Why ad job recruiters are preaching more flexible roles in 2023

Agencies, already under pressure from clients to handle everything from media, to creative to performance marketing, to TikTok videos, are looking for talent to wear a lot of different hats in 2023.

It's all part of a larger trend in which agencies and marketers are being forced by the uncertain economy to make fewer, but smarter, hires in 2023. 

Employment in advertising, public relations and related services fell by 3,500 jobs in December 2022 following a dip of 7,600 the month prior, according to the monthly employment report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

“We’ve been through the wringer over the past 12 months,” said Lauren Lotka, headhunter and founder of talent firm Lotka & Co. “I don’t have a crystal ball and only time will tell what current and new socioeconomic factors come into play. We’re seeing needs: marketing leadership, growth and strategy as brands and agencies look ahead. Everyone needs to take a more balanced approach.”

Ad Age spoke with nine industry headhunters and agency executives who said they saw advertisers and marketers wanting to hire more jacks of all trades in 2022 and they expect that trend to pick up this year.

“For creative, having a 360-degree portfolio is way more valuable than saying ‘I only do TV or I only do social,” said Serena Wolf, industry headhunter and founder of recruiting firm Wolf Creative Co. “Unless you want a niche role, but it will limit you in opportunities.”

Everything is integrated

Laura Pesin-Eder, chief operating officer of MMI Agency, said ad agencies like hers are looking to fill new roles that encompass several disciplines including integrated account strategist, which she said is essentially someone who understands how all aspects of marketing work to drive the best outcomes for clients.

“We’re highly interested in those truly integrated thinkers that see the connections between the right audience, story and channel; those who understand that the lines are blurred and that blurring can drive greater impact for the business and for the customer,” Pesin-Eder said.

Pesin Eder said this is leading to the creation of roles like integrated account strategist, which she said is essentially someone who understands how all aspects of marketing work to drive the best outcomes for clients.

Chief marketers are also being asked to juggle more responsibilities as companies face immense pressure to keep up with a host of emerging trends and issues including evolving data privacy laws, the proliferation of retail media and the rise of new social and streaming TV platforms.

Related: Retail media networks data clean rooms collide at CES

For example, plant-based food company Impossible Foods just hired Sherene Jagla, former Newell Brands senior VP and general manager, as its first chief demand officer to oversee all sales, marketing, insights and product development as one integrated team. “Our next phase of growth requires tight integration across teams and disciplines, and Sherene knows how to do that and build organizations that scale,” Impossible Foods President and CEO Peter McGuinness said in a statement on her appointment.

Patti McConnell, co-founder and managing partner of independent ad agency Something Different, said ad employees themselves want more freedom to be able to redefine what they do and dabble in different areas versus being beholden to a specific title.

“Hybrid is everywhere,” McConnell said. “Creative teams often have shared roles; sometimes, an art director writes the end line, or the writer has a strong design aesthetic. We're seeing the emergence of ‘creative strategists,’ individuals with multiple skill sets who want the room to inform different disciplines that broadly encompass positioning, social strategy and content creation. I find this refreshing, as someone who has always questioned the prescriptive titles, many of which were historically given to replace raise increases.”

Top skills advertisers seek from talent

Just having a ton of random skills on a resume won’t be enough to secure your dream job, though.

There are a few key areas advertisers have identified as ripe for growth in 2023 and they want their hires to be well-versed in them.

Tony Stanol, industry recruiter and president of Global Recruiters of Sarasota, said media agencies want people with experience in performance marketing and who can juggle SEO, social and programmatic. He said business development experience, too, will be highly valued as agencies look to drive growth for clients in a slowing economy.

“[There is] much more of a call for performance marketing than I’ve ever seen in media, account, analytics and innovation roles,” Stanol said. “Today’s leaders need to roll up their sleeves and often lead by doing.”

Barbarian CEO Steven Moy said he’s looking for creatives who can master TikTok, in particular. Advertisers have been flocking to the popular new short-form video app but understanding its algorithms and how to talk to its young viewers in relatable ways has proven tricky.

“Creatives in the traditional digital world generally want to create Picassos, but new platforms like TikTok aren’t about creating high art,” Moy said. “They’re looking to produce high-velocity, immediate content that can be acted on in real time. The most in-demand jobs are among those who understand how to create authentic marketing for fast, rapid-fire social platforms like TikTok.”

Jay Haines, founder of ad and marketing executive search firm Grace Blue, said there will also be a heightened emphasis on people with customer experience skills.

As a result, he said ad agencies are looking for people with expertise in areas like data science and platform integration as clients are demanding they have a deep understanding of every customer touch point. Haines said marketers will likely look to hire chief customer officers that encompass the responsibilities of the chief marketer, but also can oversee retail commerce, supply chain, e-commerce and data.

“At the macro level, the most important trend we are seeing is the uptick in hiring in the CX space and for those looking to develop their careers and their skillset, the focus should be there,” Haines said.

With all these blurring lines, Diana Hay, head of talent at agency Mythology, said young creatives are getting training from leadership in various different disciplines. Companies that embrace this shift will have the easiest time attracting talent in 2023, she said.

“The last few years have changed the way those new to our industry can learn, grow and develop their strengths,” Hay said, “with many not having access to any structure or environment. Agencies that can offer independence, access to nurturing and generous senior folks working across a few wells of creativity, are going to succeed in attracting the best people.”