What more than 100 marketers told us about growth and job security

When I imagine in workshops, I often joke that my marketing career path looks a bit like two truths and a lie – although everything is “truth”. It turns out that I am not alone. When you have spoken to other successful marketers, a non -linear career path is a thing that many of us have in common, be it of your choice or necessity.

The workplace and the labor market are more unpredictable than ever. Between the economy, competitive attitude processes and the ubiquitous elephant in the room (AI), many marketers wonder which shifts they need to remain competitive.

To find out, I asked 100 marketing and advertising experts and spoke to managers inside and outside of Drift Kings Media. I uncovered the following.

Table of contents

The condition of the labor market

It could surprise you to find out that most marketers are researching new opportunities.

In our survey, 69% of the respondents have searched for a new marketing job in the last 12 months. Whether active (32%) or passive (37%).

The top grounds? Higher content (81%), more flexibility (54%) and better transport options (39%).

The top 5 round off the desire to work with a different type of company (28%) and burnout or lack of support (24%).

Actions are common – but not guaranteed.

I discovered that 54% of the marketers followed the transportation with their current company last year and plan another 27%.

Almost half of two were successful.

Those who have advanced pointed out to work morality, experience and visibility as the greatest factors. Those who did not cite a lack of politics, lack of opportunity or perceived gaps in experience – some also noticed gender or preservation.

Trust in career growth is mixed.

Wants to hear tHe good news? (It is promising whether you are an employer or a job seeker).

Less than 10% of the respondents expressed little confidence in their ability to promote their marketing career path in their current company. And 43% stated that they are very confident that they can do this.

Marketers navigate career pivots – here is how.

For marketers who do not see the desired progress, the next step is not always chasing a different full -time role.

Some take the time to find the right job.

Ron DawsonDrift Kings Media Senior Manager for Startups, mentions that it is difficult. “I know people who took a year or two to land their next role. It is crucial to remain visible – especially with LinkedIn – and to stay up what happens in the industry.”

Other blows alone.

Freelance and contract work can feel uncertain, but also offers control. Matt hallCo -founder of the ordinary people, explained his perspective:

“I do not see contract work as a risky than a job. Everyone knows someone who was not indebted themselves.

Some bends back to internal roles.

Here I personally get the most. After years of leading my own show, I understand the attraction of a steady salary check and renewed growth options and recently went internally with a customer.

Freelance writer and strategist Derek Hambrick Just say it and say: “The current job market is that I decided to close my freelance business. I am looking for full -time employment, which I said, I would never do. The times are what they are.”

Brand strategist Lindsay Hyatt It is true: “In 2025 I again enter the stability of a salary check and a new growth opportunities.”

How to make marketers more competitive

In an unpredictable labor market, the marketers I spoke to know that opportunities probably don’t end up at their feet. They actively sharpen their skills and let themselves be noticed – whether externally on platforms such as LinkedIn or internal within Your companies.

I have learned that it is not just about the work they do, but how they position themselves.

Our survey showed where most marketers concentrate their efforts:

• 62% learn new skills (e.g., AI, Analytics, SEO, paid media).
• 45% receive certifications or additional education.
• 43% build up your personal brand or content presence.
• 38% take on stretch projects or cross -functional work.
• 31% are looking for mentoring or coaching.
• Only 4% do nothing to do more competitive.

Adaptability and problem solving

I have learned that adaptability can open doors, even if your resume does not match a job description perfectly. This ability to be able to quickly turn and solve problems – was a lifeline in my own marketing career path.

Take a growth indicator and say: “Me may Find out how it works, ”often makes the difference – as I see myself, And How I present myself to others.

Upskilling (especially AI)

A clear trend? The marketers who remain competitive tend to learn hard – especially in the area of ​​AI.

I spent the past year myself to experiment with AI tools and find out how to help me work smarter. I used it for everything, from data analysis to determining the implementation of my ideas. And I’m not alone.

Amanda HuffmanThe marketing manager in Drift Kings Media’s global growth team says that experimenting is the key.

“I learned how to optimize content for AI search platforms such as Chatgpt and Google Ai overviews by trying things out and learning in the course of my team. Our team even leads Ki growth twice a month to share how we use AI.”

Build visibility and a personal brand

Something that is close to my heart helps marketers to promote themselves.

I have found that one of the simplest ways to do this is how you think about “self -promotion”. By concentrating less to say to everyone how great they are (although they Are) and more about how they can help people solve their problems, they can highlight their experience and have themselves as their true self.

But it’s not just about showing up “out there”. Marketers who want to grow within their current companies must also position themselves internally.

Laura M. BrowningMain newsletter author at Drift Kings Media, emphasizes this point:

“Many of us (especially if they were socialized as female) are naturally uncomfortable with self-promotion. But it is a learning ability. I think about sharing my excitement about something whether it is a blog post that I wrote that I wrote.

Align ambitions to the needs of the company

One of the largest lessons I have learned is that career growth is not just about what you want, but how your goals match the company’s priorities.

Browning explained that a conversation with her boss about her “strengths, interests and ambition and in which they fit the needs of the company” opened a one-year team lead program that builds up their management skills.

Nicole Morton I have repeated a similar way of thinking and said: “I lean into my strengths in strategic positioning and marketing automation and at the same time build up guided tours. The visibility inside and outside the company is crucial.”

Bring away: Marketers who remain competitive do not rest on their laurels. Of course, they are curious about how to do things better – and how they can adapt what they know to achieve a greater influence.

Tools that use the most productive marketers

When it comes to staying competitive, the right tools can provide their ability to deliver results without delivering or breaking burnout. And that means compensating for diving into new tools to understand the (constantly) expanded skills that share their current tools.

