Fall Hiring Trends: Contract-To-Hire

Fast. Flexible. Freelance.

Freelancers are no longer a backup plan. They’re the backbone of how high-growth brands get work done.

As summer winds down and priorities reset, we’re entering one of the busiest hiring windows of the year.

Ready to ramp up? We’ll connect you with the talent to make it happen.

💡 Inside the Market: What We’re Seeing

• Contract demand has surged, with roles being filled faster than we’ve seen all year.
  

• Freelance to full-time pipeline, 18%+ of contract roles in H1 converted to full-time showing how contract talent is shaping the future of long-term hiring.
  

• Top product talent comes at a premium, especially ICs who blend execution with product thinking.

• Social & influencer roles are gaining ground, averaging $126/hr as brands double down on community, creators, and short-form content.

⭐️ Contractor Spotlight

Below is a curated list of freelance and contract talent available for short-term or project-based work. If you’d like an intro, just hit reply to this email.

📲 Social

Thom Bery | Social Media Lead | Portfolio
Previously at Peloton, Reddit

• Based in NYC, led $RDDT IPO social media strategy (92% positive-neutral sentiment), maintaining Reddit's "brilliantly absurd" nature while adhering to SEC regulations

• Launched TikTok presence (+1.1M followers in 2 years) and built Reddit’s social video capabilities from scratch

• All-inclusive rate $112.50/hr, available immediately

✍️ Copy

Sophia Gonzalez | Editorial Copy Lead | Portfolio
Previously at Tommy Hilfiger, Hugo Boss, Burberry, Barneys New York

• Based in NYC, with a strong luxury fashion background in pitches, emails, paid and organic social posts, site pages, OOH advertising, and signage across global channels

• All-inclusive rate $115/hr, available immediately

Josh Poag | Senior Copywriter | Portfolio
Previously at DraftKings, Budweiser, MLB

• Based in NYC, with expertise in video scripts, 360° campaigns, social media content, TV commercials, OOH advertising, direct mail, print campaigns, and sports sponsorship activations

• All-inclusive rate $113-120/hr, available immediately

📣 Creative Ops / Production

Ali Lovell | Creative Producer/Creative Ops | Portfolio (PW: hello)
Previously at Patreon, Airbnb

• Based in SF, was the first creative producer at Patreon, spearheading global GTM campaigns and high-profile collabs with top creators

• Produced 30+ brand-focused photoshoots and video campaigns in under 1 year

• All-inclusive rate $187.50/hr, available immediately

Jenny Huang | Creative Ops Manager | Portfolio
Previously at Adobe, Walmart, RockYou, Digg

• Based in SF, nicknamed “encyclopedia” and is the go-to SME for all creative questions, risks, costs, SLAs with 700+ projects completed

• At Walmart Connect, she managed workflows for B2B and B2C operations in the food and fashion verticals

• All-inclusive rate $115/hr, available immediately

💡 Creative

I-Nu | Art Director + Brand Designer | Portfolio
Previously at Spotify, Nike, Apple, Nickelodeon, Youtube, Coca-Cola

• Based in NYC, with experience in big tech and startups to drive strategy, conceptual design, and execution to shape brand identities + design systems

• Skills include design thinking, brand experiences, digital content, illustration and motion system guidelines

• All-inclusive rate $120/hr, available immediately

Nick Velazquez | Senior Creative Designer | Portfolio
Previously at Mozilla, Meta, Verizon

• Based in Oakland, led motion design, brand systems, and presentation development with a focus on strategic visual storytelling

• Designed and art directed motion videos for Verizon's innovation lab

• All-inclusive rate $150/hr, available immediately

If any of these stand out, just reply! We’re happy to set up an intro or send over more info. 😊

✨ On Air Summit, September 26th

We’re excited to share something special: Air is hosting their first-ever On Air Summit in NYC on Sept. 26th, exploring the question: “Is Creativity Actually Dead?”

Creative People is proud to partner with AIR on this one-of-a-kind gathering, bringing together top creative and marketing leaders like Kelly Gordon (Creative People), Oren John (Internets CD), and Zaria Parvez (ex-Duolingo). Expect thought-provoking talks, immersive experiences, and an audience of the sharpest minds in our space.

⚡️ Attendance is application-based and spots are limited. We encourage you to apply early.

👉 Event details and apply here.

If you’re looking to hire for your team or have any feedback, reach out to us at [email protected].