What No One's Saying About Junior Salaries in London's Creative Scene.

With another 4% minimum wage increase on the horizon, I've been having a lot of conversations lately. The kind where everyone's frustrated, no one feels heard, and honestly, I think we're all missing the bigger picture.

Junior candidates in London's creative and design sector are walking into interviews with salary expectations that would've been mid-level just two years ago. At the same time, agencies and studios are pulling back on hiring anyone without a few years under their belt. The gap is widening, and it's not helping anyone build the career they actually want.

So let's talk about what's really happening here.

What I'm Seeing From Both Sides

If you're a graduate or junior candidate looking for that first proper role in project management or operations, you're probably thinking: London is expensive, my degree cost a fortune, and I need to live. All true. All fair.

If you're running a creative agency or design studio, you're thinking: our clients haven't increased their budgets, our costs keep climbing, and hiring someone junior means investing serious time and money before we see any return. Also true. Also fair.

The thing is, you're both right. And you're both stuck.

The Part Junior Candidates Don't Always See

When a company hires you fresh out of uni or with less than a year's experience, they're not hiring someone who can hit the ground running. They're hiring someone they believe in enough to invest in, knowing it's going to cost them before it pays off.

That investment looks like this:

• Your senior colleagues spend billable hours training you instead of working on client projects. That's real money they're choosing not to earn so you can learn.

• Projects take longer because you're still figuring out the systems, the tools, the way the company works. That's expected, but it impacts the bottom line.

• You're not bringing in revenue yet. In project management and operations, you're supporting the people who do. That doesn't make you less valuable, but it does mean the business is banking on your future, not your present.

• There's more oversight needed to make sure client work stays at the standard they expect. Again, totally normal, but it requires resources.

When I explain this to candidates, I'm not trying to justify low pay. I'm trying to show you why companies see junior hires as a bet on potential, not an immediate contributor. It usually takes 12 to 18 months before that bet starts paying off.

Why This Matters More Now

Here's the part that's making everything harder: costs are going up across the board, but creative work isn't getting more expensive for clients. Agencies are working with the same fee structures they had two years ago, sometimes less. The margin they're operating on? It's shrinking.

So when salary expectations rise but client budgets don't, companies have fewer options. What I'm seeing is:

• They're hiring fewer junior people altogether.

• They're redefining what 'junior' means, expecting more experience for the same title.

• They're cutting back on training programmes and development opportunities to protect their margins.

And honestly? That's terrible news for anyone trying to break into the industry.

What Actually Works

I'm not here to tell junior candidates to accept less than they're worth or to tell companies to just pay more. Neither of those things solve the actual problem.

If you're starting out:

Think about what you're really looking for in your first role. Yes, salary matters. But so does who's going to teach you, what kind of work you'll be exposed to, and where this role could take you in two years' time. The highest offer isn't always the smartest one to accept.

Do your research on what people with your exact level of experience are actually earning in the creative sector right now, not what your mate in tech is making or what you think you should earn. London's expensive, but the market is what it is.

Be realistic about what you bring on day one versus what you could bring in a year. Companies want to know you understand that difference.

If you're hiring:

If you're asking someone to accept that they're an investment, show them what they're investing in too. What will they learn? Who will mentor them? Where could this role go? Make the full picture worth it.

Be transparent. If your margins are tight and you can't compete on salary, say so. Then explain what you can offer instead. People respect honesty, especially when it comes with a genuine development plan.

Junior talent isn't getting cheaper, so make sure the experience you're offering is genuinely valuable. If you're not committed to proper training and mentorship, you probably shouldn't be hiring junior at all.

The Bit No One Wants to Hear

The tension between rising costs and flat client fees isn't going away anytime soon. The creative industry needs to have some serious conversations about pricing, value, and what sustainable actually looks like. But while we're figuring that out, we need both sides to meet somewhere in the middle.

For candidates: your first role isn't about maximising salary. It's about maximising what you learn and who you become. Pick the opportunity that sets you up properly, even if it's not the biggest number.

For employers: if you want good people to stick around and grow with you, you have to make that growth real. Junior hires are still worth it, but only if you're doing it right.

London's creative scene is built on fresh ideas and new talent. Let's not price out the next generation before they've even had a chance to prove themselves.

