Marketers looking for work last year might have had a hard time finding places to apply.
Global job postings for marketing positions dropped 42% in 2023 compared with 2022, according to a new report from LinkedIn. The situation was more pronounced in North America, where year-over-year job postings fell 56%.
The downward trend hasn’t just hit the rank and file, either. Global job postings for chief marketing officers were 47% lower across the platform in February 2024 compared with February 2023.
At the same time, 2024 could see a rebound. LinkedIn’s research reveals around 8 in 10 CMOs say they are likely to hire this year.
Some skill sets may help candidates land a job in this competitive environment, where marketing continues to adapt to changes in technology and consumer behavior. Based on marketers who secured new positions last year, recruiters value candidates who possess the following abilities: social media marketing, search engine optimization, Adobe Photoshop, email marketing and market research.
In North America, proficiency in events, strategic marketing and product marketing also helped candidates stick out.
Marketers appear eager to keep pace with advances in generative artificial intelligence, too. In the last quarter of 2023, twice the number of global marketers had AI listed as a skill on their LinkedIn profile compared with the final three months of 2022.
Return to the office
Additional data from LinkedIn’s report shows the era of remote work is winding down.
While 58% of global job postings for marketers offered full-time offsite opportunities in 2021, that figure has fallen to 18% in 2023.
Hybrid working arrangements, meanwhile, have grown — and may continue to expand. At present, the majority of marketing leaders — 56% — say they want to work in a hybrid environment.
