Not every new hire justifies a press release, but some, such as the executive team, do. And publishing them can build buzz for your brand with customers and establish your business as a leader in your industry or community. From formatting to what to include, find out how to write a new hire press release (and when it’s justified) by downloading our free template and following the steps below.
Download: New Hire Press Release Template
Download our free template to save time and guesswork in terms of learning how to write a new hire press release. To use the template, save the Google Doc as a new file on your drive, download the Microsoft Word version to your device, or get the PDF and use it as a guide to format your own document.
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When you’re ready to distribute your announcement, use Newswire, which offers the best options for getting your story noticed by niche audiences or industries.
Follow the steps below to write and distribute a media announcement celebrating your new team member:
1. Follow the Standard Press Release Format
Like other types of press releases, new hire announcements should follow the standard press release format. It should include your logo and contact information, the release date, headline, location, the body of the press release, and a boilerplate with details about your company.
Here are each of the elements in a new hire press release:
- Company logo: Add your company logo in the header area
- Release date information: Either “FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE” or “HELD FOR EMBARGO” followed by the desired release date
- Headline: The subject of your press release
- Subheadline: This line develops the headline further
- City, State: The location of your business
- Date: The actual date you publish the press release
- Summary paragraph: A brief description of the complete story
- Body: Develop the details in the body
- Quote: Add a quote to enhance the article
- Boilerplate company information: A description of the business affixed to the end
- Three pound signs: ### to signify the conclusion of the press release
- Contact information: Include other details for further inquiry (name, email, phone)
While its content is specific to your new hire, following the standard format layout ensures that journalists effectively review your press release and is syndicated by media agencies. If you haven’t written a press release before, reading the basics of what a press release is can be a great jumping-off point.
Looking for low-cost expert help writing your story? Hire freelance press release writers starting from $5 on Fiverr, or get combined writing and distribution starting at around $40.
2. Craft an Attention-getting Headline
The headline of your new hire press release should include your business name, the new hire’s name, and their position in about 10 to 20 words. Including all these elements ensures that readers and journalists know immediately what is under discussion. If you’re not certain where to start, follow this headline convention: [Business Name] Hires [New Hire Name] for/as [Job Title or Role].
Some examples of headlines used in actual press releases for new hires include:
- Cecil Plummer Joins MojoHire as Chief Executive Officer (Source: PRNewswire.com)
- Roku’s Splashy Hire Of Veteran TV Exec Charlie Collier Highlights Company’s Bet On Original Programming (Source: Deadline.com)
- Scholastic Names Jeffrey Mathews Executive Vice President, Corporate Development and Investor Relations (Source: PRNewswire.com)
- PayPal Appoints John Kim as Chief Product Officer (Source: FinanceFeeds.com)
Not sure how to write a great headline? Check out our list of common press release mistakes to avoid, which includes a detailed section on how to craft a good headline.
3. Develop Your Lead Paragraph
The lead paragraph is the first paragraph in the body of your story and the most important one. It’s your chance to entice the reader and communicate everything they need to know about the new employee, their responsibilities, and how it will benefit the business and community.
The five questions your lead paragraph needs to answer are:
- Who: The new hire’s name
- What: What the new hire will be doing, their position and/or title
- Where: Where the new hire is from, their background and/or education
- When: The new hire’s first day on the job
- Why: The positive impact the new hire will have on the business and in the community
MGP Ingredients’ press release announcing the hiring of a new CEO (Source: PRNewswire.com)
4. Discuss the New Hire’s Background & Qualifications
The next few paragraphs build on the lead and should be anywhere from 50 to 200 words (in total). This section of your new hire press release sheds a positive light on the new team member by describing their expertise and accomplishments. Additionally, it references your company and how the new hire expands or strengthens your business.
The paragraphs under the lead add supplemental information about the company and new hire. (Source: PRNewswire.com)
Here are some features of the new employee that could be useful to include in your supporting paragraphs:
- Previous company/companies
- Previous position(s) held
- Years of experience
- Degree, advanced degree(s), and/or honorific titles
- Recognition (Forbes lists, 40 Under 40, etc.)
