9 Public Relations Resume Objective Examples (With Tips)
Updated 19 August 2023
If you're applying for a new job in public relations (PR), it's important to update your resume to reflect the requirements for the role you want. An essential part of your resume is your objective, which tells employers about your professional background and strengths. Reviewing resume objectives can give you ideas for how to write one that distinguishes you from other candidates applying for the role. In this article, we explain what a public relations resume objective is, provide nine examples for professionals in different phases of their careers and share tips for writing your own.
Related: 14 Jobs You Can Pursue with Public Relations Degrees
What is a public relations resume objective?
A public relations resume objective is a brief summary of your professional experience, relevant skills, significant achievements and career goals. These summaries are typically one or two sentences long, containing specific details and credentials the candidate has that qualify them for the position. You can describe how the job might help you reach your own goals or explain how your skills can help the company reach its goals. This can help you get the recruiter's attention and summarise what makes you a good fit for the role.
By including your resume objective just below your contact information and at the top of your resume, you can convey to hiring managers important information about yourself as a candidate that encourages them to continue reading. For example, if you describe yourself as an accomplished professional with over 10 years of experience as a PR professional working with different media sources, the hiring manager may want to learn more about where you've worked, who you've worked with professionally and what you've accomplished in your career. They can find out this information and more by reviewing the rest of your resume.
Related: Careers in Public Relations: 11 Options to Explore
9 resume objective examples for a public relations role
Your approach to writing a resume objective may vary depending on where you are in your career. Here are nine examples of PR resume objectives for professionals in different career phases:
Examples for entry-level public relations professionals
Here are three PR resume objective examples for professionals with less than three years in the field:
Motivated recent graduate with a bachelor's degree in public relations seeking a public relations associate role at Communication Central. Offering exceptional PR skills developed through a one-year internship, including public speaking, social media PR strategy development and organisational research.
Seeking an entry-level PR specialist role with Communication Central that provides opportunities for learning and growth. Holds a master's degree in communications and offers one year of experience working as a PR associate for a large firm.
Detail-oriented PR associate with two years of experience seeking a PR coordinator role with Communication Central to help the organisation reach its public relations goals. Holds several professional awards for outstanding performance, advanced skills and demonstrated growth as a PR professional.
Related: Public Relations Roles: Everything You Need to Know
Examples of experienced public relations professionals
Here are three PR resume objective examples for professionals with over three years of experience in the field:
Experienced PR specialist with over five years in various public relations roles seeking a PR manager role at KD Strategies. Offers advanced proficiency in target audience research, disaster response, media relations and creating cross-functional marketing and PR teams.
Senior PR manager pursuing executive role at KD Strategies with plans for business development, PR team reorganisation and increased media communications. Proven experience as a department leader and dedicated professional committed to achieving personal and organisational goals.
Accomplished public relations coordinator seeking a PR strategist job with KD Strategies. Offers seven years of experience developing PR approaches that refresh organisational images and help companies reach short-term and long-term goals.
Related: How to Describe Your Communication Skills on a Resume
Examples of professionals changing careers to public relations
Here are three PR resume objective examples for professionals who want to change careers to work in PR:
Current business development manager seeking a career change to a public relations specialist role at JJC Public Relations. Dedicated management professional with over 10 years of leadership experience and advanced business research, consumer awareness, team management and interpersonal skills.
Seeking a PR associate position at JJC Public Relations with the goal of expanding on current professional skills and developing new proficiencies. Offering 12 years of experience in sales and marketing with responsibilities including multi-client management, market research, brand revitalisation and product promotion.
Goal-oriented recent graduate with a bachelor of arts in public relations seeking a PR associate role at JJC Public Relations. Brings 13 years of experience as a corporate fundraiser and relevant skills to the PR field, including client, stakeholder and public communication, organisational promotion, strategic fund management and short and long-term goal development.
Tips for writing a resume objective for a public relations role
Here are some tips you can use to help you craft an effective PR resume objective:
Identify your most notable skills
Resume objectives are short, so it's essential to consider your professional skills and choose a few that best represent you as a professional. Remember, the purpose of including key skills is to help you differentiate yourself from other candidates and show hiring managers how well your qualifications fit the role. If you're new to the field, you might add soft skills to your resume objective. These skills are transferable, meaning they can benefit you in any role. If you have experience, consider including a mix of both soft and specialised PR skills the employer may look for, such as:
Communication: PR professionals use advanced communication skills to correspond with clients, the public and media representatives on multiple platforms.
Presentation: Creating presentations allows you to share information about the company, its leaders and its products or services in a cohesive and engaging manner.
PR strategy: Developing a PR strategy helps the company maintain PR processes and use established methods to communicate with stakeholders.
Public speaking: PR professionals often speak at live events, such as press conferences, news broadcasts and corporate meetings.
Organisation: Organisation is a critical skill for a PR professional because it can help them maintain optimal efficiency and keep accurate records.
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Review the job description
Before you write your resume objective, you may find it helpful to review the job description for the role you want. Employers often list the qualifications they look for in a candidate, so you could determine which of these apply to you and add them to your objective. By including credentials that align with the job description, you can show the hiring manager immediately that you have the qualifications to succeed in the job.
Related: A Complete Guide to Public Relations Officer Skills
Consider your professional goals
If you're looking for a new PR position because you want an opportunity to move up in your career, you can add a professional goal to your resume objective to make your intentions for applying clear. For example, if you're a mid-level PR specialist and you're interested in pursuing a management role, you can mention in your objective that you want to use your skills to advance to a more senior position. Similarly, you could explain how your commitment to pursuing a management role motivates you to help the company reach its goals.
Related: 36 Public Relations Interview Questions (With Sample Answers)
Customise your objective to fit the role
When writing your resume objective, ensure you add details that indicate to the hiring manager your interest in that specific role. For example, you can add the name of the company and the role you're applying for to show recruiters that you created a resume objective specifically for that role. This shows the employer that you're passionate about the position and that you took the time and effort to explain your suitability for it.
Related: How to Write a Public Relations Officer Resume (With Sample)
Keep it short
Ensuring that every word of your objective is deliberate and relevant can make it more impactful. One way to achieve this is by minimising unnecessary adverbs such as very when describing your abilities. By avoiding off-topic content, flowery or highly-subjective language and keeping a short word count, you reduce the possibility of the reader mistaking your content for fluff or exaggeration.
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