If you’ve tried to hire sales or marketing talent in 2025, you already know: it’s a candidate’s market. From SMEs scaling up to multinationals building brand dominance, everyone’s competing for the same pool of high-performing professionals.
Attraction is no longer just about the size of the salary or commission on offer. Yes, competitive pay matters, but the top salespeople and marketers are looking at the bigger picture. They want purpose, culture, and the chance to grow with a business.
So how do you stand out when every company is waving offers around? Let’s dig in.
Why Sales & Marketing roles are growth-critical
Think about it…your sales and marketing teams are the face and voice of your business. They drive revenue, build brand awareness, and create the customer experiences that fuel growth.
That makes them some of the most valuable (and visible) hires you’ll make. And because the best people in these functions directly impact growth, they’re in high demand, and highly mobile.
The myth…money seals the deal
For years, the narrative has been simple…offer higher commissions or bigger salaries, and the talent will follow.
But here’s what we’re seeing in 2025:
Sales professionals are choosing organisations with strong cultures and realistic targets over those dangling oversized commissions with burnout attached.
Marketing professionals, especially in digital and brand, want to work with businesses whose purpose and values align with their own. Pay alone doesn’t buy passion.
What top talent really wants
Here’s what the best sales and marketing professionals are looking for when deciding where to go next:
1. A strong employer brand
Your EVP (employee value proposition) needs to be clear and compelling. If candidates can’t see why your business is a great place to work before the interview stage, you’re already behind.
2. Flexibility & work-life balance
Hybrid isn’t “nice to have” anymore. Sales and marketing talent expect autonomy in how they deliver results — whether that’s managing client meetings or producing creative campaigns.
3. Career development
Ambitious people want to know they’ll grow. Structured pathways into leadership, training opportunities, and exposure to new projects all play a role in attraction.
4. Purpose & culture
Marketers, in particular, are motivated by working for brands they believe in. Sales professionals thrive when they’re part of a supportive, connected team. Culture is a dealbreaker for both.
Practical attraction strategies
Here’s how SMEs and multinationals can attract top talent this year:
Invest in your EVP: Audit your employer brand. Is it visible, authentic, and consistent across platforms like LinkedIn and Glassdoor?
Move faster: The best candidates won’t wait. Streamline your hiring process to make offers quickly.
Highlight success stories: Showcase how your sales teams hit targets sustainably or how marketers shaped meaningful campaigns. Real stories resonate more than job ads.
Offer flexibility with trust: Focus on outcomes, not hours. Candidates are drawn to businesses that trust their people to deliver.
Show career pathways clearly: From sales manager to director, or from brand exec to head of marketing — make the roadmap visible from day one.
The takeaway
Attracting sales and marketing talent in Australia’s 2025 market isn’t just about who pays the most. It’s about building an employer brand that candidates want to be part of, offering flexibility and growth, and creating a culture where people can do their best work. The organisations that get this right won’t just land top talent, they’ll keep them engaged and invested for the long haul.
FutureYou | The power to connect
FutureYou is a boutique recruitment agency in Sydney specialising in holistic talent solutions that include Specialist Recruitment, Contracting, Executive Search, and Talent Advisory. We give businesses and professionals the power to connect in ways that drive lasting growth.
