Communications Specialist Resume: Samples & Guide

Picture a busy recruiter sifting through a mountain of communications specialist resumes, all claiming to be the next Don Draper. But wait! Your resume catches their eye like a perfectly executed PR campaign. Why?

Because you've used this guide to create a resume that showcases your skills like a viral tweet, making hiring managers eager to hit "reply."

This guide will show you: 

• A communications specialist resume example better than 9 out of 10 other resumes.
• How to write a communications specialist resume that will land you more interviews.
• Tips and examples of how to put skills and achievements on a communications specialist resume.
• How to describe your experience on a resume for a communications specialist to get any job you want. 

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Broadening your job search? Check out these guides for related professions: 

• Public Relations Resume
• Digital Marketing Resume
• Marketing Resume
• Entry-Level Marketing Resume
• Marketing Coordinator Resume
• Social Media Resume
• Copywriter Resume
• Brand Ambassador Resume
• Grant Writer Resume
• Best Resume Examples

Communications Specialist Resume Sample

Here’s how to write a job-winning communications specialist resume: 

1. Choose the Right Format for Your Communications Specialist Resume

Think back to the busy recruiter with his 200+ unread resumes. 

How can you hold his attention long enough to impress him with your skills and experience? 

The answer is simple: 

By using the reverse-chronological format for your resume. 

It’s the most intuitive resume structure, and one that the recruiter will be instantly familiar with. Plus, it means your biggest accomplishments will be on top of the page. You’ll hook the recruiter from the first line. 

Prep the doc by setting even, 1-inch resume margins all the way around. Use 1.15 line spacing. 

Now, put on your best designer hat and include plenty of white space to guide the reader’s eye to your key messages. 

Stick to professional resume fonts. A bit of creativity never hurt anyone, but don’t go overboard with fancy typefaces unless you’re applying to handle external comms for Willy Wonka. 

Make sure your resume features an appealing design and includes clear headings at the top of every section. This will make it easier to skim. 

Speaking of resume sections—

Here’s what your communications specialist resume should include, in this order: 

• Header with your name and relevant contact information. 
• Summary or Objective, the tl;dr of your biggest professional accomplishments. 
• Work experience from relevant positions. 
• Education, with your most recent and relevant schooling. 
• Skills, focusing on proficiencies mentioned in your ideal job ad. 
• Misc sections, where you can share any other relevant information and experience. 

Given your profession, you may want to include your social media handles in your resume header. Just make sure that they’re worth sharing: 

You don’t need to be a member of the Twitterati, but you should have some interesting content that shows off your digital comms skills. And of course, a respectable online presence. 

Altogether, you’ll end up with a resume that’s one– to two pages long.

How long should your resume be? As a rule of thumb, if you have fewer than five years’ experience, stick to a one-page resume. Two-page resumes are fine if you have plenty of experience and a long list of professional achievements to share. 

Last but not least, file format. Unless the job ad specifically asks you to send in an MS Word document, save your resume as a PDF. 

Learn more about formatting your resume from our guide: How to Organize a Resume: Resume Structure Examples 

Ready to start prepping your copy? 

Hold up! 

Here’s a resume lifehack worthy of its own newsletter: 

Start with your work experience section. 

Although the summary is the first thing the recruiter will see, you should write it last. You’ll circumvent a major writer’s block. 

2. Add Experience to Your Communications Specialist Resume

So, once again:

Busy recruiter, 200+ resumes. 

Why will most of them get rejected? It’s not because they’re badly written—after all, they come from comms pros like you. 

It’s because they all say exactly the same thing, listing generic job duties that are mostly the same for every communications job. 

To stand out, focus on your achievements. Your work experience section shouldn’t be a list of duties and responsibilities—it’s your chance to show what you’ve accomplished while performing those duties. 

This is why it’s the most important section of your resume, and one you should spend the most time writing. 

Now then! Let’s get to drafting. 

List each relevant position in reverse-chronological order. This means you start with the most recent job and work your way back through time and space. 

