In-Depth Guide to Crafting a New Hire Press Release (+ Examples and Tips)

By Intelligent Relations Team

August 18, 2022

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Congratulations! After months of searching, you’ve finally found the perfect candidate to fill a key position in your company. Now, it’s time to introduce them to the rest of the business world. It’s time to craft a new hire press release.

They’re not dissimilar to regular press releases, but there are key differences to consider. Using a template is advisable. 

Below, you’ll find everything you need to know about new hire press releases. As you’ll see, it’s all pretty straightforward. 

Here’s what we’ll go through:

• What is a New Hire Press Release?
• Types of New Hire Press Releases + Examples
• What Should a New Hire Press Release Include?
• How to Write and Format a New Hire Press Release
• How to Send a New Hire Press Release

What is a New Hire Press Release?

A new hire press release is an official media announcement about a new person joining your company. They are often reserved for C-suite level or executive hires. It’s best practice to send the announcement after the person has accepted the offer and before their start date.

The key to announcing new hires is to make sure they’re newsworthy. That most often includes a change in leadership – i.e., you’ve hired a new CEO.

But that can also include instances where you’ve hired a superstar executive.

Here are some examples of C-suite level executives positions you might want to announce:

• Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
• Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
• Chief Technology Officer (CTO)
• Chief Marketing Officer (CMO)
• Chief Operating Officer (COO)
• Chief Information Officer (CIO)
• Chief Commercial Officer (CCO)
• Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO)

Pro Tip: When announcing a new CEO, focus on highlighting the incoming CEO’s relevant experience, vision for the company, and key achievements to build confidence among stakeholders.

For more info on new CEO press releases, read our article: How to Write a Press Release for a New CEO

Types of New Hire Press Releases + Examples

New hire press releases can be broken down into three different types, all featuring shared components relevant to any press release, but each is tailored to various new hire scenarios that your company might experience. 

Follow the examples included to help you get started. Each one represents a specific new hire announcement.

1. New Team Member Press Release

This type of press release is for a new team member joining your company, typically a high-level upper management position or C-suite hires. 

• The non-profit Kelly Bush Foundation announcing their new executive director is an excellent example of a new team member press release.

2. Multiple New Hire Press Release

This one covers the hiring of several new employees at once, usually for non-upper management positions.

• In this example, Sainty, Hird, and Partners announces four new senior hires to their executive search firm.

3. Employee Promotion Press Release 

This announces employees who are being promoted to a new position in your company, typically upper-management. 

• Green Street alerts the public to the promotion of two key members of the firm’s executive team.

Pro Tip: Remember, timing is crucial when submitting a new hire press release. Aim to release it shortly after the hire’s start date to maintain momentum and excitement. 

Learn more about press release submission timing here: A Quick Guide to Press Release Submission Timing

What Should a New Hire Press Release Include?

Regardless of the type of new hire press release, they all serve the same purpose – to introduce a new team member in a public announcement. For high-level senior management positions, new hires are a big deal, especially if there are lots of eyes on your company. 

The intended audience for a new hire press release might include competitors, stakeholders, shareholders, media outlets, as well as anyone with a vested interest in your company, and, of course, the new hire you’ve brought on board.

As for the information to include in a new hire press release, break everything down to the “5 Ws.”

• Who: The name of the person you’ve hired. 
• What: The new hire’s skills, qualifications, and experience.
• When: The date on which the new hire will start said new position.
• Where: The position and responsibilities within the company.
• Why: The reason the new hire’s been brought on and the benefit the hiring will bring.

How to Write and Format a New Hire Press Release

New hire press releases have to be written and formatted a certain way if you want to get the most out of them, but they are fairly straightforward. 

A new hire announcement should follow a standard press release format:

1. Lay Out Your Press Release

Press releases are laid out similarly to news articles, using an inverted pyramid structure. What this means is, you put the most important information at the top of the press release while leaving less important content for the end.

For example, let’s dissect this new CEO announcement from Custom Ink:

• Company Logo: Include your company insignia in the header.

• Release Date: Usually, “FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE,” or at your discretion.

• Headline: This should be succinct. For example: [Company] Announces Addition of John Smith as Chief Marketing Director of the North America Sales Division.

• First Paragraph: This is the most important part of the press release, so stick to The 5 Ws and keep it to about 70 words.

• Second and Third Paragraph: This includes additional information about the hire, such as background, education, and previous positions. This can be as long as 200 words (and where you can really brag!)

• Company Quote (Optional): This is a brief, upbeat statement about the new hire from the C-suite. For example: “I am thrilled to welcome John to our organization where I’m certain he will bring an incredible amount of experience and capability into his new role as Chief Marketing Director.”

• New Hire Quote (Optional): This is a short quote from the new hire. For example: “I am very fortunate to have the opportunity to be a part of this team and look forward to helping the company expand into new markets while maintaining the high level of customer service our clients have come to expect.”

