More hiring managers in the marketing and creative field are upstaffing in the first half of the new year compared with counterparts in other sectors. They are also more worried about their own job status.

The latest Robert Half State of Hiring Survey – targeting 1,094 hiring managers in total, 151 of which are in the marketing and creative field – reveals that 60% of 151 marketing and creative hiring managers surveyed are hiring in the first half of 2024. This is higher than the 54% who are hiring of 943 hiring managers surveyed in other professions.

Among the other findings in the State of Hiring Survey, 12% more hiring managers, 80% versus 68% in other sectors, are concerned about their own job security. The survey also found 38% of marketers and creatives, versus 40% across other professions, are only hiring for vacated positions in 2024.

The numbers reveal that for the first half of 2024, only 1% of marketing and creative hiring managers are implementing a freeze, versus 4% of their counterparts.

Company growth is the leading driver of hires, according to 68% of 91 marketers and creatives surveyed, versus 61% of 587 other professions surveyed.

Lack of requisite skills among current employees is also more of a concern for marketing and creative hiring managers (59%) versus their counterparts in other fields (50%).

More marketing firms (52%) are capitalizing on top talent let go from other companies, versus 48% in other vocations. Seasonal needs, meanwhile, are over-indexing for marketing agencies (46% versus 37%).

When it comes to talent retention, more marketing and creative hiring managers than other professions (97% of 151 surveyed versus 90%) are concerned about it, as they are about successfully navigating economic cycles (97% versus 88%).

Keeping the team motivated (96%) and implementing departmental cost-cutting procedures (94%) are also more top of mind for marketers and creatives than other professions (87% and 86%, respectively).