Advertising and Marketing Lead Entry-Level Hiring Trends
In 2025, nearly 70% of entry-level digital marketing roles in India were filled by advertising and marketing agencies, according to a new hiring trends report released by edtech platform Kraftshala. The report analyzed over 750 entry-level positions facilitated through Kraftshala’s placement programs and revealed that agencies remained the primary source of employment for early-career digital marketing professionals.
Agency-led roles dominated the landscape, especially in advertising-centric functions, highlighting the continued demand for talent in performance marketing, brand management, and growth strategy roles. Despite this, brand-side digital marketing roles, though fewer in number, were shown to offer significantly higher compensation packages.
Brand-Side Jobs Offer Higher Salaries
The report found that candidates working in brand-side roles were 62% more likely to receive higher cost-to-company (CTC) packages. This premium is attributed to the greater expectations placed on these roles, including stronger analytical capabilities, cross-functional collaboration, and direct business impact. These positions require a deeper understanding of how marketing activities translate into measurable business results.
Among the most in-demand and better-paying specializations were growth marketing, e-commerce, direct-to-consumer strategies, programmatic advertising, account management, and brand marketing.
Industry Leaders Emphasize Skill Evolution
Industry experts emphasized the growing importance of technical and analytical skills in shaping modern marketing careers. Satish Kadu, CEO and Founder of YOptima, stated, “As brands push for measurable business outcomes, programmatic talent that can drive performance through data, automation, and cross-channel decisioning has become mission-critical.”
Shivaprasad Nair, Managing Director at Assembly Global, highlighted the role of emerging technologies, saying, “AI is now basic hygiene for entry-level marketers. What sets candidates apart is learning agility—the ability to apply tools thoughtfully, interpret data, and adapt as workflows evolve.”
Geographic Distribution of Jobs
Hiring activity was geographically concentrated in India’s major advertising and business hubs. Delhi-NCR led the pack, accounting for 30% of the roles, followed by Bangalore with 27% and Mumbai at 18%. Together, these three cities made up more than three-fourths of total entry-level digital marketing hires.
Other cities such as Hyderabad, Pune, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Kolkata, and Chandigarh also showed growing participation in the hiring landscape, indicating a broader geographic spread of opportunities for new talent.
On-Site and Hybrid Work Models Prevail
Despite ongoing conversations around remote work, the report showed that 91.5% of entry-level roles in 2025 were either in-office or hybrid. Employers cited benefits such as easier collaboration, faster learning curves, and real-time problem-solving as key reasons for preferring candidates to work on-site at least part of the time.
This trend suggests that early-career professionals are still expected to immerse themselves in office environments to build foundational skills and relationships.
Recruitment Processes Evolve with Technology
Another significant trend highlighted in the report was the evolution of the recruitment process itself. The widespread adoption of AI tools has enabled companies to streamline resumes and assignments, making it easier to assess a large volume of applicants. As a result, there has been a shift towards live problem-solving, case discussions, and practical exercises during interviews.
This approach is aimed at evaluating a candidate’s real-time thinking, problem-solving abilities, and adaptability—skills that are increasingly essential in today’s fast-paced marketing environment.
Looking Ahead to 2026
Commenting on the findings, Varun Satia, Founder and CEO of Kraftshala, remarked, “What 2025 clearly showed us is that entry-level digital marketing hiring in India is not slowing down; it’s maturing. As we move into 2026, there is a real opportunity for candidates who are willing to build strong fundamentals and apply them thoughtfully. Recruiters are actively hiring, but they’re being deliberate about the kind of talent they bring in.”
The report concluded that the hiring outlook for 2026 remains skill-focused, with advertising and marketing roles expected to continue driving demand for digital talent at the entry level. Candidates who invest in analytical tools, AI proficiency, and cross-functional understanding are likely to have a competitive edge in the evolving job market.
This article is inspired by content from Original Source. It has been rephrased for originality. Images are credited to the original source.