I do feel old when I now consider that I have been in recruitment within the marketing/creative/advertising sector for over 20 years. Longer than I was actually working in marketing now! But I do think that mostly I've had it pretty good. Particularly, working for myself which was the best decision I ever made giving me the flexibility to work where I wanted, when I wanted and with whom I wanted. Clearly all the years of experience gained prior to that gave me the confidence and skills to go it alone but we're nearly at 18 years of Perfect Marketing People and I have to say that the market currently is the worst that I have ever known it. Which is bizarre considering that I launched PMP in 2008 when there was an actual recession.
However, whilst the stats may not say it's a recession now, we are currently experiencing some of the toughest economic and political issues that the world has ever faced. Whilst we think of recruiting for our sector in the North of England, it doesn't always feel that the situation in the Middle East or the USA should have a direct impact on us. But it does. Definitely. Increasingly there are creative agencies working with North America which is affected by Trump Tariffs, there are also agencies working with FMCG clients who utilise glass or tin which are often made in Ukraine, and frankly the situation between Israel and Gaza is just another major source of uncertainty in the world and that level of uncertainty does mean that large corporates and smaller corporates are facing big challenges.
These challenges mean for agencies that their clients are spending less and demanding more - for less! Also their clients are not committing to long term spends or projects which means that agencies are finding it hard to plan for resourcing. Several agencies have also commented to me that the search for new business is increasingly hard. Going after big name brands is costly, time consuming and with no guarantees, it is difficult for agencies already operating on minimum resources to justify the cost of pitching for this kind of business. But when existing clients are spending less....natural organic growth is just as difficult. I've had a couple of agencies asking me for Sales Directors who come with a 'little black book of contacts' but in this day and age, that doesn't exist. The procurement process for acquiring new business is so full of red tape that even if you do have several besties who are Marketing Directors for major brands, absolutely nothing is guaranteed.
Additionally, we came out of the Pandemic with many agencies having had their best years ever. Boom time! Lots of hiring and so when things got quiet....agencies were a bit 'flabby' and suddenly cuts were being made. We hardly saw any redundancies between 2000 and 2023 - perhaps a result of the measures put in place by Government to put employees on Furlough. But, I would say that from late 2023 onwards, we saw a slow trickle of redundancies which now, in September 2025 has not really stopped.
Most affected, are senior level people in agencies - although it does vary. Most of the network agencies in the North do occasionally have 'restructures' but that's often about making sure that the right people are in the right roles and clients are resourced efficiently for maximum profitability. However, it seems that significant cuts are being made across all levels. This could also be attributed to several mergers of networks so there is a de-duplication of roles which, of course, leads to redundancies.
It's not all doom and gloom. There are pockets of activity. Most notably across paid search, SEO, content marketing and those integrated agencies who work on shopper and brand activation activity. But recruitment is typically at the more junior to mid-weight level rather than senior. So we are seeing a lot of senior client services and creative individuals being let go and with no real sense of the market improving for them. Increasingly, these individuals are considering leaving the sector completely and finding something new. Agencies are not so keen on having 'over qualified' people doing more junior roles and this is real shame given how much talent is out there.
I'm not sure yet how much AI is truly playing a part in the redundancy trend. Many agencies are adopting a positive AI approach and to harness the power of AI to combine it with traditional marketing techniques and creative application. So we may well see an uptick of agencies who are looking for AI savvy individuals who will be able to help clients maximise the use of AI in their strategies. I can't say that I'm seeing a lot of that just yet!
So, that's a long winded review of where it feels the market is at. I'm talking daily to people who are under consultation of redundancy, particularly those who think that perhaps taking voluntary redundancy is a good option. A few points below are worth considering:
1. The market is extremely slow. There are a very small number of roles currently across the region for an increasingly high proportion of people looking.
2, Voluntary Redundancy can seem like a good idea. Especially if you haven't been happy for a while. Do your sums. How long can you realistically afford to be out of work for. The days of having a good 'pay off' are long gone. You can't guarantee that you'll find something within 3 months. If you've got the option to hang on in there, depending on your financial situation, I probably would sit tight
3. Redundancy. Of course, when it comes down to it, there are many things you can't control. If it happens, it happens. It's worth exploring the 'options' that are considered but in my experience, there seldom is another role that you can take in the business realistically. Make sure you get a reference from at least 2 people in the business that you can share with potential employers. Yes, of course, when future employers ask for it, you can pass on details but it's better if you can say; 'here are two glowing references from my last employer'.
4. Don't panic. I know, easier said than done. We all have financial responsibilities. Establish what your overheads are and how long you have before things become (more) dire.
5. Be pragmatic. Think laterally. Not just about money but also about sector, location, hybrid work options. Yes, consider moving into something totally different but also consider what your salary and work life balance would look like in that parallel world. I've known a lot of people who go into teaching, and frankly the grass is not always greener! But perhaps there are options for you to do something totally different.
6. Remember, at some point the tide will turn. I've been thinking that so many senior people have been let go that at some point, agencies will find themselves short of senior people - frankly clients want to deal with credible and experienced agency leads. We may see more fixed term contracts coming through - this is potentially more likely if the uncertainty continues and agencies can't commit to increasing overhead permanently.
7. Try to enjoy a bit of time out. It won't be forever. I know this is tricky - with mortgages and bills etc, but before long, you will be back doing the 9 to 5. You can't search for jobs 24 hours a day. Try to do something each day which is out of the norm and something you wouldn't normally have time for.
8. When you are searching....Use the dreaded LinkedIn. A necessary evil. Contact anyone from your past life who may be happy to get back in touch, put a good word in for you, chat to their boss. Many employers offer an incentive if you recommend people (as a recruiter I shouldn't share that!!), however, now is not the time to be shy and retiring. Be proud of your Open to Work flag and actively hunt down people who can help you.
9. Talk to as may recruiters as you can. We all have different relationships with different agencies. And whilst there is the occasional overlap, as long as you are clear who your CV has gone to and who it hasn't, then multiple recruiters are a must.
10. Cross your fingers/Pray - whatever your chosen means of positive thinking is! You are employable. This is the worst market we've known in a long time. The tide will turn and as long as you keep communicating with the recruiters, contacts, friends etc....then it's about being in the right place at the right time when things do shift.
Phew. A bit of an epic there. Good luck! And stay in touch. Always happy to chat.
Fiona 07976 125963
Finally, to keep positive, I have talked to a couple of independent agencies who are reporting their best year ever. Both these agencies are B2B focused and doing work globally for manufacturing, engineering and energy sector clients.