05.11.2025
7min.
Articles

Who affiliate companies will need in 2025: an inside look at the market

Affiliate marketing has been growing rapidly for several years now, not only as a business direction but also as a popular career field.

More and more people looking for new opportunities are turning their attention to this industry. On social media, YouTube, and podcasts, we often hear a similar message:

“You can start affiliate marketing from scratch and earn $1,500+ in just a few months.”

However, in 2025, these expectations are increasingly being shattered by reality.

As recruiters and training program managers, we see this every day: even junior positions today are not an “easy entry” but a serious challenge. The market is changing: companies are becoming more demanding, and competition among candidates is only growing.

We decided to compile comments from C-level representatives of affiliate companies and teams that are actively hiring in this article. Their answers clearly show who is currently sought after in the market, what skills matter, and why simply wanting to “get into affiliate marketing” is no longer enough.

More than 85% of the companies we spoke with are currently focused on hiring middle or senior specialists. Why? Because the market has become more aggressive and competitive.

Who are companies looking for, and what skills are valued?

Victor, COO & Co-founder, OceanLeads noted:

We are looking for people with 2+ years of experience, and despite the fact that we specialize in the dating vertical, we communicate with candidates with experience in various niches. It is also important for us that candidates have at least Upper-intermediate English skills.

Rockit Media says:

“For us, practical experience in the vertical, strong analytical skills, the ability to work at a fast pace, and take responsibility are important. Plus, English at a level sufficient for reading. Soft skills are also very important: proactivity, teamwork, and adaptability.”

Margarita, Head of HR, NDA

We look for people with experience in our niche, knowledge of the vertical, and a desire to work hard.

How to recognize potential in an affiliate marketing candidate?

The reality is that finding the perfect specialist is almost impossible. Each company tries to take a comprehensive approach to assessment and identify critical aspects that they are not willing to compromise on. For example, some are willing to overlook a lack of experience in a particular niche, while for others this is critical.

Today, the market is facing new challenges: the pandemic, war, mass digitalization, and online education have significantly affected the level of soft skills of younger candidates. More and more often, companies are faced with problems of time management, lack of responsibility, and difficulties in teamwork.

Yulia Poderyako, HRD at PAXLE Holding, shares her approach:

“When assessing a candidate’s potential, I pay attention to several things: self-education: whether they take courses, read, study independently. Analytical thinking is important: it can be seen even in how a person approaches simple cases. Genuine motivation, when it’s not just ‘I want to work’, but a real interest in the industry. And also flexibility, the ability to adapt quickly and work with feedback. Skills can be improved. But openness to development is what allows you to grow even without experience.”

Victoria Opaleva, CEO of Advery, adds:

“We evaluate candidates holistically — from experience to the ability to express their thoughts clearly. There are things we’re flexible about, but for Middle and Senior roles, real results and how a person acts in challenging situations are a must. For Juniors, soft skills and inner motivation matter most. And at any level, our core values — openness, teamwork, and professionalism — really define our culture.”

Candidate behavior in 2025: new trends

Over the past few years, the affiliate recruitment market has changed dramatically. One of the main problems has been a decline in accountability among candidates without experience. Recruiters are increasingly faced with candidates who:

do not follow up after the first interview;
accept an offer but do not show up for work;
change companies after a few months in search of “better conditions.”

This is a consequence of general instability, as well as the new approach of Generation Z, which tends to “test options.” In addition, there is a growing number of candidates with inflated salary expectations — often without any real background.

For example, candidates with no experience are increasingly asking for a starting salary of $1,000+ simply because “that’s what they said in the video about affiliate marketing.”

At the same time, there are also positive trends. Specialists with 2–5 years of experience have become much more aware: they evaluate not only salary, but also conditions, atmosphere, clarity of career growth, and flexibility at work.