• Fourth Paragraph: This rounds off the new hire announcement with leftover details, such as how the new hire will be welcomed, or how the appointment will positively affect the company.

• Boilerplate: General information about the company issuing the press release is included here. A good tip is to simply copy-paste the language from the company’s “About Us” page on their website.

• Contact Information: This will include the name, email address, and possibly office phone number of whoever at the company handles press inquiries.

Pro Tip: A boilerplate ensures that key information about your company is consistently communicated and is essential for providing context to readers. It offers a quick snapshot of your organization’s mission, history, and key achievements at the end of the release.

Need help coming up with a catchy and concise press release boilerplate? Read our article: Crafting a Boilerplate Press Release: A Step-by-Step Guide

2. Cover the Basics

Now that you know the structure of a new hire press release, it’s time to get into the basics of writing a press release. Follow these tips to help yours stand out and make a positive impact.

• Write it Like a News Article: Writing a good press release should be approached like a professional news article — use proper grammar, avoid the passive voice, and create a content flow that effortlessly carries the reader from one section to the next. Using either Associated Press or Chicago Manual of Style for formatting is recommended (don’t mix).

• Write in the Third Person: Your press release should be written entirely in the third person. This is a standard approach for newsletters and articles, and it’s the same for press releases. The only exception to this rule is quotes, which are written in the first person.

• Keep it Short: Press releases are only about 400 to 600 words total, or about one page of copy. If yours is significantly longer than one page, cut it down by shortening sentences and removing inessential information.

• Keep it Neutral: Avoid hyperbole and keep the prose restrained. Avoid terms like “game-changing,” “revolutionary,” or “disrupting,” which make press releases sound more like shameless ads. Headlines and quotes are the only sections that use stylistic or effusive language.

• Consider Your Audience: If you have a target audience in mind for your press release, such as shareholders or partners, don’t be afraid to include technical language or an issue they’d be familiar with. If you’re writing for the general public, on the other hand, keep it simple and avoid unclarified acronyms or jargon.

• Include a Photo: Journalists will be more likely to cover the news of your new hire if you include a headshot or professional photo of the appointee. Doing so gives a face not only to the new hire but also to the company.

• Consider Media Outlets: If you already know which media outlets you’ll be sending the press release to, include information they’d be most interested in.

3. Create a Hook

The best new hire press releases don’t just recount details, they build a broader narrative. This tactic is called creating a hook, and it’s the best way to make a new hire announcement bigger than the press release itself.

When it comes to a new hire announcement, optimize announcement impact by connecting to broader narratives of: 

• Business Growth: Has your company posted impressive figures lately, or is it a rapidly growing startup? Linking new hires to this talking point is a great way to build this narrative.

• Business Expansion: Is the company expanding into new markets or launching new products? If the new hire is spearheading the initiative, make this a central theme.

• Change in Direction: Has the new hire been brought in with the aim of turning around the fortunes of a struggling business? This is bound to pique interest, so ensure this narrative is brought to the forefront. 

• Change in Culture: This could be part of a broader crisis comms strategy. In this context, a new hire could be tasked with changing and improving business culture.

Pro Tip: Still having trouble getting started? Try our AI Press Release Generator and work smarter, not harder!  

How to Send a New Hire Press Release?

Once you’ve completed your new hire press release, it’s time to send it out. For this, you have two main options, both with benefits and drawbacks.

1. Send a Press Release Via a Distribution Service

For a fee, you can have a professional press release distribution service handle your press release publication. These services have a list of media outlets they immediately publish your press release to, and they’ll compile a performance report for its reception and its media reach and impact.

But be warned, the outlets where these services publish could have little relevance to your new hire announcement. For instance, press releases are often published to cable news websites nationwide — not relevant if your business is focused on a single region.

Note: It’s unlikely that a press release will be published in a trade publication relevant to your industry via this method.

Pro Tip: Choose a reputable service that offers analytics so you can track the press release’s performance and refine future distribution strategies.

For more info on free press release distribution services, read our article: The Best Free Press Release Distribution Services

2. Send a Press Release to Media Outlets Via Email

While this option is cheaper than using a distribution service, it does cost you time. Sending press releases manually via email means compiling your own media list and composing a pitch email that you’ll send to each source. 

The other downside is that you’ll get fewer overall media pickups.

The upside? You get to target media outlets and handpick journalists relevant to your new hire announcement and your company.  

Pro Tip: Before submitting a press release, double-check all contact information and follow up with key journalists or influencers to maximize coverage and engagement.

Learn more about successful press release submission here: How to Successfully Submit a Press Release

Wrapping Up

Creating a new hire press release isn’t overly complicated — it just requires a bit of work, especially if you’re new to putting them together. Just remember to stick to the customary format and craft the press release around an enticing story about your new hire.

Still not sure how to write a new hire press release? Let us help! Simply book a free consultation with us to get expert insight into how to start or improve your press release.