Most marketing and advertising executives in the United States expect their firms to maintain their current staffing levels for creative (non-technical) jobs in the first half of 2018, according to recent research from The Creative Group.

The report was based on data from a survey conducted in December 2017 among 400 marketing and advertising executives.

Some 78% of respondents expect their firm to maintain its current staffing level for full-time marketing/advertising creative jobs and to hire only for vacated positions; 17% expect to freeze hiring/not fill vacant positions; and 5% expect to add new positions.

None of the executives surveyed expects to eliminate positions in the first half of 2018.

Some 46% of marketing and advertising executives say it is somewhat challenging to find skilled workers today; 7% say it is very challenging.

Among executives who plan to hire for full-time marketing/advertising creative roles in the first half of 2018, some 25% plan to hire content marketing staff, 23% plan to hire brand/product marketing staff, and 22% plan to hire digital marketing staff.

Marketing and advertising executives say the most difficult creative positions to fill are Web design roles and marketing research roles.

About the research: The report was based on data from a survey conducted in December 2017 among 400 marketing and advertising executives.