Creative Group Survey Shows Stable Hiring Environment

A majority of advertising agencies and marketing departments plan to maintain current staff levels in the second half of 2013, according to new research from creative staffing agency The Creative Group.

Fifty-nine percent of advertising and marketing executives interviewed said they plan to hire to fill vacated roles during the remainder of the year. An additional 9 percent anticipate expanding their teams, 25 percent project hiring freezes and 4 percent expect to reduce the size of their staff.

More than half (52 percent) of respondents said it is challenging to find creative professionals today. Hiring managers at midsize advertising agencies (50 to 99 employees) report the greatest difficulty, with 81 percent of respondents saying it is somewhat or very challenging.

Web design/production, print design/production and account services are the top roles executives plan to hire for during the second half of the year.

The national survey was developed by The Creative Group, a specialized staffing service for interactive, design, marketing, advertising and public relations professionals.  The survey was conducted by an independent research firm and involved more than 400 telephone interviews. Approximately 300 interviews were conducted with marketing executives randomly selected from companies with 100 or more employees. About 100 interviews were conducted with advertising executives randomly selected from agencies with 20 or more employees.

In-Demand Specialties

Executives were asked “In which of the following areas do you expect to hire in the second half of 2013?” Their responses:

  • Web design/production: 23%
  • Print design/production: 18%
  • Account services: 16%
  • Social media: 15%
  • Media services: 15%
  • Public relations: 14%
  • Interactive media: 13%
  • Brand/product management: 12%
  • Creative/art direction: 12%
  • Marketing research: 11%
  • Mobile applications development: 10%

“Many organizations brought on new staff at the beginning of the year to position themselves for expected growth in the coming months,” said Donna Farrugia, executive director of The Creative Group. “Employers are now adding positions, when appropriate, to keep up with new business demands. Web design and production remains a top growth area as companies seek to expand and improve their online presence.”

LINKS

The Creative Group

Hiring and Salary Trends for Creatives

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