Your CV Shouldn't Look Like a Designer's CV.

Here's something that might surprise you: if you're a Project Manager, Studio Manager, or Account Director in the creative industry, your CV shouldn't look anything like a designer's portfolio.

We see this all the time. Talented ops people trying to prove they "get" creativity by using bold colours, experimental layouts, or fancy typography. But here's the reality: when you're applying for an operations, project management, or account role, hiring managers want to see one thing above everything else. Organisation.

Your CV is proof that you're the person who keeps everything running while the creatives create. So let's talk about what actually works.

Start With the Basics

This sounds obvious, but you'd be amazed how many CVs land on our desk without proper contact details.

Your name, phone number, and email should be at the top. Clear and visible. If you've got an up-to-date LinkedIn profile, include that too.

No photos. Not necessary for these roles in the UK.

And please, start with your most recent role. Not the summer job you had at 16. If you're five years into your career, no one needs to know about the café shifts.

Keep It Clean and Professional

Your CV should be straightforward and easy to scan. Use a clear format with consistent headings and logical spacing.

You can use a font with a bit of personality. But keep it professional and readable. Avoid anything script-based, overly stylised, or hard to scan quickly.

Now, professional doesn't mean boring. We also don't want to see a CV that looks like you've just typed everything into a blank Word doc and called it done. That tells us you don't pay attention to detail or take pride in your work.

Your CV should feel considered. Use consistent formatting for dates and job titles. Add subtle spacing to create visual hierarchy. Use bold text strategically to highlight key achievements. Make it easy to navigate with clear section breaks.

Think of it this way: your CV should feel polished and organised, not creative or experimental. It's the difference between a well-structured project plan and a designer's portfolio. You're the former.

Hiring managers for ops, project management, and account roles want to see structure and clarity first. A bit of visual personality is fine. But readability and thoughtful presentation are non-negotiable.

Quantify Everything

This is the golden rule for anyone in operations or project management: numbers speak louder than words.

Hiring managers want to see the tangible impact you've made. Don't just list your responsibilities. Show what you achieved.

Weak:

• Managed projects for multiple clients

• Oversaw studio operations

• Handled account relationships

Strong:

• Delivered 15+ projects on time and within budget, with an average project value of £50K

• Reduced studio overhead costs by 20% through process improvements and vendor negotiations

• Grew account portfolio from £200K to £500K annual revenue over 18 months

Every bullet point in your experience section should answer one question: what did I achieve, and what was the impact?

Use specific metrics wherever you can:

• Budget sizes you've managed

• Number of projects delivered

• Team sizes you've led or coordinated

• Revenue growth you've driven

• Cost savings you've implemented

• Client retention rates

• Efficiency improvements

• Square footage delivered (for fitout PMs)

• Projects completed under programme (for delivery managers)

Highlight Your Tools and Systems

Creative studios, design agencies, and architecture firms run on specific tools. Make sure yours are clearly listed and easy to find.

• For Project Managers (Creative Projects): Asana, Monday, Trello, Jira, Microsoft Project, Slack, Microsoft Teams, Google Workspace, time tracking tools like Harvest or Toggl.

• For Project Managers (Fitout & Delivery): Procore, PlanGrid, Buildertrend, Primavera, MS Project, BIM 360, Aconex, CAD coordination experience, RIBA stages you've managed.

• For Studio/Operations Managers: Float, Forecast, Resource Guru, Xero, QuickBooks, FreeAgent, HR systems, facilities management platforms.

• For Account Directors/Managers: HubSpot, Salesforce, Pipedrive, Proposify, PandaDoc, client reporting tools.

Don't rank yourself with bar charts or percentages. Just list them clearly. Your experience section will show how proficient you are.

Emphasise Leadership and Stakeholder Management

These roles are all about people. Managing teams, coordinating between departments, handling client expectations, keeping everyone aligned.

Hiring managers want to see evidence of:

• Team leadership: How many people have you managed or coordinated? What were the results?

• Client relationships: How have you maintained or grown accounts? What's your retention rate?

• Cross-functional collaboration: How have you worked between creative, finance, and client services teams?

• Problem-solving: What challenges have you navigated? What was the outcome?

