The Real Talk 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 frankly, 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.

Here's What Junior Candidates Often Don't Realise

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.

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!