Reviewed By Samuel JohnsSenior Content Editor & Certified Professional Resume Writer
The Resume Genius Team
The Resume Genius Team is a tight-knit crew of career coaches, hiring managers, and staff writers who are passionate about providing the best, most up-to-date career advice possible and helping...
Public relations officers take on huge amounts of responsibility to safeguard their companies' reputations. Show that you have the experience and skills to do this by getting ideas from our public relations cover letter sample.
With 10+ years of experience in managing brand reputation, stakeholder communications, and strategic public and media relations for renowned corporate firms, I’m excited to submit my application for the Public Relations Manager opening at [Company Name].
Throughout my career, I’ve been recognized for devising and implementing effective PR and media campaigns, marketing collateral, and communication plans to create positive organizational exposure. Currently, as Public Relations Manager for Baker McKenzie LLP, I protect the firm and its reputation by introducing public relations campaigns, writing press releases, and pitching stories in line with the firm’s corporate goals and objectives. Please consider the following highlights of my key career achievements:
Grew the firm’s ROI 215% and digital marketing lead generation 150% by launching marketing campaigns and managing relationships with 7+ mainstream media outlets
Introduced a global media and public relations strategy for 13 practice areas in line with the firm’s overall business goals
Directed a $47 million special project of strategic importance, including managing internal communications, external community groups, and stakeholder engagement
With success in influencing public perceptions, managing public relations, and crisis communications, I’m prepared to enhance the reputation of your organization. I look forward to meeting with you and learning more about your goals for this position at [Company Name]. Until then, thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
Average public relations salaries in the US
The following table includes information from O*NET Resource Center by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license, this data is pulled from the most recent US Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Employment & Earnings report (as of 10/16/2024), featuring the top states by use.
Top 10 states by average public relations manager salary
State
Salary / Year
District of Columbia
$227,370
New York
$214,930
Virginia
$190,250
California
$179,450
New Jersey
$178,810
Washington
$172,600
Massachusetts
$171,110
Connecticut
$168,220
Rhode Island
$164,920
Maryland
$163,110
National Average
$163,520
Public relations cover letter writing tips
You’re no stranger to coming up with the right PR strategy to promote a brand, but does pitching yourself in a cover letter come as naturally?
When applying for PR jobs, it’s imperative to know how to sell your skills and experience as a public relations professional in a memorable cover letter.
Use these three tips to write a public relations cover letter that sets you apart from other applicants:
1. Highlight your public relations skills
A great public relations cover letter highlights your knowledge of brand management and media outreach, and the hard and soft skills required to excel in public relations.
If you’re applying to be a PR specialist, creative thinking and attention to detail are key soft skills for developing and executing campaigns in sync with a client’s business objectives.
Here’s how you can emphasize these skills in your cover letter:
Throughout my career, I’ve been recognized for devising and implementing effective PR and media campaigns, marketing collateral, and communication plans to create positive organizational exposure.
Here’s a list of key public relations skills for your resume employers seek in PR professionals:
Social media platforms (LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook)
Google Analytics
Content management systems (CMS)
Marketing software (Google AdWords and Adobe Marketo Engage)
Project management software (Microsoft SharePoint and Microsoft Planner)
2. Provide examples of your achievements (with numbers)
Businesses rely on the expertise of PR professionals to help them build and maintain a successful brand image. So your cover letter should not only demonstrate you have the right skill set for the job, but also the ability to ensure your PR efforts make a positive impact.
Rather than describing your past responsibilities in your cover letter, provide examples of your most celebrated PR achievements and use hard numbers to make your contributions sound more compelling. By communicating your value more effectively, the hiring manager can easily see what they have to gain from hiring you.
Here’s how to use hard numbers when listing your PR achievements:
Grew the firm’s ROI 215% and digital marketing lead generation 47% by launching marketing campaigns and managing relationships with 7+ mainstream outlets
Introduced a global media and public relations strategy for 13 practice areas in line with the firm’s overall business goals
Directed a $12 million special project of strategic importance, including managing internal communications, external community groups, and stakeholder engagement
3. End with a convincing closing statement
As a public relations professional, you’ll spend your time drafting press releases, scripts, and various content for promotional materials. Hence, the hiring manager will pay close attention to how your cover letter is worded.
Knowing how to end your cover letter in a convincing way will show the hiring manager you can write persuasively — a key skill for PR professionals.
To write a successful PR closing statement, you must restate your interest in the position, emphasize how your PR skills will benefit their firm, and encourage the hiring manager to reach out so you may discuss your qualifications further.
Here’s how to craft a strong public relations closing statement:
Talk about what excites you the most about the job opportunity
Why should the firm hire you? In 1–2 short sentences, explain how your strengths as a public relations professional will add value to their current workflow. For example, “With success in influencing public perceptions, managing public relations, and crisis communications, I’m prepared to enhance the reputation of your organization.”
Hiring managers have to review dozens (if not, hundreds) of job applications so be sure to thank them for their time
Include a call to action that motivates the hiring manager to schedule an in-person interview
Our cover letter builder can make you a cover letter in as little as 5 minutes. Just pick the template you want, and our software will format everything for you.
The Resume Genius Team is a tight-knit crew of career coaches, hiring managers, and staff writers who are passionate about providing the best, most up-to-date career advice possible and helping job seekers land their dream jobs. Every article is reviewed by either Geoff Scott, Samuel Johns, Eva Chan, Corissa Peterson, or Dominique Vatin, our team of in-house Certified Professional Resume Writers. Resume Genius and its authors' career and resume advice have been featured in major publications such as CNBC, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, and Fortune.
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