For each position, include: 

• The job title, company name, and dates of employment. 
• A short job description (1–2 sentences max). 
• Up to 6 bullet points highlighting the bits you’re most proud of. 
• Your biggest achievement summed up using the PAR (Problem-Action-Result) formula. 

Remember to focus on your achievements over your responsibilities. For maximum impact, use action words and numbers wherever possible. 

Consider these communications specialist resume examples: 

Communications Specialist Job Description for a Resume

See the difference? 

Here’s the clincher: 

Both examples come from the same candidate and describe the same duties. 

But—

In the first example, the candidate presents the recruiter with measurable results and quantifiable achievements. In the second one, she presents him with a reason to move on faster than you can say “communication initiative”. 

Notice also the difference that action words can make. “Established” sounds so much better than “Tasked with”, doesn’t it? It shows off your confidence and leadership skills and proves that you take responsibility and show initiative. 

Alright, but what about if you’re only just getting started on your career path? Worried that you don’t have enough skills or achievements to make your resume stand out? 

It’s okay. 

Everyone can use this technique, even when applying for entry-level communications jobs. As long as you have some basic volunteering, intern, or part-time experience, you can make it work in your favor. 

Entry-Level Communications Specialist Job Description

Behold!

The power of numbers, active verbs, and achievement-oriented key messages. 

Again—same candidate, same internship. The first example wins the job. The second one? The candidate sells herself short, the recruiter hits “mark as read” and moves on. 

Congratulations! 

You now have a work experience section on your resume that’s better than 90% of that terribly large resume pile. 

One last piece of advice before we move on—

Don’t treat your communications specialist resume as evergreen content. Always tailor your resume to each job that you apply for. 

Applying for multiple jobs with the same resume is like sending out the same invitation for different events. Not only is it rude, but it also fails to gather positive responses. 

Furthermore, many companies nowadays use ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems) solutions to streamline their recruitment process. The software scans incoming resumes for specific keywords and matches them to the job description. 

To maximize your chances of getting your resume in front of the recruiter in the first place, analyze the job ad and extract important keywords. Then, sprinkle these into the contents of your resume. 

Keep in mind that these keywords will differ somewhat between job ads. A marketing communications specialist resume will likely feature different key skills than those of an internal comms officer. 

Find out more about describing your experience: How to Create a Job-Winning Experience Section on Your Resume

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3. Create an Education Section that Counts

Many candidates struggle with how much detail to include in their resume education section. You’re eager to show off your academic achievements, but you don’t want your resume to read like a college application.

The solution? Simple—

If you have extensive work experience, keep your education short and sweet. List your highest degree of education and move on. You can include your GPA if it’s at least as impressive as The New York Times’ mailing list. 

Communications Specialist Resume Education Sample

But what if you are writing a resume with no or little professional experience? Use the education section to your advantage by including additional info, such as: 

• Relevant coursework
• Academic achievements
• Extracurricular activities
• GPA on a resume

Entry-Level Communications Specialist Resume Education Example

You don’t need to list everything you did during your college years, but you should definitely mention things that you can spin to your advantage during a job interview. 

Whenever possible, customize this section to the job ad. Like a good media pitch, a successful resume is targeted and full of promise. 

Read more about creating your education section in our guide: Listing Education on Your Resume: Tips and Examples

4. List the Right Skills for the Job

Remember the ATS resume algorithm that will likely scan your application for keywords? 

Here’s your chance to impress both the recruiter and their AI assistant— 

By listing 5–10 relevant skills that match your experience and the job ad. 

Here’s how to come up with a job-winning skills section: 

• Make a list of skills that appear in the job description. 
• Brainstorm skills ideas based on your experience and education. 
• Mark the skills that appear on both lists. 
• Cross off the skills you’ve already mentioned in other resume sections. 

Done! 

You now have a list of skills that you have and that the recruiter is looking for. One step closer to an affirmative RSVP! 

Need some inspiration? It can be tough to define your skills in such a versatile profession. 

