A Dispatch from the Digital Marketing & Tech Employment Frontlines
By Keiran Hathorn, Managing Director, Big Wave Digital Recruitment Digital Marketing & Tech Recruitment Expert | 25+ Years’ Commercial Experience
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” Dickens wrote those immortal words in 1859, yet here we are, in March 2025, and they feel eerily relevant. Particularly for those of us on the frontlines of Australia’s Digital Marketing and Tech recruitment landscape.
On paper, the numbers paint a rosy picture. The official ABS unemployment rate is currently 4.1%. At first glance, that sounds like we’re all in the promised land—full employment, economic stability, and clear skies ahead.
But, as anyone who works in Digital or Tech knows, the reality beneath those numbers is a different narrative entirely. It’s a story of a bifurcated economy, paralysed decision-making, and exceptional talent left underutilised on the sidelines.
And it’s time we talked about it.
What’s Really Happening Out There?
If you dig beneath the ABS headline numbers (and believe me, I have), you’ll discover that this 4.1% unemployment rate is largely underpinned by massive growth in government-related jobs—healthcare, education, and the public sector. Sectors being bolstered by sustained fiscal policy and government largesse.
It’s a different story in Digital Marketing and Technology. The sectors we live and breathe here at Big Wave Digital are experiencing what I would politely describe as an enforced hiatus. More bluntly? It’s stagnation.
Roles are being rationalised, teams are being streamlined, and many of the jobs that are available are more about maintenance than momentum. I’m speaking daily with some of the best Digital Marketing professionals and Tech leaders this country has to offer—people who, not long ago, had multiple offers on the table—who are now sitting on the sidelines, some for six months or more.
The irony? They’re ready. They’re capable. And they’re motivated. The problem? There’s fear in the market.
But—and this is important—there are outliers.
Of course, we’re hearing a lot about AI, particularly Generative AI, and its potential to transform industries at a velocity that’s nothing short of exhilarating. Some SaaS companies—the ones that have always owned their niche markets—are not only surviving but thriving. They’ve remained indispensable to their clients, delivering mission-critical services with precision and scalability.
And yes, even some digital agencies are quietly crushing it. The ones that have fully embraced data-driven decision-making and are leveraging digital and data to the nth degree are finding ways to thrive in an otherwise ambivalent market. They’re the antifragile operators—growing stronger in adversity.
These are the green shoots.
They remind us that while much of the Digital and Tech landscape is subdued, innovation and opportunity never entirely disappear. They just shift.
Fear and Ambivalence Rule the Day
Right now, we’re operating in a climate where status quo bias is running rampant. Candidates are hesitant to make a move. “Better the devil you know,” as the old adage goes. They fear being last in, first out if markets tighten further.
Employers are equally ambivalent. There’s a palpable reticence to hire, fuelled by macroeconomic headwinds blowing in from the US, whispers of an imminent Australian Federal Election, and a global climate that feels decidedly precarious.
As Mark Twain famously quipped: “I’ve had a lot of worries in my life, most of which never happened.”
Yet, here we are. Worry, fear, and ambivalence are the order of the day.
And as someone who’s been recruiting through everything from the Dot-Com crash of 2001, to the GFC of 2008, to COVID in 2020, I can tell you one thing with certainty: These times don’t last forever.
Where the Growth Is Happening
Let me be clear—this is not universal. Healthcare Tech? Booming. AI applied to EdTech? Strong growth. Cybersecurity? Critical demand.
But your garden-variety Digital Marketing teams? Traditional Tech development teams? If you’re in SaaS, FinTech, eCommerce, or AdTech, chances are you’ve noticed the slowdown. Campaigns have been paused. Roadmaps have been rewritten. Budgets are being scrutinised with forensic attention.
And for every job that does go live, there are many more quietly shelved for “review later in the year.”
Marie Antoinette famously (and somewhat insensitively) declared: “Let them eat cake!” But for many Digital and Tech professionals, there’s no cake on offer—just a slice of ambiguity, served cold.
A Vested Interest? Absolutely.
Now, I know what you’re thinking. “Well of course you want us to hire, Keiran. You run a recruitment agency.” And you’re right. I do. I have skin in the game. Big Wave Digital Recruitment has been my life’s work for over two decades. And yes, we’d love to help you hire.
But here’s the real message: Times like these are often the best time to hire.
When everyone else is paralysed by indecision, when the competition is sitting on their hands, and when there’s a surplus of top-tier talent actively available (a rarity in normal markets)—this is when savvy companies lean in. This is when the visionary Founders and the bold HR Directors quietly build the teams that will help them dominate when the cycle inevitably turns.
And it will turn.
Why Now Might Be Your Moment
Lower interest rates are on the horizon. The election, whenever it’s called, will soon be behind us. Markets thrive on certainty, and with stability comes a rebound in hiring appetite.
The zeitgeist will shift. It always does. And when it does, the competition for top Digital and Tech talent will once again be ferocious. Those who built relationships, interviewed candidates, and made strategic hires in this “quiet” market will be in pole position.
The rest? They’ll be scrambling.
A Final Word from the Trenches
So yes, I have a vested interest in telling you this. But it’s also the truth, grounded in over 25 years of commercial recruitment experience. I’ve seen this movie before. Many times. The best of times often follow the worst of times.
Don’t let ambivalence and fear dictate your next move. Reach out. Have a conversation. Explore who’s out there.
Because if not now, when?
Keiran Hathorn Managing Director Big Wave Digital Recruitment Digital & Tech Recruitment Experts | Est. 2010 www.bigwavedigital.com.au
✅ Digital Marketing & Tech talent waiting in the wings ✅ 25+ years of recruitment expertise ✅ Permanent, contract, and executive search Let’s make your next hire your best hire.
The future is bright, let’s go there together!
Cheers Keiran
Let us help you build a Brilliant team in Digital.
Big Wave Digital are experts in Digital Recruitment Sydney
At Big Wave Digital , Sydney’s leading digital, blockchain and technical recruitment agency, we have deep connections, experience and proven expertise, and the ability to achieve a win for all parties in the challenging recruiting process. We can connect to highly coveted digital and tech talent with the world’s best employers.
Keiran Hathorn is the CEO & Founder of Big Wave Digital. A Sydney based niche Digital, Blockchain & Technology recruitment company. Keiran leads a high performance, experienced recruitment team, assisting companies of all sizes secure the best talent.
