The Creative Group 2016 Salary Guide Provides Ranges for 120+ Positions

The Creative Group  (TCG) has released its 2016 Salary Guide. The free 32-page guide features salary ranges for more than 120 positions in the creative industry.  The positions are grouped into five categories:

  • Design and Production
  • Interactive Design and Production
  • Content Development and Management
  • Advertising and Marketing
  • Public Relations

According to Robert Half analysts, creative and marketing staff can expect average starting salary gains of 3.8 percent next year.

 

Content strategy and mobile development roles are in particularly high demand as organizations focus heavily on initiatives that enable them to connect with customers anytime and anywhere.

The guide also includes local variance numbers that enable employers to calculate the adjusted low-to-high salary range for specific cities. For example, average starting salaries in Cedar Falls, Iowa are about 87% of the U.S. average salaries published in this guide. In San Diego, California, the average starting salaries about 123% of the U.S. average salaries.

The content is directed at potential employers of full-time, part-time, contract-to-hire, and freelance creative professionals. It includes sections on:

  • Seven Sizzling Hiring Trends
  • Eight Essentials of an Award-Winning Team
  • Qualities to Look for In Job Candidates
  • Hiring for Your Environment

According to the guide: “Employees at all levels who specialize in mobile and responsive design continue to be in strong demand. Professionals skilled at creating content for the small screen are also become more sought after as wearables and other mobile devices gain in popularity.”

TCG identified eight essentials of an award-winning creative team:

  • a digital strategist
  • content strategist
  • user experience designer
  • visual designer
  • graphic designer
  • user interface developer
  • front-end web developer
  • web content writer

Three new roles that bubbling up in the creative world include: creative technologist; customer experience designer; marketing automation manager.

Hiring Trends

In addition to identifying salary ranges, the guide includes tips for hiring the right creative professionals for your particular company culture, retaining the best talent, and working with freelancers.

For example, the guide advises companies to “Highlight the unique attributes of your workplace culture on your website and in job postings. Make sure your hiring managers can easily articulate why your business is a great place to work.” The TCG guide also notes that “Many workers who feel they deserve a raise won’t even ask for one before deciding to resign.”

Employers should benchmark their salaries proactively against those of other companies in their region and industry. “In addition to offering competitive pay, employers need to consider salary discussions more often than the scheduled annual review.”

Freelancers Are Hot

In the “What’s Hot” list of “7 Sizzling Hiring Trends,” the report notes that “Indie creatives are in demand.” Agencies and in-house creative departments are using freelancers to help manage workloads and provide specialized skills that don’t exist internally: “In many cases, they are extending full-time offers to consultants who have proved successful in their roles.”

About The Creative Group

The Creative Group is a division of Robert Half, a global leader in professional staffing and consulting services. TCG specializes in placing interactive design, design, and marketing professionals on a project, contract-to-hire, and full-time basis.

LINKS

The Creative Group 2016 Salary Guide

The Creative Group Salary Center and Salary Calculator

The Creative Group Blog