Be specific. Instead of saying "excellent communication skills," show it: "Led weekly client review meetings for 8 key accounts, resulting in 95% client satisfaction scores and 100% retention."

Show Your Understanding of the Creative Process

Even though you're not a designer, you work in the creative industry. Your CV should demonstrate that you understand how creative studios and architecture practices operate.

For Project Managers (Creative Projects): Mention experience managing creative projects like branding, web design, campaigns, or environments. Reference design stages you've worked with: concept, design development, production. Show you understand creative timelines and resourcing.

For Project Managers (Fitout & Delivery): Detail project types and scales you've managed: commercial, residential, hospitality, retail. Mention RIBA stages, construction phases, or delivery milestones. Show experience coordinating between design teams, contractors, and clients. Demonstrate understanding of budget management through construction.

For Studio/Operations Managers: Highlight operational improvements that supported creative output. Show how you've balanced creative freedom with commercial reality. Demonstrate understanding of studio workflows and capacity planning.

For Account Directors/Managers: Emphasise sector experience: hospitality, residential, retail, FMCG, property development. Show how you've translated client briefs into actionable creative projects. Demonstrate your ability to manage expectations on both sides.

Tailor It to Each Role

Never send the same generic CV to every job. Read the job description carefully and adjust your CV to highlight the most relevant experience.

If they're looking for someone with agency experience, lead with that. If they need someone who's managed large teams, make that prominent. If budget management is a key requirement, quantify the budgets you've overseen. If they want fitout experience, emphasise your construction project management.

The hiring manager should be able to see within 10 seconds that you're a strong fit for this specific role.

Keep It Concise

Junior to mid-level: one page.
Senior to leadership: two pages maximum.

Your most recent role should have the most detail. As you go back in time, keep descriptions shorter and focus only on what's relevant to the role you're applying for.

If you're padding your CV to fill space, cut it. Quality over quantity, always.

Don't Leave Unexplained Gaps

If you've taken time out for any reason (travel, family, health, freelancing, career change), acknowledge it briefly. An unexplained gap looks worse than the actual reason.

Keep it short and honest. You don't need to over-explain, but transparency matters.

Proofread Relentlessly

Typos and grammatical errors are particularly damaging for operations roles. You're meant to be organised, detail-oriented, and on top of things. A sloppy CV suggests otherwise.

Proofread it yourself, then ask someone else to read it. Use Grammarly if you need to. Just make absolutely certain it's spotless before you hit send.

Include Relevant Certifications

If you have project management or business qualifications, include them. They add credibility and show you're committed to your profession.

Examples: PMP, PRINCE2, Agile/Scrum certifications, APM, Six Sigma, RICS (for construction/property PMs), or any relevant business or operations management qualifications.

Place these prominently in your education section or create a separate "Certifications" section if you have several.

The Bottom Line

Your CV needs to show three things clearly:

1. You can manage complexity (projects, teams, budgets, stakeholders)

2. You deliver results (on time, within budget, to a high standard)

3. You understand how creative businesses work and how to make them run smoothly

Make it clean, make it professional, make it quantifiable. Show them you're the person who keeps the engine running while everyone else creates brilliant work.

If you're not getting responses and you're wondering whether your CV is holding you back, we're always happy to take a look. Sometimes it's just one or two tweaks that make all the difference.

Need a second pair of eyes on your CV? Want to make sure it's actually working for you? Get in touch. We'd love to help.

Portfolio Advice That Actually Matters.

I've looked at a lot of portfolios. Like, a truly ridiculous number. And whilst every designer has their own style and approach, there are some things that make the difference between a portfolio that gets you interviews and one that gets a polite "thanks, but not right now."

So here's what I tell every designer I work with, based on what actually lands well with Creative Directors and hiring managers.

Put Your Name On It

Sounds obvious, right? You'd be surprised how many portfolios I receive with no name anywhere. Yes, your CV has your contact details, but your portfolio should have your name on it too. Contact info is optional if you're sending both together, but your name? Non-negotiable.

Keep It Clean and Easy to View

Your portfolio should absolutely reflect your personality and design style. But here's the thing: if I can't easily see your work because the typography is impossible to read, the colours are fighting for attention, or the layout is so clever it's confusing, you've lost me.

