With over a decade of experience in recruitment, Nicole has seen first-hand how digital marketing has evolved - shifting from brand awareness to performance-driven and data led strategies. She partners closely with businesses to find top talent in an increasingly AI-driven and omnichannel landscape, where automation, first-party data, and digital transformation are shaping the future.
We sat down with Nicole to discuss how the digital marketing space is changing, what businesses need to do to attract top talent, and what skills digital marketers should be focusing on to future-proof their careers.
What drew you to specialise in digital marketing recruitment, and how has the space evolved since you joined Six Degrees in 2019?
I actually started at Six Degrees in B2B sales recruitment, before moving into technology recruitment when the business launched that function. While I had a strong first year in tech, I realised my real passion lay in digital marketing - a space that felt far more dynamic and people-focused than the highly technical nature of IT.
Since moving into digital, I’ve seen the landscape evolve significantly. When I first started, digital was heavily focused on social media and brand marketing, whereas today, the space has become far more sophisticated and data-driven. The focus has shifted toward performance marketing, first-party data, and customer personalisation, where businesses are using real time insights, automation and advanced analytics to drive tangible commercial outcomes rather than just increasing brand awareness.
You work with businesses across retail, consumer, and pureplay. What are the key trends shaping digital marketing recruitment in these sectors right now?
Across all three sectors, the biggest shifts I’ve seen are personalisation, automation performance marketing, and omnichannel integration.
In retail and consumer, businesses are placing more emphasis on creating seamless omnichannel experiences. They want customers to have the same brand experience online as they do in-store. The demand for CRM & Loyalty Marketing specialists is rising as businesses look to leverage first party data to drive customer retention and lifetime value. AI and automation tools are now playing a major role in personalisation at scale, allowing businesses to predict customer preferences and optimise digital engagement.
In pureplay (e-commerce-only) businesses, the focus is all about growth marketing, conversion rate optimisation, and digital analytics. Since these businesses lack a physical presence, revenue depends entirely on getting eyes on site and improving conversion rates. AI-powered marketing automation tools and predictive analytics are becoming critical for optimising customer journeys and increasing repeat purchases. There is an increasing demand for digital marketers who are highly analytical, commercially focused, and able to leverage automation tools rather than just being creative.
How has digital transformation and shifting consumer behaviour impacted the types of roles and skills businesses are looking for?
Businesses today are prioritising online marketing, hyper personalisation, and customer retention like never before. Because of this, we’ve seen a surge in demand for CRM, digital performance, and analytics roles - particularly in retail and e-commerce.
Many roles are also becoming less siloed. Where we used to see specialist roles, we’re now seeing hybrid positions where marketers need to be across multiple digital touchpoints. For example, a CRM specialist today might also need loyalty marketing expertise, or a performance marketer might be expected to have a strong background in AI driven analytics and attribution marketing.
The demand for first-party data has also changed hiring trends. With businesses moving away from third-party cookies, companies are investing more in data cleansing, customer segmentation and predictive modelling to ensure their marketing efforts reach the right audience in the most effective way.
What skills are becoming non-negotiable for digital marketers today?
While technical skills like Google Analytics, CRM systems, and paid media platforms (Google Ads, Meta Ads, etc.) remain essential, the most in-demand marketers today are the ones who can turn data into actionable insights.
Understanding platforms like GA4, SQL, Power BI, CDP’s and predicative tools are valuable, but it’s not just about being able to read data, it's about understanding how to use machine learning for performance marketing, programmatic advertising and automated personalisation. Businesses want marketers who can interpret data, extract insights and tie those insights back to revenue and business growth.
From a soft skills perspective, commercial acumen is more important than ever. Businesses want marketers who can tie their work to revenue outcomes rather than just executing campaigns without a clear ROI.
I always say, "It’s not enough to say you built a campaign, what results did it drive?"
Many companies are building in-house digital teams rather than relying on agencies. How has this trend influenced the digital marketing talent landscape?
We’re seeing more businesses bring performance marketing and paid media roles in-house, rather than outsourcing them entirely to agencies. However, many companies don’t realise that agencies typically own all the accounts and data—so transitioning to in-house teams isn’t always as simple as it sounds.
That said, this shift has increased demand for full-funnel marketers who can handle strategy, execution, and optimisation all in one role. The challenge is that most performance marketers come from agency backgrounds, meaning they haven’t always had hands-on experience across the entire digital ecosystem.
Businesses need to be clear about their hiring strategy:
They are two very different skills sets.
What challenges are businesses facing in securing top digital marketing talent, and how can they better attract and retain the right people?
The biggest challenge is that digital marketing is a highly specialised space, and there is more demand than supply for top talent.
Flexibility is a huge factor—many of the best candidates are looking for remote or hybrid work models. I recently placed a candidate who had declined multiple opportunities, but when he found a company that gave him full autonomy and trust, he jumped at the role. Businesses need to recognise that great talent is drawn to environments where they feel empowered to test, learn, and innovate.
Career progression is another key factor. Many mid-level digital marketers are struggling to step up into leadership because there aren’t enough Head of Digital or E-Commerce Director roles available. Companies that offer clear pathways for progression and ongoing upskilling will stand out in a competitive market.
What advice would you give to mid-to-senior digital marketing professionals looking to future-proof their careers?
The key to longevity in digital marketing is continuous learning. The most successful candidates I meet are the ones who actively upskill, whether it’s through certifications, analytics training, or just staying across industry trends.
Having both strategic thinking and hands-on execution skills is critical. Roles are becoming more hybrid, so marketers who can both develop a strategy and roll up their sleeves to execute it will have a big advantage.
Finally, master commercial acumen. Everything in digital marketing has an ROI, and marketers who can clearly tie their efforts to business growth will always be in demand.