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Corporate America is racing to hire a new kind of communications professional: the “storyteller.”
A Wall Street Journal analysis shows the term appearing in domestic LinkedIn job postings at double last year’s rate, as companies look to control their narratives in a fractured media landscape. From Big Tech to fintech startups and nonprofits, employers are folding writing, social media, podcasting and executive messaging into newly branded storytelling teams, often offering six-figure salaries.
The shift reflects a long decline in traditional earned media, shrinking newsrooms and falling newspaper circulation, while brands increasingly act as publishers themselves through social platforms, newsletters and owned content. Executives now talk openly about “storytelling” on earnings calls, framing it as essential to growth, trust and authenticity—especially amid widespread skepticism of AI-generated content.
Former journalists are emerging as top candidates for these roles, prized for their editorial judgment and narrative skills. As companies chase more “human” connections with customers and investors, storytelling is fast becoming a core business function, not a marketing buzzword.