Here’s a list to get you started: 

Communications Specialist Resume Skills

Hard Skills for a Communications Specialist Resume

• Project management
• Strategic planning
• Performance tracking
• Social media
• Content writing
• Content creation and storytelling
• Campaign implementation
• Image editing
• Graphic design
• Video creation
• Database management
• Data analysis
• Data visualization
• Data interpretation
• CMS
• SEO/SEM

Soft Skills for a Communications Specialist Resume

• Creativity
• Leadership
• Decision-making
• Problem-solving
• Active listening
• Active learning
• Adaptability
• Collaboration
• Time management
• Confidence
• Public speaking and presentation skills
• Persuasion
• Negotiation

Software Skills for a Communications Specialist Resume

• MS Office
• Adobe CC
• Google Suite
• Mailchimp
• Tableau
• Campaign Monitor
• Airtable

Include a mix of soft and hard skills, as well as relevant software proficiencies. Keep in mind that your skills section is not the only part of your resume that highlights your abilities. They should also be mentioned in your work experience for consistency and credibility. 

Oh! 

One more thing. When applying for a communications specialist position, don’t list communication as one of your key skills. Seriously. 

Example Skills Section for a Communications Specialist Resume

#hired. 

If you’ve tailored your skills and experience sections to the job description, you can be sure the recruiter is still reading your resume by this point. 

Looking for more information on resume skills? Read our guide: How to List Skills on a Resume

5. Add Other Sections to Your Resume

Here’s how 95% of resumes end: 

Reading, travel, and cycling. In other words, a hobbies section with a boring selection of safe, harmless pastimes. Great for a Pinterest search, not so much for impressing recruiters. 

It’s worth including something more valuable for the last part of your communications specialist resume. Limiting yourself to generic hobbies is like sending a .gif instead of a follow-up email. 

If you’re an experienced communications professional, you could include the following sections: 

1. Certifications—Got a CMP or SCMP from GCCC? Congrats! Make sure to highlight it on your resume. Other examples include certified software courses on MS Office, Adobe CC, or any other relevant package or tool. 

2. Awards—Gartner, here we come! Mention any awards you’ve received for your projects in Communications or related fields, such as PR. 

3. Associations and Conferences—Are you a member of any professional association? Perhaps you’ve delivered a speech or taken part in a conference? Let the recruiter know. 

4. Languages—Parli italiano? Come now, don’t be shy—list your language proficiencies in a separate section. 

Communications Specialist Resume Sample—Other Sections

Okay, that example clearly comes from a seasoned pro. What if you’re only just starting out as a communications specialist? 

No problem. 

Even Harold Burson had to start somewhere. 

In the absence of memberships and certifications, you can list other valuable experience. For example, include volunteering, academic awards, and relevant interests that show off your skills. 

Entry-Level Communications Specialist Resume—Other Sections

Want to include a hobby on your resume? Consult our guide on Resume-Worthy Hobbies and Interests 

6. Write Your Communications Specialist Resume Objective or Resume Summary

Nearly there. 

Phew! 

Time to fill in the TKs—in this case, your resume objective or summary. What’s the difference? 

A resume summary is a short introduction containing your biggest accomplishments. It’s suitable for professionals with proven experience on the job. 

Meanwhile, a resume objective is the intro of choice for entry-level communications specialist resumes. 

Both are essentially the boilerplate of your resume, located right below the header. This section’s job is to hook the recruiter, impress them with your skills, and get them to read on. 

How?

By summarizing your best achievements and highlighting your biggest strengths. 

Think of your resume summary as a sneak-peek of your experience and skills. Just as a good trailer captures the attention of an audience and makes them want to see the full movie, so the summary should entice the recruiter to read on. 

This is why you’re writing the summary last. You can’t make a trailer for a movie that doesn’t exist. 

Now then. 

To construct your summary or objective, you’ll need to: 

• Review your resume and look for any information that stands out as impressive or important. 
• Take note of two achievements from your work experience (or elsewhere for objectives). 
• Review the job description, looking for key skill requirements. 
• Decide on a specific benefit you could bring to the company if hired for the position. 
• Gather all the resulting information into a job-winning summary or objective. 