According to the results of our survey, candidates focus on the following:

Work format: the vast majority of candidates want to work remotely, with hybrid coming in second place. Office work is losing its appeal.
Career development: a clear development plan is a must-have. Without it, an offer loses its value, even with good financial conditions.
Values: comfort, support, interesting projects, and learning opportunities are becoming decisive factors for those who choose a company for the long term.
Social package: health insurance and additional days off are no longer a “bonus” but the norm. At the same time, opportunities to invest in personal development through training, mentoring, or a performance-based bonus system are increasingly valued.

Key challenges in hiring in the affiliate industry

Staff shortage: there are fewer and fewer high-quality specialists

The problem of a shortage of experienced specialists is more acute than ever. Finding people who have expertise, are able to adapt quickly, and deliver results is no easy task.

Victor, COO & Co-founder, OceanLeads

“The talent shortage is palpable. There are fewer and fewer people with experience and a desire to switch jobs. We negotiated with some team leads for several months before they accepted our offer.”

Margarita, Head of HR, NDA

“The situation has been difficult for over two years. Those who remain in the market are being actively developed by companies. Others have either left the field or have a low level of training. The biggest shortage is experienced buyers and affiliate managers.”

Headhunting and the battle for candidates

Due to the limited number of strong specialists, the level of headhunting is increasing. Companies compete for people not only with conditions, but also with the speed of decision-making.

Margarita, Head of HR, NDA

“We face a challenge: to respond quickly. If you don’t respond in time, the candidate will already have another offer. It’s also not easy to beat the competitors’ terms, especially if you want to stay within budget.”

Salary ≠ motivation

High salaries are no longer a guarantee of engagement. Companies are faced with the fact that candidates accept offers but do not always deliver the expected results.

Viktoria Opaleva, CEO, Advery

“In recent years, many specialists have become less goal-oriented. Salary expectations keep growing, but motivation often goes the opposite way. Sometimes words don’t match actions. Another challenge is the younger generation — fast, dynamic, but very protective of their time. That’s why leaders need to adapt their approaches, training, and communication styles”.

Loyalty and turnover

Another problem is low loyalty to companies. The conditions of war, remote work, and numerous “quick offers” from competitors have created an environment where specialists do not stay for long.

How to adapt to market realities: advice from practitioners

Lowering requirements for candidates is not the answer. Instead, companies should review their approaches to recruiting and team development.

Focus on soft skills

The rigid mindset of “experience only” no longer works. Technical skills are a matter of time and good adaptation, while stress resistance, critical thinking, and the ability to work in a team are things that are difficult to catch up on from scratch. Therefore, focusing on soft skills is more than a trend, it is a must.

That is why we created PAXLE Academy. It is an educational project that not only teaches but also prepares people for the real market. It creates a steady stream of specialists for an industry where not only theory but also real readiness for challenges is important.

Invest in development

Training is not a “nice bonus” but a strategic investment. It helps to adapt newcomers, retain the team, and develop loyalty. In our practice, we have regular internal workshops, training sessions, and even guest speakers. One of our recent workshops was dedicated to the topic: “How to learn effectively and build a career.” It’s about a culture of growth, not just knowledge.

Be flexible

Hybrid, remote, clear KPIs, individual development tracks: these are things that really influence a candidate’s choice. Especially when competition for strong specialists is quite intense.

Rockit Media

“We make decisions faster and pay more attention to pre-close to avoid disruptions when accepting an offer. The market is changing, and now candidates are looking not only at money but also at development and culture. We have adapted and are showing these advantages right from the start.”

Show the path to career growth

A clear understanding of “what’s next?” is one of the strongest motivators. Companies that know how to communicate this win not only in attracting candidates but also in gaining team loyalty.

Victoria Opaleva, CEO, Advery

“My advice: invest in people. A company’s results directly depend on those around you — top managers, team leads, every team member. And most importantly, as abstract as it may sound, trust yourself when hiring and nurture talent. Wishing you more closed vacancies and new shining stars!”

Finally, we would like to say on behalf of ourselves, Ira Kosheva (Head of Project, Paxle Academy) and Yulia Pashchenko (Talent Acquisition Specialist, Paxle):