- Certifications (e.g., P.E., PMI-ACP®)
- Veteran status
- Minority status
- Notable accomplishments
- Type of role (e.g., executive, management)
- Scope of role (e.g., oversaw a merger, managed a $29 million budget)
Pro tip: Short press releases are easier and faster to read than long ones. Aim for 250 to 300 words for the body of your story, including the lead paragraph, and add a call to action and link to your website where readers can learn more. Keeping it concise piques interest and generates traffic for your website.
5. Add a Quote
To make the press release as effective and interesting as possible, include a quote from a company representative, such as the CEO or the new hire, in the second or third paragraph. Quotes can range from 50 words to 150 words. With a quote, you add vibrancy to the release and convey more of the new hire’s personality.
Here are some different ways quotes could be incorporated based on the source of the quote:
- Quote by a company CEO: “We are very excited to welcome Stacy to our team at NLE. He brings a tighter focus on customer relationship quality to our sales team and will be a great role model for our employees and vendors who come into contact with him.”
- Quote by the new hire: “I am thrilled to be part of the NLE team. My entire career has been spent in the technology industry, and I look forward to continuing that tradition by providing ‘best of breed’ network solutions to NLE’s current and future customers.”
- Quote by the new hire: “I intend to apply my green building project experience and communication skills to teaching and developing curriculum that will help Everblue’s students get jobs, change the economy and improve the environment.”
An example of a new hire press release with a quote (Source: FossilGroup.com)
Keep in mind that you can add more than one quote to make your press release more interesting to readers and give journalists more to work with. You can also include a link in your new hire press release back to a landing page on your website that features your full press release and additional quotes, images, and resources. This makes it easier for journalists to cover your story, in turn giving your business additional exposure.
6. Describe the Impact of the New Hire’s Role
The last paragraph in the body of your story should explain what the team member will do, their goals, and how the hire contributes to the business’ objectives. Since this is the concluding paragraph, make sure to broaden the press release to indicate that the new hire is a positive step forward for the company and the community.
Here are a couple of sample concluding paragraphs for a new hire press release:
- “Mark joins ABC as National Account Manager to continue ABC’s recent success providing business services to many of the top companies in America and Europe. Mark comments, ‘I am excited to start a new challenge within ABC Company and look forward to working with the team to further develop their already extensive product and service suite. I am fortunate to be joining such a respected company that prides itself on top quality service.’”
- “Goldman will be developing and implementing an overall corporate marketing strategy, directly engaging and managing the marketing team, and translating the company’s business objectives into marketing strategies that drive revenue. In addition, he will determine and administer the marketing budget, identify and track key metrics, and establish pricing and positioning for a wide range of Windward products.”
Ask yourself if you have effectively managed to explain why the new hire matters to the journalist and their audience. Remember, the press release isn’t about why this new hire matters to you and your organization, but why it matters to the public.
7. Include a Headshot
It’s ideal to include a photo of the new hire in your press release to add personality and visual interest. Most distribution services allow you to embed at least one image, and local news agencies will be able to include the picture in a write-up or a new hire section. Make sure to use a more editorial or candid photo than the classic yearbook-style headshot—ideally, one that aligns with your brand.
8. Add Your Boilerplate
New employee announcements introduce the new hire to the world—but they also inform readers about your company. The final section of the press release is the boilerplate—a standard section included with any press release made up of a 30- to 100-word description of your business.
The boilerplate that concludes your new hire press release should describe the nature of your business. It should also mention the key products or services, awards, and background information, such as years in business or names of founders.
For more details, check out our article on how to write a boilerplate.
At the end of your boilerplate, include a link to your website, indicating any downloadable content and listing a dedicated media contact or a link to your corporate press kit. You can also add company contact information like the contact person, official company address, and phone number.
Fossil Group boilerplate and media contacts (Source: FossilGroup.com)
9. Distribute Your Announcement
After writing your new hire press release, it’s time to send it out. To maximize the coverage of your announcement and ensure it reaches your desired audience, follow our step-by-step instructions on how to send a press release.
