6th March 2025
By all accounts, this year should see amazing results for the UK’s marketing sector. December’s predictions showed that media investment continues to rise, Artificial Intelligence optimises conversion rates, and advertising agencies across the country should benefit from an average revenue increase of 2.1%.
However, for candidates who bought into the positive reports and seized the opportunity to better their career prospects… the pickings look a little slim. Even skilled, qualified, and experienced job seekers are struggling to land marketing positions through the usual channels. What more do our employers want?
5 Reasons You’re Struggling to Land a Marketing Job
If you’ve been job hunting for months and have become frustrated with the whole process, there’s one thing we at RC&A want to emphasise… it’s not your fault.
The UK’s job market is really tough right now, putting many candidates in a difficult position where they start to doubt their choices. Stick with it; there’s an uptick on the horizon. Some of the reasons behind your struggle can’t be controlled, but certainly won’t last forever.
As UK candidates gain more confidence in their ability to follow their passions and pursue creative roles, job competition in the marketing sector has hit an all-time high.
The previous perception that working in a creative position wouldn’t get you very far has been completely eradicated, with the pandemic proving just how important marketing is.
Today, thousands of excited individuals have brushed up their skills and established themselves as Graphic Designers, Copywriters, Brand Managers, Content Creators, Web Developers and even Creative Directors.
There was a shortage of these types of specialists for years; now, the market has suddenly become inundated.
The last few years have been tough on pretty much everyone. We were all affected by COVID-19 in some way or other, and most of us are just starting to recover.
Because of these difficult experiences, workers across the country were reminded that life is precious. Nobody wants to continue slaving away at the same old 9-5 job they’ve hated for years, not when there’s so much more out there.
This itch to “mobilise” and change jobs has left the recruitment market in disarray (it’s a little chaotic!), with talent prowling for the extra flexibility that creative marketing jobs offer.
Of course, the increasing adoption of remote working technology has allowed businesses to expand beyond borders. Of the 275,000 open marketing positions on LinkedIn (UK only), the vast majority have an average of between 100 and 200 applicants.
When you start looking through these, you can see that people from all over the world are applying for the very same jobs. This has left many candidates at a loss where; instead of simply competing against other suitable job seekers in your area, you’ll now have to find ways to stand out on the global market.
Despite Marketing Week’s January report that 44.5% of businesses “indicate they plan to expand their marketing budgets for the 2024/25 period”, it seems this hasn’t necessarily been the case.
Among the marketing communities on Facebook, numerous employees complain about reduced budgets and restricted decision-making when it comes to executing their carefully planned marketing strategy.
The most likely reason that you’re struggling to get a job all comes down to inflation. It sucks, but it’s true. As costs continue to rise across the UK, managers are preparing for an expensive future by reducing their spending. When you’re not sure whether you’ll be able to pay your next bill, self-investment gets put on the sidelines – meaning recruitment gets cut, even if the job posting is already live. This is especially the case when candidates fight for higher pay, which businesses aren’t sure they’ll be able to afford.
How to Land a Marketing Job in Today’s Competitive Environment
With the odds stacked against you, facing the job market alone can be more than a little intimidating. So, why not bring someone onto your team?
Rather than being one name among hundreds, you can present yourself in the best light by partnering with a specialist marketing recruiter who’s already well-known in the industry.
This will give you the foot in the door that you desperately need, allowing you to take over and thrive by yourself.
You’ll soon be able to nail your job interview and subsequently celebrate when you’re offered an incredible position with a company that you vibe with.
Contact Ross Clifford & Associates today.