Mercury Talent, a boutique recruitment firm specialising in the media industry, has published a report detailing hiring trends in the media sector from March to September 2024.

The report reveals that recruitment activity has remained steady, with Sydney experiencing monthly fluctuations between 238 and 348 advertised roles, while Melbourne's job market remained stable, with hiring volumes between 83 and 117 roles per month. The top recruiters in Sydney included News Corp (147 jobs), Nine (122 jobs), and ABC (108 jobs), while Melbourne's biggest recruiters were REA (58 jobs) and Nine (32 jobs).

The analysis shows that 40% of all advertised positions were in sales, followed by production/operations roles (26%) and content/editorial roles (24%). The report found a prevalence of junior roles, with 52% of advertised jobs aimed at entry-level candidates. Only 8% of positions were for director-level roles. TikTok was noted for its ongoing challenge to fill key roles, with positions like the 'Client Solutions Manager Finance' and the 'TikTok LIVE Creator Manager' being re-advertised over several months.

Among media sectors, publishers were the largest employers, accounting for 42% of the total roles, followed by TV broadcasters (17%) and radio (12%).

"The media jobs market remains challenging for jobseekers, particularly for those at a senior level," said director of Mercury Talent, Justin Randles. "When some of the industry's largest employers are putting 70% of their recruitment efforts into hiring junior and entry-level staff, we know we have a problem."

However, Randles also noted a silver lining for employers. "On the bright side, employers are spoilt for choice - I can't remember a time when so much high calibre talent was available," he said.

Mercury Talent was founded in July 2023 and specialises in content, sales, product marketing, and senior management recruitment, supporting media employers across Sydney and Melbourne.