, news, streaming and gaming. We’re home to the world’s best storytellers, creating world-class products for consumers. From brilliant creatives to technology trailblazers and beyond, join us as we step into the next chapter.
   
   The?application deadline for Spring 2023 is Friday, November, 4th. After this date, we cannot guarantee your application will be reviewed for the position.
   
   All internships will be a hybrid, in-person (based on your manager's in office schedule) unless explicitly stated as a virtual opportunity.
   Responsibilities: The Public Relations department, Food Network and Cooking Channel, has the exciting opportunity to promote popular network programming such as Chopped, Beat Bobby Flay and Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives to national and local broadcast, print and online press outlets. We are crafting and sharing the story behind our shows and talent with press, which ultimately lead consumers to tune-in to our programming. Big picture, we are behind the earned media strategies and initiatives that land our talent on TODAY Show, Good Morning America and People Magazine, just to name a few. - Support PR Assistant in generation of weekly clip report
   - Maintain status sheets, episode descriptions and other PR documents
   - Help pull and curate show specific assets including episodic photography and video clips
   - Manage department premium inventory
   - Assist with research projects and brainstorm sessions as needed
   
   Qualifications: Must be a Junior, Senior or Graduate Student (18 years or older) Must be actively enrolled in an accredited college or university degree program for the full duration of the internship (proof of enrollment required) Must be in academic good standing (2.8 or above GPA) Must have the legal right to work in the United States About Our Program
   WBD's Internship Program is designed to nurture students professionally and personally. We attract the country’s boldest and brightest students for paid, for-credit, real-world internship experiences in the entertainment, tech, sports, news and media industries. We offer career-defining opportunties to learn valuable skills that will helo you prepare for a successful future.
   
   Ready to learn more? Here’s what we offer: Hands-on work with passionate, talented team members in your field Mentorship from some of the industry’s kindest and most passionate entertainment veterans Engaging events including professional development seminars, panels with recruiters and former interns, intern-exclusive events, and so much more Access to top-level executives and employees through our Speaker Series and Roundtables Incredible networking opportunities with industry-leading professionals and a robust intern alumni network A creative, collaborative, and inclusive company culture What you can expect to take away from the semester: Opportunities to develop professionally and uncover skills you didn’t know you had The insider scoop on the entertainment industry and what happens behind the scenes Relationships that will go beyond your collegiate career Real-life experiences that will provide you with the confidence to delve into your next adventure And finally, what to know before applying: Our Spring 2023 program is a 12 Week Internship that will run from Monday, February 6th through Friday, April 28th, 2023 Part time-schedule (16-24 hours/week) required Our internships are paid opportunities with a competitive hourly wage. Credit is not required; however, we will provide the necessary documentation for school credit if desired. Relocation is not provided. Interviewing will take place from September through early December. A WBD team member will contact you if your experiences and interests match an open internship position. Due to the high volume of applications, we are unable to give individual status updates.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right public relations internship 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 internship job on Zippia to find and recruit public relations internship candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific 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 internship 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.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates 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 internship

   Once you've found the public relations internship 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 good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is 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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