Don't let the container overshadow the content. Your projects should be the star, not the way you've designed the portfolio itself.

Quality Over Quantity

Your showcase portfolio, the one you send to recruiters and potential employers, should be 20 pages maximum. Think of it as your highlight reel. Pick your top three to five projects that directly connect to the role you're applying for.

Applying for a retail position? Don't send a portfolio that's entirely hospitality work. Show them you understand what they need and that you've done it before.

Bring the Full Story to Interviews

Your presentation portfolio, the one you take to interviews, should be longer and more comprehensive. This is where you include all your favourite projects, the ones you're genuinely excited to talk about.

Digital is fine, but please, pre-download it or bring a hard copy as backup. I've sat in too many interviews where someone's scrambling with Wi-Fi or file sharing. Technology is great when it works, but always have a plan B.

Show Your Process, Not Just the Pretty Final Shot

Each project in your portfolio should tell the whole story. Start to finish, every step in between. Hiring managers and Creative Directors want to see that you understood the brief, how you responded to it, what your specific role was, and the input you provided along the way.

The glossy final render is great, but the journey to get there is what actually shows your thinking.

Make It Easy to Follow

Structure matters. Your portfolio and the individual projects within it should have a logical flow that's easy to navigate. This helps hiring managers move through your work without getting lost, and it helps you when you're presenting or discussing your projects in an interview.

If someone has to work hard to understand what they're looking at, you've already lost some of their attention.

Show Off Your Hand Sketching If You've Got It

Not every brief explicitly asks for hand sketching skills, but clients absolutely love seeing it. If you're strong at sketching, include samples in your portfolio. It's almost always seen as a major positive and sets you apart from designers who only work digitally.

Have Both a PDF and a Website

A website portfolio is brilliant for showing the full breadth of your work. But employers still prefer a PDF they can easily save, share, and review. The smart move? Use your PDF to showcase your three to five best projects, then direct people to your website if they want to see more.

It gives you control over the first impression whilst offering depth for anyone who's genuinely interested.

Only Include Work You Actually Love

This is the big one I see all the time. Designers include projects they don't even like, and then when we talk about them, they spend the whole time explaining what went wrong or why it's not their best work.

If you don't love it, don't include it. Your portfolio should be full of projects you're genuinely excited to discuss. That enthusiasm comes through in interviews, and trust me, Creative Directors can tell when you're proud of something versus when you're just filling space.

The Bottom Line

Your portfolio is doing one job: getting you into the room for a conversation. It needs to show your best work, tell a clear story about what you can do, and make it easy for someone to see why they should meet you.

Keep it tight, keep it relevant, and only show work that makes you think "yes, I want to talk about this."

If you're putting together a portfolio and want a second pair of eyes on it, or if you're wondering whether what you've got is landing the way you think it is, I'm always happy to take a look. I've seen what works and what doesn't, and I'm more than happy to share that with you.

Need portfolio feedback or advice on how to position your work for the roles you're going after? Get in touch. I'd love to help.

CV Advice for Designers That Actually Gets You Noticed.

Here's something that might sting a bit: hiring managers and Creative Directors spend about 8 to 10 seconds looking at your CV. That's it. Less time than it takes to make a cup of tea.

So your CV needs to work fast. It needs to be easy to read, immediately clear, and visually confident enough that they actually keep reading instead of moving on to the next one.

We've reviewed hundreds of CVs from interior designers, graphic designers, architects, and branding specialists over the years, and we've heard feedback from some of London's top Creative Directors and studio leaders. Here's what actually matters.

Start With the Basics

Your name and contact details need to be at the top. We know this sounds ridiculously obvious, but you'd be amazed how many CVs we've received with no name or no phone number. If a hiring manager is in a rush and can't immediately see how to reach you, your CV goes in the bin.

Don't let that be you.

And please, no headshots. Your work speaks for itself.

Your CV Should Look Like a Designer Made It

Let's be honest here: you're a designer. Your CV is a design piece. It should absolutely reflect your aesthetic sensibility, your understanding of layout, typography, and visual hierarchy.

Use colour intentionally. Choose typefaces that feel like you. Create a layout that's distinctive but still professional. This is your chance to show you understand how to balance personality with clarity.