It might surprise you to know that there are many ways to get the word out about your new team member. Ideally, your press release distribution strategy will encompass many of these channels:
- Guaranteed newswire placements via distribution services
- Direct to journalist emails through distribution services or your own contact list
- Social media
- Submission to local TV, radio, magazines, and newspapers
- Submission to trade publications
- An email or print copy sent to industry associations
- Outreach to bloggers or influencers who serve your audience
- Email or direct mail to your local Better Business Bureau, BNI networking group, Chamber of Commerce, Rotary, and other civic organizations
The cornerstone piece of distribution to get maximum reach is to syndicate your release using a press release distribution service. This ensures that your news reaches your intended audience through industry and journalist targeting in order to earn the most publicity and backlinks.
Here are three top options to consider. Each includes both guaranteed newswire placements as well as direct-to-journalist emails.
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For additional guidance, read our list of press release distribution tips. After distributing your press release, monitor and track its performance to gauge its effectiveness and estimate your return on investment (ROI).
Did you know? Press release statistics show that the best time to send your press release is between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Tuesdays.
When to Write a New Hire Press Release
Most new hire announcements only occur internally within organizations. There are times, however, when a press release is justified or even expected.
- High profile roles: Job titles that pertain to the chief (e.g., CEO, CFO, COO, and so on), director, vice president, and other high-level roles generally merit making an announcement through media channels.
- Unique skills or experience: A media story will often accompany a new hire at any organizational level if the new team member possesses unique experience or skills that benefits the brand. This could be the case when a manufacturing company hires a researcher who has made breakthroughs in the industry.
- Celebrity status: New hire press releases are ideal for when a business hires someone with celebrity status. For a small business, this could even just be someone who is recognizable within the local community, such as a former public official, a past Chamber of Commerce president, and so on.
- Mergers or acquisitions: Another time to write a new hire press release is in the case of a merger or acquisition. You can point out the new talent under the umbrella of your company, even if the company acquired is going to remain intact.
- Multiple roles or mass hiring situations: Hiring announcements don’t always have to be centered around an individual. It could be to announce mass hiring, such as your company expanding with a new department or adding a significant number of new roles to your business.
The question to ask is this: Does the new team member bring brand credibility or buzz to the table? If yes, then go ahead with a new hire press release. If not, keep your celebration internal.
Benefits of Publishing New Hire Media Announcements
In some cases, the benefits of sending out a media announcement to celebrate new team members is obvious. However, there are also not-so-obvious benefits that you might not have considered. Taken in whole, they offer persuasive evidence that publishing press releases when hiring new employees should be part of your overall public relations (PR) strategy.
- Increases brand credibility: Bringing people with well-known names or high-level accomplishments adds to your brand’s reputation.
- Adds to online visibility: Publishing press releases for new hires (and other types of company announcements) increases your brand presence, recognition, and visibility online.
- Boosts brand affinity: Who doesn’t want to work with a winner? Announcing important new hires builds brand affinity with prospects, customers, potential investors, board members, and other potential employment candidates.
- Increases employee morale and engagement: Bringing in talented leaders or growing your company with new roles can be exciting for your employees and give them growth opportunities.
- Elevates community reputation: For a local business, new hire announcements send the message that your company is a growing, reliable employer that contributes to the local economy.
- Fulfills compliance requirements: Some types of companies are required to tell the public when key management changes occur.
- Builds trust: Even positive changes, like expanding your business or acquiring additional companies, can engender fear of change. Publishing press releases about new talent brought on board can neutralize fear and showcase the reasoning behind the change.
- Increases opportunities: Adding a key new role or high-profile C-level employee to your business can open doors with new connections, networking opportunities, partnerships, and more.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
There are a number of ways to get assistance with writing new employee press releases. For example, there are artificial intelligence (AI) press release generators to help start and format your story. You could ask a colleague for help or hire a freelance professional on Fiverr to write or edit your press release. Many press release distribution services offer writing as an add-on or include editing for free.
Writing a good press release for an employee promotion is the same as for a new hire. Start with a template and develop the body of your content to showcase the employee being promoted. Discuss what the promotion means for your business, how it impacts the local community, and what they bring to your industry.
Bottom Line
A press release is an excellent way to gain media coverage of a new hire, curate goodwill toward your company, and boost employee and customer trust in your business. When preparing a new employee announcement, follow the customary format, craft an enticing story around your new hire, and hone in on why that matters to the general public. Read our list of press release best practices to boost PR for even more guidance.
