Marketing Hiring Market Snapshot – What Businesses Need to Know Right Now

Marketing teams across the UK are in an interesting place right now. Budgets are under more scrutiny, channels are ever-changing and expectations around performance have sharpened. Through our daily conversations with Marketers, Founders and Hiring Managers, we’re seeing clear patterns in what teams need next.

If you’re planning to grow your team, here’s a grounded view of what’s happening.

Skills in Demand Across Marketing

Across in‑house Marketing teams, SMEs, start-ups and scale-ups a few areas stand out.

Advertising, Paid Media and PPC 

Businesses are prioritising people who can connect spend to commercial outcomes. It’s less about impressions and more about revenue, ROAS and deeper attribution.

SEO, GEO, AEO and Content and Social 

Demand is strong for people who can pair brand thinking with measurable performance. Solid technical SEO, GEO and AEO combined with audience‑led content is a consistent ask.

CRM, Marketing Automation and Direct Marketing 

Lifecycle, segmentation and personalisation continue to rise. HubSpot, Salesforce, Klaviyo, Braze and similar tools are now expected rather than “nice to have”.

Marketing Analysis 

Teams want analysts who interpret the numbers rather than just report on them. Stakeholder communication is valued just as highly as tool experience.

All‑round Marketing Generalists / Growth Marketers

In start-ups, scale-ups and SMEs, one person often owns multiple channels – all set for growth. Versatility and comfort switching between brand, content, digital and analytics is key.

How AI Is Shaping Marketing Skill Sets Right Now

AI is becoming part of almost every Marketing conversation. It’s not replacing Marketers, but it is reshaping the skill sets businesses look for.

A few shifts we’re seeing:

1. Stronger emphasis on content that’s useful for AI discovery 

As generative AI tools become the place people “search”, brands need content that is structured, factual, trustworthy and easy for AI models to surface.

This has increased demand for people who understand:

• how content should be written so AI tools can interpret it
• how to optimise for AI-generated answers (AEO and GEO), not just traditional SEO
• how brand authority and expertise are signalled through content

It’s an extension of SEO, but with new rules.

2. Comfort using AI tools as part of day-to-day workflow

AI is showing up everywhere — research, drafting, analysis, segmentation, creative testing.
Hiring managers aren’t looking for “AI experts”, but they do want people who can:

• use AI to speed up research and insight-gathering
• create first drafts or variations quickly
• turn data into useful narratives
• avoid over-reliance on AI and still produce original, accurate work

It’s about efficiency, not shortcuts.

3. A bigger need for human judgement

AI has made human strengths more noticeable: brand voice, nuance, creativity, lived experience.
Teams want Marketers who can:

• spot when AI output isn’t right
• check facts and keep things on-brand
• turn AI-generated ideas into campaigns that feel human
• ensure inclusivity and avoid bias

Good judgement is now a differentiator.

4. Data literacy is becoming a baseline

As AI speeds up analysis, businesses expect Marketers to:

• understand what the data actually means
• join dots between insights and actions
• explain results in a clear, human way

AI gives you the numbers faster. Humans need to tell the story.

Current Trends in the Marketing Hiring Market

Here’s what’s standing out most right now: 

• More roles are moving in‑house, especially within B2B, eCommerce and product‑led companies.
• Start-ups and scale-ups are being more measured, but they’re still hiring roles that impact revenue or retention.
• There’s a growing demand for Marketers who join the dots between channels, data and customer experience.
• Multi-channel thinking is becoming the norm, not the exception.

What Marketing Candidates Are Asking For Beyond Salary

Salary matters, but it isn’t the only factor shaping decisions. Themes we’re hearing consistently:

• Hybrid and flexible working that’s clear and predictable.
• Progression pathways with visible steps and support.
• A manageable workload with realistic expectations.
• A sense of mission and purpose, where Marketing isn’t a bolt‑on.
• Decent tools and data, so they can actually do good work.

These elements often decide whether someone accepts an offer, declines or waits for something better.

How Businesses Can Hire More Effectively Right Now

A few things are making a meaningful difference.

1. Clear salary bands

Salary transparency builds trust and shortens time-to-hire. Candidates move quicker when they know the range from the start. There are a number of reasons to signpost salary beyond shortening times to hire.  We Show The Salary have collated the facts here.

2. A smooth, defined hiring process

This includes a clear brief, realistic interview stages, aligned interviewers and timely feedback. The best candidates usually have options.

3. A joined-up story

Candidates want to understand:

• where Marketing sits in the organisation
• how success is measured
• the influence and autonomy the role will have
• the wider team structure and how cross-functional working happens

The more transparency you offer, the stronger the engagement.

If You’re Planning a Hire

We’re immersed in the Marketing world every day. If you want a sense-check on salary, structure or what “great” looks like for your next hire, we’re always up for a chat.