But here's the line: don't make it so clever that it's hard to read. If someone has to work to figure out where your experience is or what software you use, you've lost them. The content still needs to be immediately scannable.

Your CV should feel confident and polished, not gimmicky. Think of it as a one-page brand identity exercise where the brand is you.

List Your Design Skills Clearly

Make sure your technical skills are easy to find. For interior designers, that means AutoCAD, SketchUp, Revit, Rhino, 3ds Max, V-Ray, Enscape, whatever you're proficient in. For graphic designers and branding specialists, list your Adobe Creative Suite capabilities, Figma, Sketch, InVision, or any other tools you work with regularly.

Don't rank them with bar charts or percentage scores. Just list them clearly. Your portfolio and experience will show how strong you are in each area.

If you've got hand sketching or technical drawing skills, mention those too. They're still highly valued, especially in interior design and architecture.

Nobody Cares About Your Grades (Unless You've Just Graduated)

If you've recently graduated and got a first or a 2:1, include it. Otherwise, leave your final grade off. Don't list individual module results, and if you're past junior level, skip GCSEs and A-Levels entirely. Your portfolio and work experience are what matter now.

Keep It Tight

Junior to midweight? One page. Senior to associate or team lead? Two pages maximum.

Your most recent role should have the most detail because that's what hiring managers care about. As you go back in time, descriptions should get shorter. Only include responsibilities or projects that actually matter for the type of role you're applying for.

If you're listing every single task you've ever done just to fill space, you're doing it wrong.

Show Your Sector Experience

This is crucial. If you're applying for a hospitality design role, your CV should immediately show your hospitality experience. Residential interior design? Lead with residential projects. Retail branding? Make sure your retail work is front and centre.

Don't make hiring managers hunt for the relevant experience. Put it where they'll see it in those first 8 to 10 seconds.

For architects and interior designers, mention project types and scales: residential refurbs, commercial fit-outs, RIBA stages you've worked on, planning applications, technical packages. Be specific.

For graphic designers and branding specialists, highlight the type of work you've done: brand identity, packaging, digital, print, campaigns, art direction. Sector experience matters here too. FMCG, lifestyle, tech, hospitality.

Your Words Matter

Avoid generic phrases like "team player" and "hard-working." Everyone says that. Instead, show those traits through your actual work. What projects did you deliver? What challenges did you solve? What results did you achieve?

Use language that's specific to design. Don't say you "helped with projects." Say you "led concept development for a 200-cover restaurant fit-out" or "delivered brand guidelines for a luxury residential developer."

Hobbies Should Add Something (Or Leave Them Off)

If you're going to list interests, make them interesting or relevant. Architecture, exhibitions, photography, printmaking, furniture design. These all add context to who you are as a designer.

"Watching TV" and "socialising" add nothing. If you've got nothing compelling to include, just leave the section off.

Proofread Until Your Eyes Hurt

Then get someone else to proofread it too. A partner, a friend, a flatmate, anyone. Typos and grammatical errors make you look careless, and in a visual profession, attention to detail is everything.

If you don't have anyone to ask, use Grammarly or another tool. Just make sure it's spotless before you send it.

Don't Leave Unexplained Gaps

An unexplained gap looks worse than the actual reason for it. If you took time out to travel, freelance, deal with health issues, or handle family matters, just say so briefly. You don't need to over-explain, but acknowledge it. Honesty matters.

Always Send It With Your Portfolio

This should go without saying, but your CV is only half the picture. Always send it alongside a PDF portfolio showcasing your best three to five projects relevant to the role you're applying for. Your CV gets you attention, your portfolio gets you the interview.

We’ve got some tips for your portfolio here if you need some help…

Tailor It Every Single Time

This is what separates designers who get interviews from designers who don't.

If you're applying for a hospitality interior design role, your CV should highlight your hospitality work. If it's a residential architecture position, focus on residential projects. If it's a branding role for an FMCG brand, show FMCG experience.

Don't send the same CV to every job and hope for the best. Hiring managers can tell when you've actually read the brief and tailored your application. It shows you care, and they notice.

The Bottom Line

Your CV is your first impression, and you don't get a second chance at it. Make it look good, make it clear, make it relevant. Show them quickly why they should care, and give them a reason to pick up the phone.

