Marketing is evolving fast. New tools, shifting platforms, and changing customer expectations are rewriting the rules of the industry.
Marketing is one of the most exciting and dynamic fields to work in, but if you have looked at job postings lately, you’ve seen a different story.
Listings ask for everything from PPC mastery to video production, graphic design, copywriting, SEO, and analytics, all in one junior role. For beginners and career changers, it can be discouraging. For employers, it’s a recipe for high turnover.
This post aims to give both sides a clearer picture of what marketing roles should look like in 2026, based on insights from Navah Hopkins and Sarah Stemen in this recent podcast conversation.
Whether you’re hiring your first marketer or trying to land your first marketing job, you’ll leave with practical ways to make the process better and the results stronger.
The Reality of Moderb Marketing Roles
One person cannot realistically do it all and do it well.
Paid media jobs alone require multiple skill sets, from keyword research to creative testing, bid optimization, and conversion tracking.
Content marketing demands a different set of strengths, from storytelling to design. Keeping up with platform updates is practically a full-time job.
When companies try to merge all of these into a single role, they set both the hire and the business up for frustration. Scope matters, and so does matching tasks to realistic capacity.
Common Pitfalls in Marketing Job Listings
Overloaded job descriptions are the norm, but they do not have to be. Some of the most common issues include:
- Asking for full-stack marketers who can deliver expert-level results in multiple distinct disciplines.
- Vague or missing success metrics.
- Unrealistic expectations for ramp-up time.
- Adding design and video production to core responsibilities without additional resources.
If the hours or budget do not match the scope, the listing is flawed from the start. Burnout follows, and so does turnover. Onboarding takes time, often six months to prove value and a year to truly hit your stride.
Practical Tips for Employers
Before you post a marketing role, ask yourself if this is best handled by an in-house hire, a piece of software, or an agency. Be clear about the role’s core objectives, and scope responsibilities around them.
- Define the three most important outcomes you expect from this role.
- Decide whether you need a specialist with depth in one area or a generalist with broad but shallower skills.
- Consider fractional or agency solutions for areas outside the role’s core.
Tips for Job Seekers
Do not be scared off by long job descriptions. Read between the lines.
Focus on the skills and tools mentioned most, and ask clarifying questions during interviews:
- What are the top three objectives for this role in the first six months?
- How is success measured here?
- How much training or onboarding support will I get?
All experience counts, even volunteer work or side projects. Running social media for a nonprofit, building a personal blog, or managing a friend’s paid ads are all valid portfolio pieces. For guidance on building your marketing resume and portfolio, see our post on how to stand out in 2025.
ODEO Academy offers courses and programs that can build skills and confidence from day one, and the range of student success stories are proof that non-traditional backgrounds can lead to successful marketing careers.
The Value of Specialization and Depth
Trying to be “good enough” at everything in marketing often leads to mediocre results.
A specialist can dive deep into their area, stay ahead of trends, and deliver higher-quality outcomes. This focus benefits both the employer and the marketer.
Why specialization matters:
- Better results: A PPC specialist can spend more time refining keyword targeting, testing ad creative, and improving conversion rates, instead of splitting their attention between ads, blog writing, and social posts.
- Faster learning curve: Specialists can adapt to platform changes quickly. For example, when Google Ads rolls out a new bidding strategy, someone dedicated to paid search can test and apply it before competitors do.
- Stronger ROI: By mastering one area, specialists reduce wasted spend and increase return on investment through precision and efficiency.
- Career growth: Marketers with deep expertise are often sought after for higher-level roles, consulting, and speaking opportunities.
Examples of digital marketing specialization in action:
- Paid Search Expert: Focuses entirely on Google Ads and Bing Ads, running A/B tests, building conversion-focused landing pages, and optimizing bids for maximum ROI.
- Content Strategist: Specializes in creating editorial calendars, overseeing SEO-driven content production, and managing writers to ensure quality and consistency.
- Email Marketing Manager: Designs automation workflows, segments audiences, and improves deliverability to increase customer lifetime value.
- Marketing Analyst: Concentrates on marketing attribution, dashboard creation, and KPI tracking to help all teams make better decisions.
For small businesses that need multiple skill sets but cannot afford several hires, pairing an in-house specialist with an agency partner or trusted freelancers is often the smartest move. For example, you might have a content strategist in-house but outsource PPC to a performance marketing agency that already has the tools, processes, and talent in place.
Final Takeaways
For employers, better job descriptions create better hires. Be transparent about what is realistic for one person to handle and what support you will provide.
For candidates, focus your search on roles that match your skills and give you room to grow. Ask the right questions to avoid misaligned expectations.
For both sides, honesty and continuous learning are the keys to sustainable, successful marketing teams.
Conclusion
The best marketing teams in 2025 will be built on clarity, realistic expectations, and a commitment to learning. Employers will see stronger results by scoping roles thoughtfully. Job seekers will find more fulfilling roles by seeking alignment, not just offers.
If you’re ready to skill up for your next marketing role or your first one, explore ODEO Academy’s courses, connect with our community, and check out our Women in Marketing programs designed to support women at every stage of their careers.
For the full conversation that inspired this post, listen to the Real Talk: Marketing Jobs in 2025 episode now.