10 Key Insights from the 2018 Marketing Hiring Trends Report

We are excited to share the 2018 Marketing Hiring Trends Report today. This year’s report includes insights into the slowdown in hiring, the industry’s most in-demand skills, and the perks that are most valuable in hiring negotiations.  

 We collaborated with a national market research agency to conduct a comprehensive survey on hiring trends in marketing. The survey was open to marketing professionals across all industries throughout the U.S. from October 6 – October 30, 2017. Qualifying criteria for respondents included either working in a marketing role or experience working in a marketing function. Questions specific to 2017 and 2018 hiring practices were only asked of those who have influence in hiring decisions.  

Here are ten key insights drawn from the 2018 Marketing Hiring Trends Report.

1. 69 percent of marketing leaders anticipate growing their teams and hiring more marketers. This is up from 44 percent from last year.​ 

2. Demand for traditional marketers has grown by 79 percent since last year, coming in as the third most hired for specialty in 2018. ​ 

3. The top requested skills within digital marketing this year are digital advertising, content creation & curation, and email marketing. ​ 

4. Demand for creative professionals is expected to grow by 23 percent, while available supply shrinks by 33 percent, which means there are more open roles than there are qualified candidates to fill them. 

5. Only 56 percent of hiring managers are satisfied with the length of time it takes to complete the hiring process. ​ 

6. Digital marketing is once again the most hired for role in 2018.​ 

7. 59 percent of those hiring are looking for a digital marketer. Only 19 percent of digital marketers are actively looking for new opportunities. ​  

8. 97 percent of marketers would be open to switching jobs if the right opportunity came along. Chief among their reasons for leaving? A salary increase, followed by career advancement.​ 

9. 79 percent of marketers would accept a lower salary offer from a company where the culture is a great fit for their personality and work style. ​ 

10. 74 percent of companies that partner with outside agencies to meet staffing needs consider their HR departments to be supportive, compared to only 61 percent of companies that do not use staffing or recruitment agencies.  

Download 2018 Marketing Hiring Trends: An In-Depth Report on Factors Shaping Demand for Marketing and Creative Talent here. 

by McKinley Marketing Partners