Six Communications Hiring Trends for 2017

As we hurtle toward the end of the year, I want to extend best wishes to you and your family for a wonderful Holiday Season from all of us at PR Talent!  We also thought it would be a good time to share some brief thoughts about today’s market for communications talent and some trends we’re seeing for 2017.  Clearly the PR industry is going through some of the most dynamic changes in its history and at PR Talent we’ve not only borne witness to the revolution but helped our clients manage the shifting talent environment driven by these changes.

Here are Six Hiring Trends in Communications for 2017:

1) Shortage of Mid-level Comms Talent Continues. For our clients, the most challenging roles to fill are those positions seeking executives with 3-8 years of experience, the stress on this talent pool will only increase;
2) Salaries On the Rise. Though 2015 salaries were mostly flat during the slow recovery from the deep recession. Last year we saw increases in the 3-5% range and in 2017 we should see similar or even greater increases. See PRT’s updated salary review to get our up-to-date insights on salary trends in major markets.

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3) Talent Retention Woes. Being happy, fulfilled, and stimulated is critical to Millennials and if their job is not covering those bases, they will not hesitate to leave. Many companies are trying to adjust but quite a few have not. Expect Millennials to head to the door faster than prior generations. Check out this Harvard Business Journal article based on a Gallup study.

4) The War for Talent Rages in Hot Markets. The hottest markets in the country are fiercely competing for top talent. PR Talent opened in Seattle this year and it’s been amazing to see firsthand the growth of that city and the feverish demand for outstanding communications talent. We also expect to see the SF Bay Area (no surprise), New York (start-ups and corpcom), LA (entertainment & technology and entertainment technology!) and Washington DC (lots of shake ups) continue to be high demand markets scrambling for rock star talent.
5) The Digital Share of the Pie Grows. Hiring for social, digital, and integrated marketing talent will rise as traditional PR hires become a smaller percentage of the mix.
6) PESO Rules. Talent with integrated comms chops i.e. PESO (paid, earned, shared, owned) experience will be in high demand.

This past year, PR Talent was proud to help clients like Turner, Hyatt, Visa, Wynn, Red Bull, XPRIZE and many more leading companies and PR firms. In 2017, we’re committed to growing our national presence as we aggressively expand the depth and breadth of communications talent we represent in each of our markets. National reach with local focus is our commitment to clients.

Happy 2017 from all of us at PR Talent!!

Jim, Nikita, Angie, Danya and Dan