A word of caution: It is easy to look forward to shiny new platforms, but too many tools can create confusion, redundant functions and data silos.

I have found that the search for integrations and overlaps is the key-the tools already used (such as project management, analysis or CRM platforms) have integrated functions that you can activate without adding further registration. If you just keep things, save money and help you to make optimal use of your tools without taking more time.

Which tools have helped the marketers surveyed to achieve the greatest visibility and results?

• 33.7% – Ki -Tools (Chatgpt, Claude, Gemini, Copilot etc.).
• 22.1% – Social -Media platforms (LinkedIn, Tiktok, Instagram, etc.).
• 10.5% – Analytics & Datentools (Google Analytics, Semrush, data visualization tools, trends).
• 8.4% – Productivity and project management (Trello, teams, base camp etc.).
• 7.4% – Job search & career platforms (indeed Glassdoor etc.).
• 5.3% – Creative & Design Tools (Canva, Adobe, WordPress).
• 5.3% – Learning and educational platforms (Coursera, LinkedIn Learning).
• 5.3% – E -mail and marketing platforms (Drift Kings Media, Mailchimp).

KI tools are now a minimum requirement.

With a third of the marketers who call AI as their most effective category of tools, it is clear that these platforms are no longer “nice to haven”.

I use AI daily to analyze data, analyze data and to rationalize repeating tasks. It has become one of the easiest ways to stay efficient and to free time to work with a higher effects. ((And I recently wrote this post to compare the top tools out there.)

Ron Dawson has a similar perspective: “Learning AI is table missions to remain competitive. In addition, you have to take risks.

Amy Rigby Use AI as a thought partner as well as as a time savings and communicate how she used “Chatgpt and Claude to stab holes in my work and to deepen my understanding of complex topics”.

Social -Media platforms build visibility.

But AI alone is not enough to maintain the visibility you need to promote your marketing career path. Remember that almost a quarter of the marketers that we surveyed with the name LinkedIn, Tiktok, Instagram or other social platforms than their most effective instruments for visibility.

Rigby repeated the following and informed how she experimented with post-types and short-term video: “My most successful contribution was a vulnerable about the challenges that a writer in the age of AI is hungry for authentic, human perspectives.”

I also saw how consistent commitment to LinkedIn helped me to present my work and to stay in harmony with potential employees and hiring managers.

Project management and productivity tools keep teams organized.

How about that 8.4% of the marketers Who pointed out to project management platforms such as Trello, Asana or teams as the main productivity driver? I am a big fan of Clickup and Monday myself – keeping the tasks out of my head and in a system is the only way I am healthy.

Dawson found that Asana is a game changer “because it gets me out of my head and organizes me.”

Browning even uses AI to plan her work calendar. “Claude prioritizes tasks in minutes instead of hours and helps me to see the whole month at a glance.”

Some marketers cut their technical stacks.

Not everyone adds more tools. Some follow the opposite approach. From respondents 27% Called “other” tools that often describe minimalist stacks that correspond to their unique workflows.

Lindsay Hyatt reacted her tech stack and said: “Google calendar, notes, canva and zoom bring me most of the way there. Cuting unnecessary tools was the best I did for my productivity.”

Bring away: The most productive marketers are not those who juggle the longest list of tools – although versatility can be a plus. They are those who know which platforms really drive visibility, results and efficiency and use them consistently.

What managers are looking for in promotions

Since advertising campaigns are currently such a hot topic, let’s take a look at what the candidates promoted the most.

Problem solving and adaptability are the key.

“I am interested in people who can use skills to solve the problem in different types of work” Karla HesterbergDirector of the HubSpot blog. “This helps people grow with the organization, no perfectly matching experiences in the past.”

This insight reflects what I hear “in the wild”. Managers promote someone who can grow and learn with the company much more often than someone who only checks the boxes.

Visibility is important – but it’s about value.

In practice, visibility consistently means your work and the value you bring with you, including the offering of solutions in meetings, the establishment of relationships with supporters or the takeover of cross -functional work

Proactivity and a growth display make the difference.

Managers notice when they take over their growth – through mentoring, certification or questioning for feedback.

What employers can do to better support career growth

If you are a personnel manager who reads this, I just wanted to insert this section for you. I asked the marketers we asked: “What can companies (including their current employer) do to better support their career growth?”

Most of the answers fell in three categories:

• Invest in training courses and skills (40%). Offer structured development opportunities: start mentoring programs, finance certifications, redirect clear progress and offer leadership training.
• Consistently communicate and recognize (30.8%). Find clear expectations, keep regular career-oriented check-ins and recognize great work publicly and privately to build trust and motivation.
• Reward of employees competitive (29.2%). Check the remuneration regularly, improve the services and offer flexible schedules and remote work options to get top performers.

Bring away: If companies invest in the construction of skills, communicate clearly and to reward employees fairly, they can improve morality and create a strong pipeline of future managers.

The big picture

The data, my conversations and my own career experience all indicate the same truth: Marketing career path is no longer linear – if it has ever been primarily. I see this as a very positive thing because it brings her next step into her own hands as a marketer.

The marketers who are currently thriving take over the owners of their career and remain open to opportunities. They learn how to evaluate opportunities not only for titles or salary beads, but also how every step moves them towards the kind of work – and life – they want.

For companies, this changing landscape is an opportunity to support talents. The marketers we surveyed made clear. When employers invest in development, communicate clearly and build paths for the growth of people, they not only keep great employees, but also stronger companies.

So what’s next?

If you are a single marketer: Take a look at your skills, your visibility and network and choose an area to improve in the next three months.

If you are a personnel manager: Check your team’s career support and offer clear growth paths – you can now put on small steps and the people who can help you to get forward.