2025 Marketing and Creative Job Trends

Marketing and creative leaders are up against budget constraints, skills gaps and the shift toward AI-powered marketing solutions. Recruiting people with the needed creative vision, technical know-how and business acumen continues to be difficult due to low unemployment for marketing and creative professionals and the constant evolution of digital technologies and platforms.

These pressures coincide with rising consumer demand for hyper-personalized experiences. Marketing teams must implement AI strategically and consistently with their companies’ brands and also balance innovation with maintaining authentic, human connections that resonate with their audiences.

Strategic priorities for 2025

Marketing and creative leaders shared what they’re focusing on this year:

Customer experience

AI and machine learning

Content marketing

Website and mobile applications

Marketing automation

SEO and paid search marketing

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technology Cross-
functional
collaboration Budget
constraints for
headcount Skills gaps
on the team Leadership
alignment Employee
engagement Outdated
technology Cross-
functional
collaboration Budget
constraints for
headcount Skills gaps
on the team Leadership
alignment Employee
engagement

Demand for specialized digital skills

In today’s multiplatform world, marketing and creative teams need innovators who thrive at the intersection of creativity and technology. Businesses are prioritizing candidates who can decode consumer behavior and transform those insights into data-driven strategies that deliver results, whether it’s campaign creation, UX optimization or driving engagement through emerging technologies.

56% of marketing and creative leaders reported skills gaps within their department, and 59% said the impact of those gaps has increased in the past year.

AI strategy Marketing
analytics Marketing
automation Digital and
web design and
development AI strategy Marketing
analytics Marketing
automation Digital and
web design and
development

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Almost all marketing and creative leaders plan to add new staff or at least maintain headcounts to deliver on top business priorities. Yet 91% said it’s challenging to find skilled talent in the current market.

of marketing and creative leaders are hiring for new permanent positions. of marketing and creative leaders are hiring for new permanent positions.

are hiring only for vacated permanent positions. are hiring only for vacated permanent positions.

Hiring plans for 2025: contract professionals

72% of marketing and creative leaders said they’re increasing their use of contract talent in the first half of the year. They also shared the difficulties they’re having finding these professionals.

Difficulty assessing skills and experience

Lack of skilled candidates

Finding candidates who align with corporate culture

Meeting candidates’ pay expectations

Marketing and creative professionals in highest demand

The following positions are in the top 10% of marketing and creative roles in demand, according to an analysis of thousands of job postings and Robert Half placements:

Copywriter

Graphic designer

Marketing analytics specialist

Web content coordinator

Article: Learn more about the top roles in demand

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The surveys cited were developed by Robert Half and conducted by an independent research firm. Results may not total 100% due to rounding or allowing for multiple responses. Respondents included executives, hiring managers and workers from small (10-99 employees), midsize (100-999 employees) and large (1,000+ employees) businesses in private, publicly listed and public sector organizations across the U.S.

Over 6 million new positions from more than 8,000 independent job boards and company websites, including 100,000+ placements from Robert Half, are represented in our analyses of in-demand roles. This dataset includes roles across the finance and accounting, technology, marketing and creative, legal, administrative and customer support, healthcare support, and human resources professions.