Junior PR agency talent pools are declining, research finds

New data has found that all junior PR agency talent pools experienced a decline last year - indicating a slow shift away from the traditional pyramid agency structure.

The findings from Latte’s 2026 PR Talent Trends Report, which analysed data from over 8,000 London-based PR professionals, show declining numbers (from 2-9%) of professionals with account coordinator, account executive, senior account executive and account manager job titles. Interestingly, the findings also revealed these are the job titles with the highest number of job changers (people who moved jobs), and the lowest average tenure.

The talent pool with the largest decline sits at the entry-level. The number of account coordinators declined by 9%, whilst the account manager talent pool experienced a 2% decline.

After a year of global financial uncertainty, increased operating costs for agencies and (of course) evolving AI efficiencies, it’s not overly surprising that the junior end of the talent market has taken a hit.

But for an industry that traditionally relies on a massive base of junior talent, losing up to 9% of that cohort of talent does question if we are starting to see the end of the pyramid structure. Will diamond-shaped agencies begin to form, where the core of the agency is made up of experienced mid-level experts, supported by a combination of smart AI tools and a handful of skilled juniors?

Why does this matter?

Lower operating costs. Lower recruitment costs. More efficient agencies. In principle, lean agencies sound good. But if junior talent pools continue to decline, the pool of experienced talent to promote and recruit from will get tight. Given the structured nature of a PR career, hiring from outside the industry is typically uncommon. So, without a strong pipeline of junior talent, agencies will be faced with a significant shortage of mid-level managers in three to four years' time.

Four tips for agency leaders wanting to protect their junior talent pipeline:

1. Invest in retention strategies. The average tenure for a PR agency employee is 1.8 years, typically increasing with seniority. If you can prolong the average tenure in your own agency, you’ll protect your pipeline of future mid-and senior-level talent. Make sure you’re supporting your current team’s career goals with structured progression plans, training and career development support.

2. Build your employer brand. Are you ready to compete for top talent? The fewer candidates available the shorter shortlists become, especially with a weak employer brand. If trends continue and junior talent pools continue to shrink, jobseekers will have the pick of the market, leaving agencies to fight for talent, not dissimilar to the post-COVID market. Continue to invest in your employer brand and reputation as a great place to work.

3. Get really transparent with promotion timelines. The research also looked at average promotion times for PR agency talent, revealing an industry average of 1.5 years. For junior employees, it’s typically less, averaging 0.9 - 1.2 years. Creating clear progression timelines and targets helps tie promotions to skill and growth rather than gut-feel or tenure.

4. Conduct exit interviews. Understanding why junior employees are leaving for a different opportunity helps you identify challenges within your agency that are eroding your junior pipeline. It’s especially important in this step to approach with empathy (not frustration) and create an environment where employees feel they can be honest about their experiences.