The PR jobs market is in a period of transition and new research from from PR and creative recruiter Aquent gives a snapshop of the market currently.

• Demand for junior roles drops by a third as companies freeze the hiring of PR hopefuls
• Influx of C-suite level candidates as roles become consolidated in the wake of the pandemic
• ‘Health is wealth’ as candidates with knowledge of the health industry become in-demand
• Wages flatline overall, but the industry is still hiring
  

Trying times for juniors

The data, which has been compiled from 2020 UK placements, reveals that the industry is currently experiencing a junior job market crisis in the wake of Covid-19, with demand for entry-level roles dropping by almost a third (29%). With staff resources stretched to capacity and fewer people now in offices, companies are no longer choosing to invest in less experienced staff. Instead, firms and agencies are on the lookout for candidates that can hit the ground running and need less immediate support. However, without a continued arrival of fresh blood, it’s feared the lull in junior roles with create a black hole of talent in the years to come.

C-suite hits the market

As firms and agencies continue to feel the pressure to make job cuts, the industry has seen a consolidation of senior level roles. This has created an influx of C-suite level candidates looking for work. This is great news for employers, who are banking on experienced staff to help navigate the difficulties presented by the pandemic. It’s also meant that candidates are more willing to accept pay cuts and less prestigious roles as jobs become less readily available, giving employers more bang for their buck in terms of the expertise they receive.

Health is wealth

Whilst some areas of the creative industries have seen wages increases, such as those working in design and motion graphics, salary growth has stagnated overall for those working in PR. This is largely due to the estimated £1.1bn worth of ad spend that was pulled by UK advertisers during the first Covid lockdown alone. However, all is not lost, as the industry is still continuing to hire. Candidates with experience working in the health sector, particularly health writers, have now become hot property in order to help cater to the growing interest in public wellbeing.

  Written by Aliza Sweiry, UK managing director at Aquent

Methodology
The figures are based around roles Aquent have placed over the last 12 months and an estimation of what today each role is paying.