Hiring managers see more value in creative workers, report finds
Employees with creative skills are now seen as more valuable than those with technical skills, according to hiring managers, in a new poll that highlighted the shift in talent assessment amid the era of AI.
A poll by Resume.org found that 57% of hiring managers now consider creative skills to be more valuable than technical skills, especially strong creative thinking, communication, and storytelling skills.
It comes as 68% of hiring managers consider creative skills to be more valuable than five years ago. This is also the case for communication or storytelling skills (64%).
Skills such as strategic thinking and critical thinking are also regarded as more valuable today than five years ago, according to the report.
On the other hand, coding skills saw the highest share of hiring managers saying they were less valuable than five years ago, with 14%.
Preference for creativity
The growing value placed on creativity is attributed to hiring managers considering it as an "AI-resistant" form of work.
According to the report, 76% of hiring managers believe creative skills are difficult for AI or automation to replicate. They also recognise creative workers for:
- Contributing more to strategy and decision-making (72%)
- Translating complex ideas into clear insights or narratives (69%)
- Helping, refining, editing, and improving AI-generated content (51%)
"Creative thinking, communication, and storytelling are becoming more valuable because they help organisations interpret, guide, and apply AI effectively," said Kara Dennison, head of career advising at Resume.org.
Meanwhile, coding skills saw a dip in value as AI began taking over tasks related to this technical skill, sometimes even faster and at scale.
"AI tools can generate code, automate debugging, and assist with technical implementation, which reduces the scarcity that once made coding such a strong differentiator," Dennison said.
Restructuring of creative roles
The preference for creative workers is demonstrated in the demand for creative employees this year, according to the report.
While 34% of firms said they laid off creative workers in 2026 because of AI, another 39% said they had also increased hiring for creative roles.
Nearly half of employers (48%) are also upskilling their creative workers. Industries that are aggressively growing their creative teams include:
- Technology (52%)
- Manufacturing (47%)
- Financial services (43%)
- Transportation and logistics (42%)
Dennison described the situation as a "restructuring of creative work" where production-level roles are eliminated as AI generates drafts, designs, and basic content.
"At the same time, companies are increasing hiring for higher-level creative roles that focus on strategy, narrative development, brand voice, and translating complex ideas into clear messaging," Dennison said.
"Companies still need people who can guide the story, interpret insights, shape positioning, and ensure AI-generated output actually resonates with customers and stakeholders. The creative roles that will remain are more strategic, human-centred, and AI-integrated."
