The 10 Top Marketing Jobs for Work-Life Balance

One of the most important parts of thriving in a job you love is working somewhere with good work-life balance. Even people who truly love their job need plenty of time to pursue personal passions and spend time with people they love. Luckily for marketers, there are plenty of career paths that lead to jobs with strong work-life balance. Glassdoor, an anonymous employer review site, recently released a list of the top 25 best jobs for work life balance based on feedback from its users. And marketers should be excited to find that many marketing and digital staffing roles (10 out of the top 25) made their way onto the list.

Any hard working, experienced marketers know that our line of work is a cyclical one. There will almost always be times where you might need to stay late at the office a few times, followed by periods of relative slow time where demands will be relatively light. Still, some jobs will inevitably have a better balance than others. If a strong work-life balance is important to you, consider pursuing a job in a field that provides that equilibrium. Here are the marketing and related digital jobs that made it into the top 25, along with their ranking:

Data Scientist (1)

The best job for work-life balance in 2015 was “data scientist.” This role, though not a new one, has exploded in popularity in recent years as its applications in nearly all aspects of business, especially marketing, has become better established. Data science recruiters have been incredibly busy trying to keep up with demand for new experts in this field, but are finding it hard to locate enough experts (part of the reason it made SHRM’s list of hardest jobs to fill for 2016).

Data scientists’ ability to compliment existing marketing analytics talent and translate hard numbers into meaningful predictions and insights has proven to be invaluable to businesses of all kinds, and they’re extremely valuable. Perhaps that’s why they’re able to negotiate such excellent salaries (the highest on the list), working terms, and arrange an exceptional work-life balance.

SEO Manager (2)

Despite the inevitable annual reports declaring it dead, SEO continues chugging along as steadily as ever. However, it’s a completely different beast from what it was even just a few years ago, and has become irreversibly connected with other digital marketing staffing fields, from content production to social engagement to UX optimization.

As SEO continues to evolve at a steady pace, demand remains high for exceptional talent to fill various SEO marketing staffing needs. Those individuals who have been able to keep up have found themselves in a strong position to balance their dynamic work with the rest of their lives.

Social Media Manager (4)

Though social media roles are often around-the-clock jobs, individuals with this kind of responsibility still consider their work to be an enhancement–not a drag–on the rest of their lives.

Roles like this are increasingly available to remote work, leaving social media experts with more options to work from home and spend less time commuting or at the office.

UX Designer (7)

As consumers become increasingly multichannel and the bar of expectations for web experiences, UX has quickly moved to the forefront of web development and content strategy. The rare experts who not only understand how web users think but can also creatively and technically create something exceptional for them are having little trouble finding work, and loving what they do.

User Experience recruiters and creative design staffing professionals are constantly on the lookout for fresh talent in this field, and the jobs they’re filling are typically high-paying, at great companies with an excellent work-life balance.

Digital Marketing Manager (8)

This is a very generic title that could encompass a wide variety of responsibilities. A Digital Marketing Manager at one company could have completely different duties, authority, and compensation from someone with the same title working at the business across the street (and making the life of a digital marketing executive recruiter extremely difficult).

Despite the variety in their jobs–from mid-level digital staffing to new executive positions–Digital Marketing Managers seem to have one thing in common: they’re extremely satisfied with their work-life situation, especially when compared to comparably management roles in other fields. This is excellent news for any relative newcomers to the marketing world looking to grow their career and move into the ranks of leadership.

Marketing Assistant (9)

Another similarly vague title that could mean a lot of things, the Marketing Assistant job nonetheless seems to come with an impressive mix of hard with plenty of personal time.

In most cases this is probably an all-purpose junior role meant to provide an extra set of hands on deck to support a marketing team in a variety of functions. A contract marketing assistant job in particular can be a great way to get in the door of an organization and gain valuable experience, while maintaining a vibrant life outside of work.

Web Developer (10)

Though not strictly a marketing job in the most direct sense, web developers have become deeply entrenched with marketing teams as the lines between digital and marketing blur. A competent developer who is also a great team player and understands the fundamentals of marketing is worth their weight in gold–something web developer recruiters are all too aware of.

Web development is not a new discipline, and although it continues to evolve it’s a relatively stable field. Thus, these professionals are often afforded good job security, consistent work expectations, and plenty of breathing room for personal time.

Marketing Analyst (15)

Marketing analytics staffing agencies can hardly keep up with the booming demand for experts in data handling and processing. Marketing Analysts, have no problems finding well-paying jobs, and seem to love how their work leaves enough space for their own interests and passions.

Interest in these roles from employers of all kinds shows no signs of slowing down, and we expect Marketing Analyst to remain on this list for several more years.

Web Designer (17)

Web Designers work closely with other roles that made the list, especially UX Designers and Web Developers, so it’s little surprise that they would find a spot in the top 20 as well. Though creative marketing jobs remain demanding, designers overall seem satisfied with how their work aligns with their own interests and expectations.

Content Manager (21)

Content marketing professionals round out our list. Though they’re “only” ranked 21st, keep in mind that this is out of thousands of different jobs. Content has taken the lead of many modern marketing strategies, and the individuals creating and managing that content are in the driver’s seat.

As demand for more and more high quality content rises, the strain on content marketers may grow. It will be interesting to see if these professionals will be able to maintain such a good balance in the future, or if their work slowly begins to take a larger and larger part of their time!