Marketing Jobs in Canada: What Employers Want in 2025

Michelle Slater, Indeed’s Senior Director of Marketing - Americas Region & Global Partnerships, offers rare insight into what’s actually workingand what job seekers keep getting wrong.

Landing a marketing role in Canada has never been more competitive. That’s why the SocialNext Marketing Alliance hosted Michelle Slater, Indeed’s Senior Director of Marketing for the Americas and Global Partnerships, for an exclusive webinar. She shared candid insights on today’s job market, what employers are really looking for, and how job seekers can adapt to stand out.

Canada’s Marketing Job Market Reality

“It’s more of an employer’s market right now, where there’s a lot of great talent out there and it’s getting to be a little bit more challenging for marketers to find really great work.”

— Michelle Slater

Slater didn’t sugarcoat it: marketing job postings in Canada have dropped by 60% since 2020. She described the post-pandemic market as firmly in employers’ hands, with candidates moving quickly and companies struggling to define what they need. The result? Misalignment. Nearly a third of employers say applicants lack key skills, while many applicants feel the market is overcrowded. For job seekers, this gap means strategy and adaptability aren’t optional, they’re critical.

Tips for Standing Out

“We see a lot of resumes that are just like, okay, I don’t really understand what you did there… focus on the impact. What did you change?”

— Michelle Slater

Her first piece of advice was simple: actually read the job description carefully. Candidates who tailor their applications to the skills and keywords listed stand out, both to recruiters and algorithms that filter resumes. But technical skills aren’t enough. Slater urged job seekers to highlight durable strengths like adaptability, communication, and leadership to create a well-rounded application. She also emphasized that she looks for what applicants do outside their 9-to-5 to showcase more of their personality and give employers a sense of how they might contribute beyond the basics of the role.

The Role of AI in Job Seeking

AI came up often, and for a good reason. . Slater spoke to Indeed’s Career Scout, a new AI-powered tool that helps candidates identify transferrable skills when switching industries. At the same time, she also cautioned against leaning too heavily on AI when it comes to job applications. Employers are already overwhelmed by stacks of resumes that look and read the same, making it harder for genuine talent to stand out. AI can support the process, but applicants that have a strong authentic voice coming through will be the ones that break through.

Adapting to Work Realities

From Indeed’s records, around 30% of jobs today can be done in hybrid or remote formats. While hybrid options may work well for experienced professionals, she emphasised that newcomers often gain more from being in the office, where networking is easier and learning happens in real time. Her takeaway: flexibility is important, but so is choosing the environment that will best support your career growth.

The Key to Career Success

“Curiosity and adaptability are the most valuable traits right now. If you’re not continuously learning, you’re falling behind—and employers can tell.”

— Michelle Slater, Indeed

Slater wrapped with a message every marketer should hear: commit to adaptability and lifelong learning. Whether through continuing education, side projects, or easily-accessible learning materials (like SNMA webinars), showing employers that you are curious and willing to grow is one of the most powerful ways to stand out.

A big thank you to Michelle Slater for joining us and sharing such candid, actionable advice with SocialNext Marketing Alliance community!

Watch the Webinar
Want to dive deeper into Michelle’s insights? Watch the full SocialNext Marketing Alliance webinar and hear her complete perspective on the Canadian job market.

Join the Conversation
We’d love to hear from you! Share your takeaways from the webinar on LinkedIn and tag the SocialNext Marketing Alliance and Marketing News Canada.

About Michelle Slater: Michelle Slater was the Senior Director of Marketing for the Americas Region and Global Partnerships at Indeed. She had more than two decades of senior-level marketing experience and had delivered award-winning campaigns across traditional, digital, and social marketing channels.

Before joining Indeed, Michelle spent six years at Twitter, where she led its Canadian marketing function. Prior to that, she worked in progressively senior marketing roles at Royal Bank of Canada, culminating in her leading the creation of the bank’s social media function and marketing strategy. Michelle also contributed to a number of marketing associations and was actively involved with career advancement for women. Senior Marketing Director, Americas Region & Global Partnerships, and SocialNext President, Mike Morrison, hosted a 30-minute live session that explored the realities of building a career in marketing—from the early grind to leadership roles, career pivots, hiring tips, and how AI was reshaping the marketing job market.