If you're not getting responses and you're wondering whether your CV is holding you back, we're always happy to take a look. Sometimes it's just one or two tweaks that make all the difference.

Need a second pair of eyes on your CV? Want to make sure it's actually working for you? Get in touch. We'd love to help.

How to Prepare for an Interview at a Creative Studio.

You got the interview. That's worth a moment.

But here's the thing: creative studios don't evaluate candidates the way corporate environments do. The preparation you do beforehand matters just as much as your portfolio. Sometimes more. And the studios worth working for? They notice whether you've put in the work.

We've supported hundreds of candidates through this process over the years and heard feedback from Creative Directors and hiring managers across London's design scene. Here's what actually makes a difference.

Do the Research

Most candidates glance at a website and call it done. Studios can tell. They know the difference between someone who's genuinely engaged with their work and someone who skimmed the homepage on the tube that morning.

Start with their portfolio. If it's an interior design practice, look at how they handle residential versus hospitality. Notice the materials, the spatial flow, whether they lean minimal or layered. For architecture, pay attention to how they navigate planning, their relationship with site and context. At a branding agency, think about strategy. Do they lead with visual identity or positioning?

Then go further. Look for press coverage, awards, team activities or projects they share on Instagram, recent hires on LinkedIn. Check their social to see how they present their culture. If they've written anything or spoken at events, read it.

You're not doing this to recite facts in the room. You're doing it to understand whether the way they work aligns with the way you work. And to be able to say, honestly, why their work resonates.

Know Who You're Meeting

Find out who's interviewing you and look them up. Not to gather ammunition. Just to calibrate the conversation.

A Creative Director wants to understand your thinking, your influences, how you approach a brief. A Studio Manager cares about deadlines, collaboration, how you handle competing priorities. An HR lead will focus on culture, motivations, how you work with others.

Knowing who's in the room helps you bring the right examples. It shapes the conversation before you even walk in.

The Small Things That Aren't Small

Arriving flustered undermines everything that follows. Plan your route. Add fifteen minutes. If you're early, find a coffee shop, settle yourself, review your notes. Walk in composed.

Punctuality matters in creative industries. Studios run on tight timelines. Showing up late, even once, raises questions about reliability. Don't let that be you.

Dress for the Environment

Creative studios aren't corporate, so a formal suit can feel off. But too casual undermines your credibility.

If in doubt, smart-casual is the answer. Intentional, put-together, context-appropriate. Check their website and social for cues. A luxury interiors practice expects something different from a young agency with a relaxed studio culture.

For creative roles, your appearance says something about your visual sensibility. For operational roles, it signals you can read a room. Either way, aim for clean, considered, confident.

Connect Your Experience to the Role

Re-read the job description before you go in. Identify the skills and attributes they've emphasised. Then map your background against them.

If you're going for a creative role, be ready to talk about process, not just output. How you interpret a brief. How you develop concepts. How you handle feedback. Interior designers should be prepared to discuss material choices and spatial decisions. Architects should expect questions about planning, contractors, RIBA stages. Brand designers need to speak to strategy alongside execution.

For operational roles, you probably don't have a portfolio in the traditional sense. That's fine. Prepare concrete examples instead. How you've managed complex timelines. Handled difficult client situations. Improved processes. Supported creative teams to do their best work. Be specific about tools, scale, outcomes.

Be Clear About Why This Studio

"Why do you want to work here?" is one of the most common interview questions. It's also one of the most poorly answered.

Vague things about liking the work or wanting to grow don't land. Before you go in, think genuinely about what draws you to this particular place. Is it their approach to a certain project type? The clients? Their reputation for craft? The scale? The culture?

Be honest and specific. If you struggle to articulate it, that's worth sitting with. Some candidates exit interviews quickly because they can't explain why they want to be there.

Prepare Your Materials

If you're in a creative role, your portfolio is the centrepiece. Make sure everything is downloaded, your device is charged, navigation is smooth. Don't rely on WiFi. Have a backup on your phone or a printed book.

Physical materials still land well. For interior designers and architects, printed samples or material boards can be powerful. They let interviewers engage with your work tangibly and show your attention to finish.

Edit ruthlessly. Six to eight strong projects tells a better story than fifteen mediocre ones. Lead with work that's relevant to what the studio does.

