Majority of marketers in role for less than three years

Two-thirds of marketers (66.3%) have only been in their current role for a maximum of three years, according to Marketing Week’s exclusive Career and Salary Survey.

The survey of over 3,000 marketers shows the majority of marketers are still relatively new to their current role, with just 15.9% in role for more than seven years.

Although slightly lower than last year when the figure stood at 67.3%, the data points to an industry were staying in a role for a significant period of time is considered a rarity and moving between jobs is the norm.

Interestingly, the number of marketers in post for less than 12 months is the lowest it has been since 2020. A little over a fifth (22.4%) of marketers had only just started a new job – down on the 27.3% who said the same in 2023 – pointing to a difficult recruitment environment for job-seeking marketers who may be choosing to stay put rather than chance a new role.

Gen X marketers doubt job security as over half consider new roleUnsurprisingly, considering how early on in their careers they are, Gen Z marketers are the generation most likely to have been in a role for less than 12 months (43.2%), with 95% in their current position for less than three years.

Almost a quarter of Gen Y/millennial marketers (22.9%) have been in role for less than 12 months and over two-thirds (69.2%) for less than three years. Gen X marketers are the least likely to be in a role for less than 12 months (12.2%) and just under half (45.4%) have been in their current job for less than three years.

Marketing Week revealed earlier this year that more than half of marketers are looking for a new role. Almost three fifths (61.7%) of millennial marketers are considering changing job, alongside 58.9% of Gen Z and 58.4% of Gen X.

The reasons for wanting a change vary across generations. Money is, of course, high up on the list. More than three quarters (77.1%) of Gen Z cite financial remuneration as a reason for looking elsewhere, as do 70.1% of millennials.

However, just over half (55.8%) of Gen X also say money is the reason for considering a new job. A similar percentage (55%) of this cohort say a key reason is the limited opportunity at their current company.

Marketing Week will be publishing more exclusive news and features based on the findings of the 2024 Career and Salary Survey over the coming weeks, including a deeper dive analysis of whether or not duration of role is a concern for marketers. Click here to view everything we’ve published so far.