The Marketing Game Has Changed. Are Your Skills Still Relevant? Are They Enough?
The marketing profession in New Zealand is in a state of rapid transformation. What worked yesterday won't guarantee you a role tomorrow. With so much noise about AI, skills gaps, and market uncertainty, how can you be sure you're focusing on the capabilities that NZ employers actually want prospective employees to have?
Instead of guessing, you can now use data. A groundbreaking new report, ‘Future-Proof Your Marketing Career’, has analysed 261 current NZ marketing job ads to uncover the truth.
This isn't another opinion piece. It's a data-driven look at the exact skills, tools, and experience levels that will define your career in 2025/26. Here’s a glimpse of what the report found.
The Reality Check: Hard Skills Now Dominate
The report's first major finding is a clear shift in employer expectations. When analysing every skill mentioned in NZ marketing job ads, a distinct pattern emerged:
- 72% of all required skills are ‘hard’ skills, such as technical, tool-based, and process-oriented competencies.
- Only 28% are ‘soft’ skills, like communication and leadership.
In a market where some roles attract over 80 applicants, proficiency with specific tools is now a primary screening mechanism. Your technical toolkit is no longer just a nice-to-have; it’s the price of entry.
The full report details which specific hard skills are most requested, giving you a clear checklist to ensure your CV gets past the first filter.
The #1 Most In-Demand Skill in NZ Marketing Is…
The data reveals a clear winner. The most frequently mentioned capability cluster, appearing in over half of all analysed job listings that specify skills, is
AI & Automation.
This isn't a future forecast; it’s happening right now. Employers are explicitly looking for hands-on experience with prompt-engineering, workflow automation, and AI-powered analytics. But while AI takes the top spot, the second most-demanded skill might surprise you, highlighting the complex blend of abilities needed today.
To see the complete "league table" of the 14 most-demanded skill clusters, download the full, free report (link below).
Beyond 'T-Shaped': Are You a 'Comb-Shaped' Marketer?
The era of the single-specialty marketer is over. The report shows that employers are now seeking "strategic generalists" who blend creative, technical, and commercial skills. In fact, 45% of all marketing roles now require Graphic or Creative Design skills, often alongside highly technical competencies.
This gives rise to a new model: the "comb-shaped" marketer. This professional possesses several deep, complementary skill sets, all connected by a strong foundation of strategic thinking. The report explores this concept in-depth, showing you which skill combinations are most powerful.
The Human Connection Paradox
In a landscape dominated by technology, a fascinating counter-trend emerged. Despite the heavy focus on tech,
Leadership & Management skills are required in 50% of all marketing roles, making it the second-most demanded capability cluster overall.
Crucially, this isn't just for senior roles. Skills like stakeholder engagement and collaboration are now standard expectations even at the Specialist and Coordinator levels. As technology makes marketing more complex, these human skills become the essential 'operating system' needed to manage projects and drive success. The report breaks down precisely how these soft skills intersect with hard skills in the modern marketing department.
The Tools and Platforms You Can't Ignore
Proficiency with the right tools can make or break a job application. The report tallied every mention of specific platforms to create a definitive top-ten list. The top three most-requested platforms are:
- GA4 / Google Analytics
- HubSpot
- Adobe Creative Suite
These platforms dominate, but what about generative AI, design, or e-commerce?
Download the free report to get the full Top 10 list of "must-know" tools that NZ employers are explicitly asking for by name.
Navigate the Market with a Data-Backed Strategy
The report goes beyond skills to analyse the unique challenges and opportunities in the New Zealand market, including:
- The Under-Resourced Team: How to prove your value in a cautious hiring climate where 56% of marketing teams feel stretched thin.
- The Brain Drain: How to navigate a market affected by a domestic skills gap and the departure of senior talent.
- The Contractor Opportunity: Why the rise of interim roles creates a lucrative path for expert contractors.
- Cultural Authenticity: How a deep understanding of Te Ao Māori is becoming a powerful and defensible competitive advantage.
The full report provides a detailed, step-by-step upskilling roadmap tailored to your specific career level—from emerging marketer to mid-career professional and senior leader. It gives you a prioritised action plan to build the capabilities that matter most.
Get Your Free Report Now
Stop guessing what employers want and start building a career based on data. The ‘Future-Proof Your Marketing Career’ report provides the insights and the roadmap you need to not just survive, but lead in the new world of marketing.
Click here to download the full report.
If you'd like to see the details of our new course based specifically on these research findings, check out:
Vital NZ Marketing Skills for 2026: Online Training Course
Vital NZ Marketing Skills for 2026: Online Training Course