Comms Recruitment in Flux: Why Media Evolution and Brand Strategy Will Define Marketing Talent in 2026
- Jay Thandi
- 4 days ago
- 4 min read
A Market in Transition
When I started recruiting in comms back in 2015, newer channels like social media were just beginning to mature. Prior to that, generalists dominated the field, who were expected to do everything from community management to content, strategy, analysis, and audience research. Then the market matured, businesses gained a better understanding of the discipline, and hiring shifted toward specialists who could own distinct areas like social, content, or analytics.
People were actively encouraged to move away from being generalists and told to “niche down” or specialise.
Fast forward to today, and the pendulum is swinging back. As I shared in InComms:
“Since the pandemic, I’ve witnessed a gradual shift back to businesses needing more generalists. Tighter budgets mean fewer resources. It makes hiring difficult as most people
won’t have the broader exposure, having been encouraged to specialise. Many senior comms professionals, who bring a broad skillset and varied experiences, are exploring the market. Market conditions have led to them considering options below their level and, in some cases, they may be accepting lower salaries because of increased competition. Long term, underpaying and overworking will drive high turnover.”
This isn’t just a recruitment challenge, but a strategic one. And it’s happening against the backdrop of a media landscape that looks nothing like it did five years ago.
Earned vs Owned: The Media Mix Has Changed
In 2025, the lines between earned, owned, and paid media have blurred. Brands no longer rely solely on press coverage for credibility. Shrinking newsrooms and declining trust in traditional media have accelerated the rise of brand journalism and owned content hubs. According to Marketing Week and The Drum, companies are investing heavily in podcasts, blogs, and video series as alternatives to traditional PR.
Owned media is now the cornerstone of marketing strategy. Businesses amplify earned coverage through their own channels, have to pay to promote visibility across Search and Social, and are turning PR wins into multi-platform campaigns. This evolution matters for talent because it demands hybrid skill sets:
Professionals who can create compelling owned content while understanding how to amplify it through earned and paid channels.
Comms leaders who can integrate storytelling with data analytics, as PR becomes insight-driven rather than intuition-led.
The Talent Challenge: Generalists vs Specialists
Heading into 2026, businesses face a dual reality:
Budget pressures remain high, pushing companies to seek generalists who can manage multiple channels.
Specialists are still critical, especially in areas like SEO, paid media, and brand strategy.
Our own Generalist vs Specialist blog explored this debate last year, and the conclusion still holds: adaptability is king. Senior professionals with broad experience are in demand, but many are accepting roles below their level due to competition, which raises retention risks if businesses underpay or overwork.
Marketing Week’s 2025 Career & Salary Survey adds another layer:
“Declining budgets and complexity have led to neglect of segmentation and targeting, critical for growth.”
Many Marketing and Comms professionals are being encouraged to prioritise activity over strategy, but doesn’t help with delivering ROI. This reinforces the need for talent that can think strategically while executing across multiple touchpoints,
UK Hiring Challenges
The Drum reports that the UK marketing industry faces a persistent talent shortage, worsened by wage stagnation and lack of investment. Entry-level and mid-level roles are hardest hit, and Brexit has further limited recruitment from outside the UK. Skills gaps, particularly in tech and data, are cited as a major barrier to growth.
The Open University’s 2025 Business Barometer points to similar challenges businesses face when looking to bring talent in to their teams.
For businesses, this means hiring shouldn’t just be about filling roles, it’s about building teams that can adapt to complexity, understand audiences, can leverage sentiments and deliver measurable impact.
Why Brand Will Be Crucial
As media fragmentation accelerates, brand becomes the anchor. In 2025, branding is no longer just about logos or taglines, it’s about building a digital-first identity that connects across multiple touchpoints.
Customers are asking what makes your business genuine and authentic across B2B and B2C industries.
Why does this matter for talent?
Employer branding is now a competitive advantage. Businesses that articulate purpose and authenticity attract top talent.
Brand strategy skills are in demand. Marketing professionals who can align creative execution with brand purpose will be indispensable.
Expect to see roles like Brand Content Strategist, Community Manager, and Employer Brand Lead rise in prominence as companies fight for attention in a crowded digital ecosystem.
How the Marketing & Comms Recruitment world is evolving: Looking Ahead at 2026 and Beyond
Here’s what we predict:
Generalists will still be demand, but they’ll need specialist depth in at least one area (e.g., social, content, analytics) as a T-Shaped marketer at the very least.
AI fluency will be non-negotiable, not just for automation but for personalisation and predictive insights.
Brand storytelling will dominate, blending long-form formats like podcasts with snackable video content for social.
Retention will hinge on fair pay and realistic workloads. Underpaying and overworking talent will drive churn, as professionals keep exploring the market for roles aligned to their level.
For Businesses Hiring
If you’re navigating these changes and want to build resilient teams, contact us to discuss how Solis Recruitment can help you hire differently.
For Candidates
Explore opportunities and register your details on our Careers Register to stay ahead of the curve.
Further Reading
