The top 10 marketing skills employers are looking for in 2023

Marketing is one of the most sought-after skills businesses are looking to hire. Within the marketing discipline, the most in-demand skill for marketers in 2023 is social media, according to LinkedIn’s most in-demand skills in 2023 list.

Employers are looking for more than just somebody to keep their social media accounts up to date; they’re looking for social media strategists — “marketers who understand how to use social media presence in conjunction with the rest of the organisation’s business goals in meaningful, concrete and measurable ways.”

LinkedIn’s most in-demand skills list is based on the attributes employers and recruiters mentioned most often on LinkedIn when looking to hire marketers during a six-month period in 2022. Demand was measured by identifying the skills held by LinkedIn members who were hired or contacted during that time, as well as the skills listed in paid job postings.

The second most in demand are management skills. Digital marketing skills come in at third position. The fact that social media skills and digital marketing skills are two of the top three most in-demand skills shows just how important these areas have become for businesses.

People skills are growing in value to businesses, with communication skills coming in as fourth most in-demand.

Strategy skills and marketing strategy skills come in at fifth and sixth position respectively, indicating the need for marketers to be able to co-ordinate marketing efforts across a growing number of platforms and touchpoints.

Leadership skills are seventh most in demand, followed by project management skills and advertising skills. Customer service skills are 10th most in demand.

LinkedIn says these top skills reveal several interesting trends in marketing. “Clearly, employers aren’t just looking for marketing experts when they hire for marketing positions. Instead, with skills like ‘management’, ‘communication’, ‘leadership’, and ‘project management’ in such high demand in 2023, they’re looking for professionals who can manage themselves and others, who understand the broader goals of the entire organisation, and who can contribute to these goals in a proactive way.”

The big take-out: Employers are looking for marketers who are good managers, understand the broader goals of the organisation and can contribute to these goals in a proactive way.