How to hire a publicity assistant

How to hire a publicity assistant, step by step

Here's a step-by-step publicity assistant hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a publicity assistant job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new publicity assistant
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a publicity assistant do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a publicity assistant, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A publicity assistant's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, publicity assistants from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   The following list breaks down different types of publicity assistants and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Publicity Assistant	Description	Hourly rate
   Publicity Assistant	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.	$12-26
   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
   Account Coordinator	An account coordinator assists account executives by providing day-to-day administrative support such as preparing and filing sales contracts and reports. As coordinators, they must maintain a good relationship with their clients and vendors by addressing issues and with regular communication... Show more	$13-25

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Press Releases
   • Provide Technical Assistance
   • Technical Assistance
   • Worksheets
   • PowerPoint
   • FEMA
   • Public Assistance Programs
   • Medicaid
   • Press Materials
   • Fiction
   • Grants Management
   • Cost Estimates
   • CFR
   • Financial Assistance

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage publicity and advertisement for club and alumni events through social media
   • Garner extensive national media attention for non-fiction and commercial fiction authors.
   • Provide copywriting, proofreading and editing for marketing communications and sales collateral.
   • Used Instagram to showcase activities and involvement.
   • Work with military liaisons and DoD partners.
   • Provide on call mobile notary services for various clients.

   More publicity assistant duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your publicity assistant job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A publicity assistant salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, publicity assistants' average salary in florida is 42% less than in washington.
   • Seniority. Entry-level publicity assistants earn 52% less than senior-level publicity assistants.
   • Certifications. A publicity assistant with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a publicity assistant's salary.

   Average publicity assistant salary

   $39,387yearly

   $18.94 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level publicity assistant salary

   $27,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 17, 2025

   Average publicity assistant salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Washington	$49,988	$24
   2	District of Columbia	$49,576	$24
   3	Connecticut	$49,034	$24
   4	California	$46,097	$22
   5	Minnesota	$45,187	$22
   6	New York	$44,781	$22
   7	Arkansas	$40,787	$20
   8	Ohio	$38,320	$18
   9	Nevada	$37,194	$18
   10	Illinois	$35,995	$17
   11	Texas	$33,935	$16
   12	Indiana	$33,686	$16
   13	Iowa	$33,522	$16
   14	New Mexico	$33,123	$16
   15	Nebraska	$32,465	$16
   16	North Carolina	$31,167	$15
   17	Georgia	$30,755	$15
   18	Florida	$28,858	$14

   Average publicity assistant salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Apple	$80,247	$38.58	4
   2	United States Institute of Peace	$70,024	$33.67
   3	Reasons to Believe	$57,241	$27.52
   4	Reason Foundation	$54,723	$26.31
   5	Washington State University	$54,675	$26.29	1
   6	The City University of New York	$50,377	$24.22
   7	Monroe County	$45,820	$22.03
   8	State of Connecticut	$45,166	$21.71	2
   9	Tetra Tech	$44,390	$21.34	1
   10	Minnesota State Fair	$43,155	$20.75	1
   11	City of Reno	$43,104	$20.72
   12	Hagerty	$42,182	$20.28
   13	SMS Holdings	$42,102	$20.24
   14	Hachette Book Group	$41,029	$19.73
   15	Penguin Random House	$40,746	$19.59
   16	Bertelsmann	$40,697	$19.57	1
   17	State Of Illinois - Illinois Student Assistance Commission	$40,646	$19.54	3
   18	Summit County	$40,607	$19.52
   19	Lake County	$39,345	$18.92
   20	City of Grand Rapids	$39,304	$18.90

4. Writing a publicity assistant job description

   A publicity assistant 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 publicity assistant job description:

   Publicity assistant job description example

   Hagerty Consulting, Inc. (Hagerty) is the nation's leading emergency management and homeland security consulting firm. Known for its public spirit, innovative thinking, problem-solving, and exceptional people, Hagerty is sought after to work on some of the largest and most complex crisis and emergency management issues. We serve our clients across the nation to enhance their preparedness programs; create more resilient and sustainable communities; provide innovative solutions to enhance their response; and obtain and manage grants and loans to support their recovery.
   
   As Hagerty grows, we continue to look for talented professionals from a variety of backgrounds to provide holistic solutions to our clients. We are currently seeking a
   FEMA Public Assistance Policy Specialist/Project Manager . This is a full-time position supporting NYC clients remotely , but may require some travel to client sites. This FEMA Public Assistance Policy Specialist/Project Manager will provide critical advisory services to our recovery clients and lead a small team.
   
   The responsibilities of FEMA Public Assistance Policy Specialist/Project Manager include, but are not limited to:
   
   Roles and Responsibilities:
   We are seeking a strong FEMA PA policy expert with the ability to also act as a hands-on project manager over several disaster recovery projects simultaneously. This person will manage internal project teams and advise government clients on complex FEMA PA eligibility policy related to large scale projects related to COVID-19 recovery and other disasters. Candidates will be expected to leverage their deep understanding of the FEMA PA Program as a subject matter expert and be the point person for the NYC client on all policy-related questions. This position will also serve as a programmatic lead for all COVID-19 support, overseeing a team of fellow FEMA PA professionals, delegating tasks, assessing staffing needs and developing methodologies to maximize funding for NYC.
   Candidates for FEMA Public Assistance Policy Specialist/Project Manager must possess the following qualifications:
   
   Basic Qualifications:
   A minimum of seven years (7) of experience in the FEMA PA Program. Previous FEMA PA work related to COVID-19, such as Category B projects. A strong policy background in the FEMA PA Program. High competency in written communication, including the ability to create nuanced/policy complex recommendation documents. Strong verbal communication skills, including the ability to present verbally to high level stakeholders. Previous experience managing workload for a team of PA professionals Strong proficiency with MS Office products, databases, and other software / technology platforms. Bachelor's Degree is required.
   Candidates for FEMA Public Assistance Policy Specialist/Project Manager may also have the following qualifications:
   
   Preferred Qualifications:
   Experience managing projects of various sizes, to include developing a project plan, managing a team, creating and managing project budgets, and presenting deliverables to a client. Proven success as a disaster recovery consultant at the federal, state, county, or local levels of government. Proven skills in business development and client/partnership management A Master's degree pertinent to emergency management, accounting, finance, engineering, public administration, business administration, or similar field would be a plus, but is not required.
   Equal Opportunity Employer Veterans/Disabled

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right publicity assistant 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 publicity assistant job on Zippia to find and recruit publicity assistant candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with publicity assistant 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.

   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.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new publicity assistant

   Once you've decided on a perfect publicity assistant candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   To prepare for the new publicity assistant first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

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 publicity assistant?