For operational roles, bring a clean CV. Consider a one-page summary of key projects with scope, team size, budget, outcomes. If you've built processes or systems that improved things, be ready to talk about them.

Prepare Questions to Ask Them

Creative interviews probe beyond technical capability. Expect questions about collaboration, handling critique, managing ambiguity, working under pressure. Have stories ready.

But also prepare questions to ask them. Silence when you're invited to ask something comes across as disinterest. Ask about current projects, team structure, how work gets briefed and reviewed, what success looks like in the role.

Show genuine curiosity about how things actually work.

Why This Matters

Studios evaluate candidates holistically. Your work might be excellent. But if you arrive unprepared, can't explain why you want to be there, or seem disconnected from how the place operates, it raises doubts.

Preparation isn't about impressing people. It's about respecting the opportunity and giving yourself the best chance to show who you actually are.

Our 2025 Salary Report Is Here.

A first look at what's changed from 2024 to 2025.

The TwentyOne Twelve 2025 Salary and Sentiment Report is now live. Every year, we speak to studios and candidates across the UK to find out what's actually happening in the design industry. Not assumptions. Not projections. Real conversations about pay, priorities, and what people want from work.

This year's findings show some clear shifts. Here's what's changed since 2024.

Creatives Are Back in Demand

Last year, studios leaned heavily on technical and delivery roles. In 2025, that's flipped. Creative briefs are back, with renewed investment in brand, storytelling, and strategy. Studios that paused creative hiring in 2024 are building teams again, and competition for strong conceptual talent is rising.

Permanent Roles Are Becoming the Safer Bet

Freelancer day rates keep climbing, but client fees haven't followed. That gap is pushing studios to rely more on permanent hires to keep teams steady and margins healthy. It's a sharper version of what we saw in 2024, with studios now balancing freelance and permanent talent far more intentionally.

Salaries Have Lifted Across Almost Every Discipline

The rise in the National Minimum Wage has pushed up graduate and junior salaries, and that ripple has carried through to midweight and senior levels. We're seeing clear increases across interiors, branding, digital, strategy, and client services.

The full report breaks down every salary band, role, and day rate so studios can benchmark with accuracy.

Flexibility Is Now Non-Negotiable

Hybrid working has shifted from a preference to a dealbreaker. Even with great projects on the table, candidates are turning down roles that don't offer flexibility. Salary and hybrid now stand as the top two motivators when people consider a move.

A More Positive Market Outlook

There are still challenges around junior and very senior roles, but overall sentiment is more optimistic than it was a year ago. Respondents noted more flexibility across studios, stronger sustainable practices, and a healthy return of the creative work that dipped in previous years.

If you'd like the full breakdown, including salary tables, day rates, and market sentiment from designers and studios across the UK, get your copy here.

Creative Industry Trends 2025: What's Shaping London's Design Market.

The UK’s creative industry is booming, driven by exciting digital innovations and a surge in demand. From virtual reality to AI-powered design, companies are looking for skilled creative talent to lead the way and deliver standout work that captures the imagination of clients and consumers.  

Since February 2020, the UK’s creative sector has grown by an impressive 9% - far outpacing the broader economy’s 1.6% growth. It's an incredibly exciting time to ride this creative wave, whether you're a creative professional, a business owner, or a specialist in design recruitment! 

Let’s dive into some key stats and trends that highlight where the buzz is strongest and what it means for jobs.   

Rising Demand for Creative Professionals  

The UK’s design economy is booming, and nowhere is this growth more evident than in London. From Architecture and Interior Design to Graphic and Digital Design, the demand for creative professionals is soaring. Between 2010 and 2019, the design economy grew at twice the rate of the UK economy, and all signs point to this momentum accelerating in 2025.   

Our 2024 Market Review and Salary Report highlights rising hiring and salary trends across key fields like Interior Design, Digital Design, Architecture, and Client Services. London, the epicentre of the UK’s design economy, hosts nearly 30% of design jobs and a third of all design businesses. As Deloitte forecasts 4.3 million creative jobs by 2030, there’s no better time to be part of this vibrant and rapidly expanding sector. If you’re looking for opportunities in design, London is calling! 

