Recruitment is often used as a barometer for market confidence, so we like to share what we’re seeing, hearing and experiencing across the agency world.

So, what’s the honest answer?

The agency market still feels a little sensitive,  but activity is definitely increasing 📈

Since February, we’ve seen:

• More live vacancies
• More new clients
• More conversations around future hiring plans

The trajectory is positive… it’s just inconsistent.

We review our job flow, candidate engagement and hiring data quarterly to track trends across the market. While we’re not seeing dramatic shifts, a few clear patterns are continuing to emerge 👇

⏳ Hiring timelines are getting longer

Agency hiring processes used to move quickly.

We regularly saw roles filled in less than 30 days — sometimes less. Agencies were known for moving fast and making decisions quickly.

That average is now closer to 42 days, with some positions taking significantly longer.

The delays are usually caused by:

• Internal sign-off processes
• Client delays
• Uncertainty around pipeline and budgets
• Hesitation despite a clear hiring need

The challenge?

Longer processes often lead to:
❌ Candidate frustration
❌ Reduced engagement
❌ Dropouts during process
❌ Damage to employer brand

A slow process can quickly become an expensive one and when you need to hire quickly this can be a big commercial challenge.

💻 Freelance demand is increasing

Good news for our freelance network — and generally a positive sign that workloads are growing across agencies.

We’ve recently supported freelance requirements across:

• HTML
• Design
• PPC
• Paid Social
• SEO

Interestingly, FTCs remain fairly rare in agency environments, with most businesses favouring freelance flexibility instead. That trend has stayed pretty consistent throughout the last 12 months.

🔥 Skills currently in demand

We had a brief dry spell in PR recruitment… which never happens. Thankfully, it didn’t last long and PR agencies are hiring again, and all at once.

Other areas currently seeing strong demand:

• Social Media
• PPC / Paid Search
• Client Services

Creative roles are improving too 🎨 Although volumes still aren’t quite back to where they once were.

So what are candidates telling us? 👇

🏢 More agency talent considering in-house moves

We’re seeing an increase in candidates exploring in-house opportunities.

That’s always existed within marketing, but it definitely feels more frequent at the moment.

Agency life naturally comes with highs and lows and when clients are lost or budgets tighten, people often start considering what feels like a more stable environment.

(Not that in-house is always safer!)

😮‍💨 Teams feeling stretched

Another recurring theme is workload pressure.

Many agencies have reduced headcount or chosen not to replace leavers — but the work itself hasn’t disappeared.

Not every candidate is saying this, but it’s definitely becoming a pattern worth paying attention to.

Overworked and under-resourced teams can quickly lead to:

• Burnout
• Lower morale
• Reduced retention
• Hiring challenges later down the line

💡 Our hiring advice for agencies in 2026

✅ Define the brief properly

The broader the brief, the broader the candidate pool — and the easier it becomes to lose sight of what you actually need.

Clear briefs create better hiring outcomes.

✅ Plan your timelines

Processes are taking longer.

Having a clear interview and decision timeline helps maintain momentum, improves candidate experience and reduces the risk of losing strong talent midway through the process.

✅ Use one recruitment partner

Honestly… your inbox will thank you 😅

A trusted specialist recruiter will:

• Manage the process more effectively
• Reduce duplication
• Improve candidate experience
• Often secure better commercial terms too

We know, love and understand agency life ❤️

So when you say candidates must have agency experience, we’re not going to challenge it — we understand why it matters.

If you’re looking for a recruitment partner that genuinely understands the agency world, knows where to find agency talent and appreciates how agencies operate, we’d love to chat.

And our advice won’t cost you a penny — so if you’ve got a hiring challenge, feel free to run it by us.

Looking for talent – check out these profiles: https://pitchconsultants.co.uk/top-talent

Keen to see terms? Here they are – https://pitchconsultants.co.uk/terms

Want to know more about us? Check this out https://pitchconsultants.co.uk/agency-recruitment

What to chat? Call us:

Rebecca – 07814057 584

Heidi – 07817 675 527

We hope to hear from you soon!