New research by recruitment firm The Creative Group suggests hiring is poised to heat up across the creative and marketing industries throughout the remainder of the year, with as many as 66% of employers planning to expand their teams.

Those findings come from a recent online survey led by The Creative Group and conducted by an independent research firm. It includes responses from more than 200 Canadian advertising and marketing hiring decision makers at agencies of 20 or more employees, as well as non-agency companies with 100 or more employees.

According to the survey, the number of employers who say they intend to hire full-time creative talent has jumped 5% from six months ago (61% to 66%). Meanwhile, 56% say they plan to increase the number of freelancers they use, an eight-point increase from the first half of the year. Only 2% of respondents expect to eliminate positions.

The report also delves into the most in-demand jobs, finding that hires in user experience are a top priority for employers. That discipline was followed by web and mobile development, user research and visual design (which were found to be equally in-demand) and creative development.

Despite the positive outlook, finding and hiring the right talent to meet companies’ shifting business needs remains a significant challenge for many employers, as Deborah Bottineau, district director for The Creative Group notes.

That could explain why 41% of employers report being understaffed in the digital department. Seventy-nine percent of decision makers in advertising and marketing report finding it “somewhat or very challenging” to find the right creative talent, while 76% said the same about finding and retaining employees with digital expertise.

That has led many creative managers to consider partnering with their counterparts in the technology department. Overall, 95% of respondents said working with recruiters in IT could help them better staff their teams for digital marketing assignments. Meanwhile, 23% of them reported already taking this approach.

“We’re seeing greater overlap between creative and IT departments as natural partners for idea development and problem solving,” notes Bottineau. “Managers from across the organization who work together to identify joint hiring opportunities will establish stronger teams, and a more competitive business overall.”