Make sure to include: 

• Your job title
• Two of your most important accomplishments
• Your key skills
• What you can do for the company

Like your work experience, the summary should include specific numbers wherever possible. You should also address the company directly to show that you care. 

Communications Specialist Resume Summary

See how the correct summary example shows off the candidate's potential, talent, and determination to get this particular job? 

The first one is about to score an interview. The second one is getting #unfollowed. 

Communications Specialist Resume Objective

Ouch. That second resume is hitting the recycling bin before it even had a chance. Not only is it generic and boring, but it also refuses to focus on the employer. 

You’ll notice that in the correct example, the candidate has hit all the major targets for a successful resume objective: citing specific achievements backed by numbers, stating what they can offer the company, and using the company name. 

For more examples and information on resume introductions, read our guide on Professional Resume Introduction Examples 

7. Complete Your Application with a Communications Specialist Cover Letter

Boom! 

You’re done! Congrats on your brand-new resume, and may it win you countless interviews. 

...except that you’re not quite done. There’s one last thing to take care of—

An equally appealing cover letter. 

If you’re wondering whether you really need a cover letter, the short answer is yes, you do. 

Why? Because a resume without a cover letter is like an Instagram post without an image. According to our HR research, almost half of applications are ignored because they’re missing a cover letter. 

Most recruiters expect to see a cover letter, even when they don’t specifically ask for one. Your recruiter may be perfectly happy to receive only a resume, or they may delete your application straight away because it’s missing a cover letter. 

So, just to be on the safe side, it’s always best to send one in. 

How do you write a job-winning cover letter? Easy: 

• Start by choosing the right cover letter format. 
• Stick to a tried-and-tested cover letter outline. 
• Fire up those mad copywriting skills and start your cover letter in a way that immediately engages the reader. 
• Prove you understand the job and show how much of an asset you could be. 
• Write the closing paragraph of your cover letter, offering something the company needs. 
• Ensure you’ve addressed the cover letter correctly before sending it in. 

Just like your resume, your communications specialist cover letter should focus on specifics and mention measurable outcomes. 

Remember old Chekhov’s advice from that writing class you took? “Don't tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.” Sure, it’s a cliché—but that’s exactly what you need to do here: 

Show the recruiter you’re good at what you do through concrete examples with numbers and benchmarks. Merely telling them you’re good at your job is not going to make you stand out. 

Read more: How to Write a Cover Letter: Full Guide + Examples

Plus, a great cover letter that matches your resume will give you an advantage over other candidates. You can write it in our cover letter builder here. Here's what it may look like:

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Key Takeaway

You did it! 

You’ve made it to the end of our guide. That was a long journey, wasn’t it? Imagine how many tweets it would take! 

Let’s recap. Here’s a tl;dr version of how to write a job-winning communications specialist resume: 

• Format your resume in reverse-chronological order with a reader-friendly layout. 
• Start with your work experience section and focus on specific achievements. 
• Use keywords from the job description throughout your resume. 
• Create an education section that zeros in on the relevant info. 
• List your best skills, matching them to the company’s expectations. 
• Give yourself an engagement boost with relevant bonus sections. 
• Compile the most impressive bits into a killer resume summary. 
• Write a personalized cover letter that shows off your copywriting skills. 

That’s it! Now, we’d love to hear from you: 

• What’s the most challenging part about writing a communications specialist resume? 
• Do you feel like you have trouble defining your hard and soft skills as a communications specialist? 
• Is it difficult to pick only 4–6 bullet points for each position in your work experience section? 

Let’s chat below in the comments, and thanks for reading!

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Sources

• https://www.lonestar.edu/departments/careerservices/PAR-Technique.pdf
• https://csb.uncw.edu/cen/documents/8%20things%20you%20need%20to%20know%20about%20applicant%20tracking%20systems.pdf