"How to Write a Media Relations Manager Resume"

A media relations manager resume has to prove you earn coverage: you build journalist relationships, pitch stories, secure placements, and manage how the organization shows up in the media. Employers want placements and relationships, not "worked with media." Here's how to write a media relations manager resume that lands interviews.

What a Media Relations Manager Resume Needs to Prove

Placements — media coverage secured.
Relationships — journalist and outlet relationships.
Pitching — stories that landed.
Coverage quality — tier, reach, and message.

Media relations is coverage earned through relationships. Lead with placements and relationships.

Lead With Media Work and Results

Show your media-relations work and the impact:

"Secured X placements across tier-1 outlets, generating Y impressions/reach."
"Built and maintained relationships with key journalists and outlets."
"Pitched and landed stories that advanced brand messaging and launches."
"Managed press releases, media inquiries, and spokespeople."

The pattern: the story/news → your pitch or relationship → the placement, reach, or message result. (See quantify your resume achievements and resume action verbs.)

Show Your Skills

Pitching — story development, pitching, follow-up, placements.
Relationships — journalists, editors, outlets, influencers.
Writing — press releases, pitches, media materials, bylines.
Media management — inquiries, spokespeople, interviews, briefings.
Measurement — placements, impressions, tier, share of voice.
Tools — Cision, Muck Rack, media databases, monitoring.

Naming your tools makes the resume concrete and ATS-friendly (ATS — the software that screens resumes before a person does).

Quantify Placements and Reach

Media relations is judged on coverage — show placements, tier/quality, impressions/reach, and share of voice. (For related roles, see the public relations manager resume guide and communications director resume guide.)

Keep It ATS-Readable

Clean, single-column, standard-section layout.
Mirror the keywords in the posting (media relations, press, the tools, the role title).
Use a standard title (Media Relations Manager, Media Relations Specialist, Press Manager).

More in our guide to writing an ATS-friendly resume.

Common Mistakes

"Worked with media" — vague, with no placements or relationships.
No placements — coverage secured is the headline.
No tier/reach — quality and reach of coverage matter.
No relationships — journalist relationships are core.
No tools — Cision and Muck Rack are screened for.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should a media relations manager put on a resume?

Lead with placements and relationships (coverage secured, tier/reach, impressions, journalist relationships), show your pitching, writing, and media-management skills, and name your tools. Placements and relationships are what employers screen for.

How do I quantify a media relations manager resume?

Use media numbers: placements secured, tier/quality of outlets, impressions/reach, share of voice, and message pull-through. "Secured X tier-1 placements generating Y reach" proves media-relations impact better than "worked with media."

What skills should be on a media relations manager resume?

Pitching (story development, follow-up, placements), relationships (journalists, editors, outlets), writing (releases, pitches, bylines), media management (inquiries, spokespeople, briefings), measurement (placements, share of voice), and tools (Cision, Muck Rack). Name the tools.

How is media relations different from public relations?

Media relations is the media-facing part of PR — building journalist relationships and securing coverage; public relations is broader, including campaigns, reputation, and messaging. Lead a media relations resume with placements, relationships, and pitching results.

A media relations manager resume should reflect the role — connected, persuasive, and coverage-focused. PrismResume helps you turn "worked with media" into placement, relationship, and reach results, in a clean, ATS-readable layout. Try the free resume check at prismresume.com.