In the world of digital marketing, trends and Google algorithms are changing faster than the weather in spring. Finding a great company to work in is like catching a ride in rush hour. There’s nothing wrong with wishing to make $100,000-200,000 per year. You just need to know how to position yourself as a top specialist.

If you’re an SEO specialist or a growth marketer who wants to have a stable job and work on truly interesting projects, you need to possess the skills that are paying off better at the moment.

Why is SEO and growth marketing a gold mine?

For starters, let’s figure out why these positions are in demand right now. The labor market is on fire. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 6-8% growth for marketing managers and promotion specialists by 2034. That’s faster than average across all professions.

What about SEO? Previsible 2025 State of SEO Jobs Report (based on more than 10,000 listings) indicates that more than 60% of SEO roles are in-house, about 40% in agencies. Demand for SEO pros is growing 26% over the next five years, and experts openly talk about a severe talent shortage. Growth marketing doesn’t fall behind as well. More than 60% of marketers rank it among their top priorities as it delivers up to 60% faster business growth.

You can see that the industry is booming. If you’re open to relocation, right now is the perfect time. Companies in the USA, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, the UAE, and Singapore are actively hunting for strong SEO and growth specialists and are ready to sponsor work visas. Jooble currently has thousands of these roles worldwide. You can use the convenient visa sponsorship opportunities filter, and you’ll find openings with full relocation packages and visa support in a couple of clicks.

What skills do recruiters need in SEO specialists?

Nowadays, SEO is far from just stuffing keywords into text. Algorithms are smarter, AI Overviews steal clicks, and the focus has shifted to user experience. In about 95% of job postings, recruiters demand Google Analytics. In short, it’s the undisputed king of analytics. Moreover, employers are saying that the most difficult skill to find is technical SEO.

If you want to outshine other applicants, you should take a look at these skills:

Analytics & Data (Google Analytics 4, Search Console)

That’s one of the most important skills. Almost every job posting you can see includes GA. Recruiters want to know how you measure ROI. Ahrefs highlights that analytics is key to understanding why your content ranks (or doesn't).

Technical SEO (Core Web Vitals, schema markup, site speed)

About 20% of recruiters are desperate for these wizards. Now, the focus is on site speed and mobile optimization. That’s why it won’t hurt to master the tools like Screaming Frog to diagnose websites like a doctor.

Keyword Research & Content Optimization with E-E-A-T

You need to understand semantic search and Google’s E-E-A-T framework. That’s important since the majority of backlinks go to long-form content that is more than 3,000 words.

Link Building & Off-Page SEO (especially Digital PR)

Most specialists say it’s the toughest part. At the same time, it’s effective. In 2025, about 50% of pros name digital PR as their #1 tactic.

AI Overviews & Voice Search Optimization

Specialists see traffic growth after adapting to AI answers. Conversational and long-tail queries are the future, as more than 35% of U.S. households own a smart speaker.

UX + CRO

Google now ranks based on real user experience. Marketers say SEO delivers the highest ROI among all channels.

Communication & Strategy Presentation

Many recruiters complain that they can’t find candidates who can convincingly pitch a strategy and justify a budget to the C-suite. Ultimately, SEO isn’t only about coding.

If you’re a junior, you can start by taking courses. If you’re mid-level or senior, you should pack your portfolio with real case studies. 

What skills do recruiters need in growth marketers?

Growth marketing is all about experiments. Even one smart A/B test can double your users overnight. This year, employers care more about what you can do than your degree. Recruiters are looking for versatile specialists who can combine marketing, data, and creativity in their work.

A/B Testing & Experimentation Culture

Recruiters want to see that you aren’t just changing something on the website, but that you can run clean tests. You swap one button and get +26% conversions, rewrite a headline and lift sign-ups by 40%. This is a basic skill. If you don’t have it, it’s hardly likely that you’ll be invited for an interview.

Data Fluency (SQL, cohort analysis, LTV/CAC)

You need to jump into the database, pull the right numbers, and instantly see: “Users from TikTok pay back in 42 days; users from Google Ads take 118.” That’s how you decide where to pour money. Almost every growth marketer today writes their own basic SQL queries instead of begging the analytics team.

Short-Form Video & Viral Content

A strong growth marketer can shoot a 15-second clip on their phone, spend $300 on ads, and bring in 10,000 new users. You’ll get bonus points if you can turn happy customers into a content machine.

Email Marketing & Referral Programs

A simple “bring a friend, both get $10” loop still delivers the cheapest and most loyal users. Dropbox and Airbnb literally built empires on this single tactic.

SEO/SEM Integration

Growth without organic traffic is like running on one leg. The best growth people always think six months ahead. From day one, they’re contemplating how to build the channel so it works for free later.

AI & Automation

Almost nobody writes copy by hand anymore. AI tools spit out 50 headline variations in seconds. Your job is to pick the winner and test it immediately.

Creativity & Community Building

The truly elite growth marketers turn users into fans. They launch Telegram groups, Discord servers, and ambassador programs, so customers start bringing their friends and defending the brand in the comments themselves.

How can you level up fast and impress any recruiter?

There’s no better time than now to act. Companies are literally fighting for good specialists. You should use this window while it’s wide open. Here are the ways you can level up fast:

1. Learning. Instead of watching YouTube, you should get official certificates that recruiters instantly recognize and trust;

2. Portfolio. That is the single thing that gets you hired faster than anything else. Recruiters spend 7–10 seconds on a resume but will read a good case study for five minutes;

3. LinkedIn. You can turn your profile into a magnet for recruiters. Instead of simply writing “SEO Specialist”, you should write “I grow organic traffic 100-300%”;

4. Networking. The majority of cool jobs are never posted publicly. You should work on networking the same way you work on your A/B tests.

Be the one recruiters are looking for

Today, SEO and growth marketing are a ticket to above-average pay and projects that actually move the needle. If you master analytics, technical depth, and creative experimentation, recruiters will chase you.

Whenever you feel that you’re ready to grow, you should update your résumé, build case studies, and jump in. Right now is the moment when companies are ready to overpay and relocate you at their own expense — as long as you can prove growth with hard numbers. Jooble can make finding these opportunities fast and easy.