7 skills to look for when hiring a digital PR professional
Hiring a digital PR professional is much more than finding someone who can write a press release or send out emails. You need someone who can craft stories that stick, build relationships that matter, and think five steps ahead. Because in PR, yesterday’s news is already forgotten.
That said, the workforce demand in digital PR is huge, with 109,500 openings projected each year.
But, how do you spot the right person in a sea of flashy résumés?
The simple answer would be to look for a mix of creativity, strategy, and tech smarts. Your new PR professional should know how to create content that grabs attention, navigate the turbulent digital ether, and stay calm when things don’t go as planned.
However, finding such an employee is easier said than done. Let’s dig deeper into seven essential skills to help you identify the ideal digital PR candidate.
1. Sharp Strategic Mindset
A strong digital PR professional thinks ahead, plans smart, and knows exactly why they’re doing what they’re doing. Guesswork doesn’t cut it. They should understand how campaigns fit into the bigger picture. How a single press mention, tweet, or collaboration ties into long-term goals.
They also need to read the room. Timing matters. Sending out a pitch on the wrong day? Wasted effort. Jumping on a trend too late? Missed opportunity. The best PR pros keep a pulse on industry shifts, competitor moves, and audience behavior, making adjustments before problems arise.
And when things don’t go as expected, they don’t freeze. They tweak the plan, find another angle, and keep pushing forward. PR is unpredictable, but someone who knows how to shift gears quickly, and still get results, is exactly who you want leading the charge.
2. Unshakable Resilience
PR comes with a lot of moving parts. Tight deadlines, unexpected crises, and the occasional campaign that falls flat. A strong digital PR professional doesn’t panic under pressure. They stay focused, adapt quickly, and keep pushing forward even when things don’t go as planned.
Also, rejections are part of the job. Journalists won’t always respond, pitches won’t always land, and online sentiment can shift in an instant. Someone who takes every “no” personally won’t last long. You need a PR pro who can handle criticism, take feedback without getting defensive, and try a different approach when the first one doesn’t work.
Resilience is all about handling challenges well. The best PR professionals don’t let setbacks shake their confidence. They look at what went wrong, learn from it, and come back with a better plan. If they can bounce back from failure and keep moving forward, they’re worth having on your team.
3. People & Communication Skills
PR is all about relationships. A great digital PR professional knows how to connect with journalists, influencers, and industry leaders, and actually keep those connections strong. Sending a press release is one thing, but knowing who to send it to and how to follow up without being ignored? That’s a skill.
Clear, persuasive communication is non-negotiable. PR pros should be able to write in a way that grabs attention, speak confidently in meetings, and adapt their tone depending on who they’re talking to. (A pitch to a journalist isn’t the same as an email to a brand partner.)
They also need to listen, because understanding what people want and why they care makes all the difference.
4. Tech Savviness
It goes without saying that a solid PR professional should be comfortable with tech, because the right tools simply make the job easier, while making the results better. From tracking media coverage to automating outreach, knowing how to work smarter is a must.
The best PR pros use digital tools to analyze data, measure campaign success, and tweak their approach when needed. They don’t guess what’s working, they know. And in a world where social media trends shift overnight and algorithms decide what gets seen, someone who understands the tech behind PR has a serious advantage.
So, what does it mean to be tech-savvy when working in Digital PR? It’s about using digital tools to make content creation, social media management, email outreach, and automation more efficient. These tools help streamline processes, saving time and improving results.
Here are some key tasks where digital tools make a difference:
Simplify Content Production
Creating great content is one thing. Knowing how to optimize it for digital platforms is another. A skilled PR pro should be familiar with SEO tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Moz to make sure content ranks. They should also know how to track engagement with a tool like Google Analytics, so they can see what’s actually resonating.
Furthermore, platforms like Agility PR take content creation a step further by offering AI-powered tools to draft, refine, and translate press materials. PR professionals can quickly turn key messages into polished drafts, fine-tune writing for tone and clarity, and even generate multilingual content, ensuring their message reaches the right audience in the right way.
Manage Social Media
Social media at warp speed, and staying ahead takes more than just posting consistently. A strong PR professional knows how to schedule content effectively, monitor engagement, and analyze performance to refine their strategy.
They should also keep track of brand mentions and audience sentiment in real-time, because understanding public perception can make or break a campaign. Again, Agility PR can help PR pros stay on top of trends, analyze conversations, and adjust their messaging to keep brands relevant in an ever-changing digital space.
