A Year of Change in Communications Recruitment

Coming Back to a Different Communications Recruitment Market

After a wonderful, fulfilling year of maternity leave, I’m finally back in the world of communications recruitment. I feel incredibly fortunate to have been able to take a full year off (especially given that I’m from the US, where we rank among the worst countries in the world for maternity leave – but that’s a conversation for another day!), and now that I’ve returned to the market, I’ve noticed a few key changes since returning to work.

The Move Towards In-House Roles in Communications

One of the biggest changes I’ve noticed in communications recruitment is the type of clients contacting us for support. Where agencies once made up a significant part of our client base, we are now seeing far more in-house roles, with brands increasingly working with trusted search partners to manage their recruitment needs.

AI’s Growing Influence on Hiring

Another noticeable change is the growing reliance on AI, particularly in the job application process. Candidates are increasingly using AI to generate emails, CVs and even LinkedIn messages. On the surface, this makes everyone appear polished and professional. But this AI-driven ‘perfection’ has made it harder for hiring managers to spot the true talent. In a market flooded with AI-generated content, a good recruiter’s ability to discern real, authentic experience from polished-but-empty presentations has never been more vital. It’s about having that sharp, instinctive eye to separate genuine candidates from the ones that AI has airbrushed.

How Communications Agencies Are Adapting Their Talent Models

As the communications industry adjusts to AI, tighter budgets and geopolitical uncertainty, agencies are streamlining their capabilities. Instead of creating entirely new teams to meet new client demands, many agencies are making senior-level hires who can advise across multiple clients.

For example, when demand grows for a service a communications agency has not historically offered, it is increasingly common to hire a senior professional to lead and deliver that capability across the agency. This individual works with multiple client teams, giving expertise without the cost or complexity of building a standalone department. As a result, agencies can respond quickly to changing client needs and scale more efficiently while remaining commercially focused.

What This Means for Communications Hiring Today

Returning to the communications job market, it’s clear that hiring in the industry has changed and staying ahead of these trends is essential. As head-hunters, that makes our role more important than ever. We help candidates and employers make sense of a more complex market, cut through noise and ensure the right hires are made for the right reasons.

How Hanson Search Works With Clients in a Changing Market

In today’s hiring market, speed matters, but clarity matters just as much. At Hanson Search, we spend time understanding the role clients need to hire for and the wider context around it. That includes team structure and what the organisation is really trying to achieve. We advise on whether a business needs a permanent hire or interim support. We also help make sure roles work in practice, not just on paper. Because we work across communications, corporate affairs, public affairs, sustainability and digital, we see how teams are actually being built and where skills make a real difference. We apply experience and judgement to every search, supporting clients in making well-founded hiring decisions.

Allyson Kurian is a specialist in corporate affairs and sustainability communications, working at the mid-to-senior end of the market, both agency side as well as in house.

If you are reviewing your communications structure, planning a senior hire or simply trying to make sense of how the market is shifting, our team would be very happy to have a conversation. Whether you are building an in-house team, evolving your agency model or exploring interim support, Hanson Search works closely with organisations to secure communications leaders who drive revenue, manage reputation and navigate risk. In a market that is becoming more complex, having the right people in place matters more than ever. If you are reviewing your communications hiring strategy, we would be pleased to speak. Please contact us using the form below.