Media & Communication Resume Examples
Build a Resume Now
Featured Resume Examples
Search Job Titles
Roles in Media & Communication by Type
You can also search for your job title by browsing the following categories: executive and accounts, journalists and writers, language, news, radio and TV and technicians.
Executive and Accounts
Journalists and Writers
Language
News
Radio and TV
Technicians
Job Outlook
Things are looking up! Media and communication professionals can expect a job growth of 4% right up to 2029, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In terms of income, they are doing a little bit better than the average worker, earning a median annual wage of $59,230 in 2019.
Growth equals more candidates and more competition, which is why a tailor-made resume will allow you to confidently navigate this growing workforce.
If you’re unsure where to start, the following resume-writing tips will guide you through the process of building a successful resume.
3 Tips for Writing Media and Communication Resumes
1. Choose the right format for your resume
Think of your resume as the perfect press release. You must include accurate information in a clear and concise way, and make sure to highlight the data that is relevant to the readers. In a resume, you are the news and your future employer, your readers!
Just as there are key pieces that make up a news article, there are four elements that are crucial to how to write a resume: the professional summary, work history, skills and education. Once you have those pillars down, you can add complementary information specific to the resume format that’s right for you.
One way to choose a format is to think of how long you’ve been in the workforce. If you’re a trusted translator with many years of experience in a particular language, a chronological format could be ideal.
A hybrid resume levels the playing field between skills and work experience. This resume is a practical choice if you’re a professional that has gained valuable skills as a journalist but is considering a career as a proposal writer.
If you haven’t worked in your desired media occupation, you could try a functional resume. This format puts a spotlight on skills and helps you avoid being obvious about your lack of work history.
2. Promote your most valuable skills
The world of communications is home to diverse professionals, but some common skills in media are the following:
Make sure you add six to eight skills that are relevant to your media job title and that correctly describe you as a professional.
You don’t need to be a jack-of-all-trades; taking a look at the job posting or browsing the company website for keywords to include in your resume will depict you not only as a qualified professional but also as the right person for the job.
3. Use a template to make your resume organized
For jobs like multimedia journalist, news editor or blogger, Job Hero offers customizable resume templates that convey the importance of both good design and accurate data. These templates will allow you to customize your resume while still adhering to proven format guidelines.
Like a clever infographic, a clean and attractive resume design will organize your data functionally and be pleasing to a hiring manager’s eye. No need to worry about ending up with flashy colors or a jumbled format; our templates are effortless and professionally designed.
The right template will also advance smoothly through those applicant tracking systems (ATS) contrary to a DIY resume filled with human error. Our standard and accepted formats won’t raise any flags, and you’ll be sure to get that resume straight to your hiring manager’s hands.
If you want to fine-tune your resume writing beyond formatting, we created a Resume Builder that guides you through each section of a resume. All you have to do is fill in the blanks with the correct information.
Already have an existing resume document? We’ve got you covered. Upload your old resume into our builder — it can be any format from PDF, DOC, DOCX, HTM, RTF and TXT. Once it’s saved, you can continue to improve on it whenever you want.
A builder will help you understand the reasons for our guidelines. Don’t miss out on the pro tips and industry-approved key phrases that will pop up as you write your resume. With our expert builder, you’ll create your strongest resume yet!
FAQ
What should I put on my resume for media and communications?
First off, you’ll need to add your contact information. In today’s digital world, your name, e-mail address, phone number, and your city and state is all the information your future employer needs.
As a communications professional, it would be remiss not to include your relevant social media accounts, so don’t forget to add in those links!
Then, you move on to your resume pillars: professional summary, work history, skills and education.
Your professional summary is a two-to-three sentence statement describing your intentions as a professional and noting the most relevant aspects of your career and/or goals. It should be condensed and packed with punch.
Your work history and your skills are the sections on which you’ll need to spend more time to really discern which information to choose and how to present it.
Show, don’t tell. Including quantifiable achievements in your resume like numbers, percentages and stats will give credibility to your claims and stand out to hiring managers who are reading hundreds of wordy resumes.
Some examples of quantifiable achievements for a content manager could be:
How do I list education on a media and communications resume?
For this section of your resume, include your education in reverse-chronological order: If you have a master’s degree, add that first, then your bachelor’s.
You don’t have to go all the way back and include your high school studies if you’ve attended college. Staying away from graduation dates will save you from any hiring biases in regards to age as well.
However, if you’re still in college or you haven’t completed your degree, you should add your expected graduation date.
Don’t let lack of formal education discourage you from taking advantage of this section. Being able to customize your resume by adding a certifications or training section instead will showcase your knowledge and bolster your candidacy for the job.
What kind of work experience should I put on a media and communications resume?
A successful resume is a well-thought-out document. Be critical of the information you add, and leave out any less significant jobs or irrelevant skills.
Remember that you should fit everything in one single page. That way you won’t overwhelm your hiring manager and risk having your resume tossed out for lack of readability.
If in your case, you don’t really have much of a work history, try and frame your past work experience to feature transferable skills.
For example, if you worked as a receptionist, you can mention your written and verbal communication skills, multitasking and time management. All these skills are compatible with media and communications jobs.
As a college student or recent graduate, don’t leave out any internships, workshops, clubs or relevant coursework where you were able to put into practice all your communications knowledge. These are just as impressive as any official job as long as what you accomplished has impact.
How should I include a portfolio on a media and communications resume?
Whether you’re a journalist, content strategist, videographer or translator, you must have a body of work ready to demonstrate to your interviewer.
There are plenty of free websites that offer to build a portfolio for you with all your articles, translations or videos organized into one digital home.
If you’re a social media maven, you can get away with presenting your personal social media accounts, or link all the accounts you manage and for which you create content.
A videographer can showcase their work by sharing a professional YouTube or Vimeo profile, while at the same time exposing your work to browsing clients or employers.
If you’re writing a cover letter, that is a great opportunity to mention your portfolio and add a direct link to it.
Should I include a cover letter with my media and communications resume?
Absolutely. Some employers will directly ask for it or may merely suggest you include one. Even if they don’t ask for it, do it. A cover letter is an excellent resource where you can add any interesting or impressive accomplishments you couldn’t fit into your resume.
In a cover letter you can show the employer who you are as a well-rounded individual. Feature your aspirations, your future plans, your interests or hobbies, volunteer work, etc.
Make sure to always focus on how these complementary characteristics add to your professional profile and make you an ideal candidate for the job position to which you are applying.
Creating your own personal story while keeping it professional in a cover letter is no walk in the park. If it’s taking you time to figure it out, simplify the process by utilizing our JobHero’s cover letter builder.
Before you know it, you’ll have your resume and cover letter down, and be on your way to a fulfilling career in media and communications.