Automate Processes
Reaching the right people at the right time takes strategy, and automation. PR pros who know how to work with Zapier, IFTTT, or HubSpot can streamline processes like media monitoring, reporting, and content distribution. Less time on manual tasks equals more time for strategy.
Level Up Email Outreach
Cold pitching still plays a big role in PR, but blasting out emails with no tracking? That’s a waste. Look for someone who knows how to use Hunter, Mailshake, or Pitchbox to personalize outreach, track opens, and follow up at the right time. A well-placed email can land a major media mention, but only if it’s done right.
Agility PR solutions enhance this process by helping get a broader audience with access to a comprehensive media database. This enables PR professionals to identify and connect with the most relevant journalists and influencers for their stories.
5. Deep Research Abilities
Working in PR means you need to know what to say, who to say it to, and when to say it. To get that, you need to be good at research. Meaning, Digital PR pros need to dig deep, find the facts, and build campaigns based on real insights.
The best PR pros research everything. Industry trends, competitors, journalists, influencers, and audience behavior. They know how to track down the right contacts, spot gaps in the market, and uncover angles that others miss. They’re also comfortable with data, using analytics tools to measure impact and refine their approach. PR without research? That’s just noise.
And it’s not just about gathering information. It’s about knowing what matters. A skilled PR professional can sift through mountains of data, separate the useful from the irrelevant, and turn insights into action. If they can’t back up their strategies with solid research, their campaigns won’t go far.
6. Masterful Content Creation
Great PR starts with content that actually makes people stop and pay attention. A digital PR pro should know how to write articles, press releases, social media posts, and email pitches that don’t feel like fluff. Because let’s be honest, no one shares bland content.
They need to know what hooks an audience, how to make complex topics sound interesting, and when to keep things short and sharp.
But writing is just one part of the job. A strong PR professional understands why certain stories go viral and how to shape a message so it spreads. They should be comfortable working with video, infographics, and interactive media, because words alone don’t always cut it.
Most importantly, they need to adapt. Trends shift, platforms change, and what worked last year might fall flat today. Someone who experiments, refines their approach, and isn’t afraid to scrap an idea when it’s not working? That’s the kind of content creator you want on your team.
7. Media Law & Ethics Know-How
A digital PR professional should know the legal and ethical boundaries that come with the job. Because one bad decision can seriously backfire. From copyright laws to advertising guidelines, they need to understand the rules before putting anything out into the world.
Misinformation spreads fast, and a PR pro who doesn’t fact-check or misrepresents a brand can do more harm than good. They should know how to avoid defamation, respect intellectual property, and follow disclosure regulations for paid partnerships. Transparency matters, as one undisclosed sponsorship or misleading claim can break trust instantly.
Though, ethical PR isn’t just about following the law. It’s also about making smart, responsible choices. A great PR professional doesn’t manipulate, exploit, or mislead. They build credibility through honesty, accuracy, and respect. If they can’t explain why a strategy is both effective and ethical, they’re not the right fit.
How to Smoothen The Hiring Process?
Finding a great digital PR professional goes beyond scanning résumés. You need to see how they think, how they write, and how they handle challenges.
A smart way to do this?
Test tasks. Give candidates a small assignment, like drafting a press release, identifying key media contacts, or suggesting a PR strategy for a trending topic. A polished portfolio is great, but real-time skills matter more.
Strong candidates also look for more than just a paycheck. Highlight employee benefits that actually make a difference. Flexible work options, professional development opportunities, and performance-based incentives. PR is high-pressure work. Perks that support work-life balance matter.
If hiring internationally, consider working with an Employer of Record to handle contracts, payroll, and compliance. This lets you hire top PR talent anywhere without worrying about legal hurdles. The right candidate is out there, you just need the right approach to bring them in.
Wrap up
Hiring a digital PR professional comes down to finding someone who can think ahead, adapt fast, and connect with the right people. The best PR pros don’t just write press releases, they craft compelling stories, and build relationships that last. Without those skills, even the most well-planned campaigns will fall flat.
On top of that, resilience is a must. PR isn’t smooth sailing. It’s deadlines, rejections, and unexpected crises. A strong candidate doesn’t crumble under pressure. They take setbacks in stride, learn from them, and move forward with a smarter approach. If they can’t handle a crisis, they’re not the right fit.
Finally, hiring well means looking beyond polished applications. Real skills show in action. Test assignments, smart interview questions, and a focus on strategic thinking will help you find someone who actually knows their craft. Offer benefits that make the job sustainable, and you’ll attract talent that sticks around.