Growing Competition for Creative Talent   

When you’re looking to hire someone for a design, digital or creative strategy role, you’re likely to find competition for good talent is rather tough. And the fact is, it’s not going to get easier in 2025. Whilst there is strong revenue growth evident for creative economy businesses, profitability is getting squeezed by increases in salaries and pay rates, as companies race to snap up skilled talent.  

The challenge for employers is to demonstrate why their business is a great place to work – by articulating their employee value proposition (EVP). Companies with strong EVPs will cover the essentials of attracting talent, like a competitive base salary. But it’s just as important to emphasise other factors that make your company an attractive place to work. Flexible work arrangements, for example, have become increasingly valued by candidates in recent years – and we see no sign of that desire abating! 

Creative professionals are also flocking to roles that offer autonomy and opportunities to work on inspiring projects and innovations. The most sought-after candidates want to work for companies that provide genuine career development and invest in their people for mutual growth. With that said, as an employer, you can differentiate by offering clear career growth paths and support for upskilling.  

Investing in training and development may become increasingly essential rather than optional for employers in the creative industries, as there are warning signs of a dwindling pool of fresh graduate talent. The number of students taking Design and Technology (D&T) at GCSE has halved over the last decade, indicating that fewer young people are gaining foundational skills in creative disciplines.  

AI Everywhere? 

Generative artificial intelligence is by far the biggest headline story in several industries, particularly creative fields like design and digital. From graphic design, and 2D design to video and coding, AI has upped the ante for creative work. Now, the challenge is to see who can do the most interesting stuff with it! 

Can we expect AI to replace many design jobs? Whilst it’s too early to make that call, we’ve seen numerous examples of gen AI lifting productivity for designers in multiple disciplines. Considering that the rate of AI adoption has at least doubled over the past five years, demand for designers shows no signs of slowing down.  

 In 2025, we could expect human skills and talent to come at an even higher premium, as AI use becomes increasingly mainstream. Professionals with a strong grounding in design disciplines will be highly sought after for their ability to combine creativity with strategic thinking.  

Sensory Experiences 

In 2025, we may firmly find ourselves in the realm of the senses, at least when it comes to design innovations. More interior design and architecture projects will involve creating multi-sensory spaces that blend digital and physical experiences. As Dentsu highlights, there’s a growing demand for immersive sensory activations, where elements like touch, sound, light, scent, and gesture converge to captivate audiences.  

Engaging senses all five senses requires design and creative professionals with a multi-disciplinary mindset, who can meld the digital with the experiential.  

Industries such as hospitality, retail, and cultural institutions are hunting for new ways to engage consumers with a multi-sensorial feast of sound, colour, light, touch and scent.  From hotels incorporating haptic feedback into guest rooms to museums designing exhibits with interactive light and sound, the emphasis is on creating environments that stimulate and inspire – and look amazing on social ! 

Nostalgia Vibes 

From the aesthetics of nostalgia (90’s fashion revival, music on vinyl, vintage cameras) to the growing desire to disconnect from digital technologies (at least once in a while), nostalgia will be a powerful force for creative professionals and consumers alike in 2025.  

For built environment professionals (interior designers, architects), nostalgia will inspire the creation of spaces that evoke the vibes and memories of a bygone era – whether it be brutalism or mid-century modernism.  

On the digital front, graphic designers will draw on forgotten visuals like the pixelated, DIY look of early MySpace pages or the grainy, low-res charm of flip phone photography. By remixing these tiny slices of history, brands can be sure to capture attention with a playful feel. 

The Rising Tide for Creative Recruiters 

With creative sectors set for a bumper year in 2025, people with a background in recruitment for creative sectors are going to see their boats lifted by the same tide. 

As the creative sectors continue to expand, recruiters with experience in or passion for these industries will be instrumental. After all, creative businesses need help in identifying the talent that brings these trends to life. If that sounds like your kind of thing, we’d love to chat with you about our internal opportunities. Please feel free to send us a message to introduce yourself and pop your CV over to us! 

Connect with the Creative Recruitment Specialists 

Ready to add a team member or two, or planning your next career move for 2025? Twenty One Twelve’s creative and design recruitment specialists can help you get sorted with a solution or role that’s right for you.  

Contact us today for support in growing your team or finding your next role.  We’d love to chat with you!