Here’s What It Means for Creative, Marketing & Digital Talent
Labor remains tight.
If it feels like there are more job seekers than seats, you’re not imagining it. Minnesota’s top-line labor market remains tight, but under the surface we’re seeing longer unemployment durations and signs of softening demand, especially for corporate roles that touch marketing and creative. Minnesota DEED’s mid-year analysis flagged “increasing underemployment and longer durations of unemployment,” a potential hint of cooling employer demand even as headline measures stay solid.
Layoffs are back in headlines locally.
Recent WARN notices and news reports point to sizable Twin Cities corporate reductions: Target announced ~1,000 corporate layoffs in Minnesota as part of 1,800 cuts overall, with hundreds of positions eliminated across Minneapolis and Brooklyn Park. Cargill is also trimming Minnesota headcount as part of a global 5% reduction. Local media already estimated layoffs and discharges in Minnesota through July were up ~10% year over year.
Job openings are sliding.
Minnesota had 157,000 job openings in June, down from 182,000 in May, while the openings rate dipped from 5.6% to 4.9%. Nationally, LinkedIn’s latest workforce read shows hiring remains sluggish vs. last year and well below pre-pandemic pace.
Budgets aren’t helping.
Gartner’s 2025 CMO Spend Survey shows average marketing budgets flat at ~7.7% of company revenue, the same as 2024 and below pre-pandemic norms, fueling the “do more with less” reality for teams. We heard at every single one of our round tables this year, a new marketing or creative budget was being cut around town. We’re also hearing budgets are remaining flat or shrinking for next year.
So no, you’re not alone.
This combination—local layoffs, slower hiring, and stagnant budgets—explains why so many Minnesota marketing leaders say pipeline pressure is up while full-time requisitions stall.
What smart teams are doing now
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Shifting to variable capacity. Staffing industry data points to resilience in contract and temporary models, with the sector tracking modest growth into 2025 even as direct hiring cools. Temp-to-perm pathways are expected to outpace direct hire in pockets of the market. We are experiencing a lot of teams adding contracts to keep up with demand.
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Targeted specialists over generalists. There is a continued demand for high-skill creative and marketing roles. Think content strategy, UX, marketing & rev operations, and analytics, even as broad headcount tightens.
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Bringing in AI workflow strategists. Adoption of AI is high, but maturity is low. McKinsey’s 2025 State of AI finds 78% of companies use AI in at least one function, most often in marketing or sales, while only a small minority consider themselves mature in deployment. Teams need process design, not just tools. We are hearing locally, AI is a big focus for 2026. Some are just adding tools, while others are taking the time to figure out where they can gain true efficiencies.
How True Talent Group helps (fast)
At True Talent Group, we’re seeing spiking demand for 5–20 hour a week specialists (content, paid media, marketing ops, analytics, design systems) and short-term full-time contractors to surge on priority initiatives. Leaders are still able to add to teams through variable cost, not headcount. Our contractors slot in quickly, integrate with your stack, and deliver outcomes. We’re also placing AI strategists to map workflows, governance, and training so AI tools actually move the needle rather than adding noise.
Where this pays off in Q4: Year-end campaigns, web refreshes, analytics hygiene (GA4/CRM), sales enablement packs, account-based content, and 2026 planning.
If you need help, we’re here to help you figure it out. The Search Stops Here!