Brands bank on young talent to build up marketing

Junior and entry-level marketing professionals are in high demand as employees look to staff up their marketing teams from the ground up to exploit growing confidence in the discipline’s ability to help take the business forward, according to a report. 

Female marketers boardroom
Junior and entry-level marketers are set to be in high demand in 2014 as brands look to build their teams from the ground-up.

The study, commissioned by recruitment consultants Robert Walters, found nearly two thirds (63 per cent) of companies plan on hiring mainly permanent marketers over the next six months. Of those, more than six in ten (69 per cent) are looking to take on junior or entry level recruits with companies banking on an expected influx of job seekers to the creative industries to attract high caliber candidates.

While attracting juniors is key, 60 per cent of companies are set to bring in mid-level marketing professionals and 46 per cent are recruiting managers.

The recruitment drive echoes comments from some senior marketers that younger and more culturally diverse talent is needed to establish brands reflective of customer demographics in the fragmented media space. Nokia and Microsoft are among those jumping on the trend with the ultimate aim of elevating marketing’s role in the boardroom.  

Those efforts are likely to be stifled by a war for talent as brands brace themselves for an anticipated skills shortage, according to the study. More than 40 per cent of respondents expect to be affected by skills shortages over the coming months, while a quarter (27 per cent) are uncertain about the impact it could have on their ability to hire the right professionals.  

Tim Gilbert, director of marketing recruitment at recruitment consultants Robert Walters, says: “Investment in permanent hires is a sign of increasing confidence and an indication that employers are building up marketing headcount to help take the business forward. As conditions improve, we anticipate more job seekers looking to take advantage of the opportunities on offer.”

The survey also revealed that 6 per cent of employers say the growth of the business or new business will have the greatest impact on hiring, up from 58 per cent at the start of the year. It reflects companies growing confidence in marketing in 2014 as highlighted by the latest Bellwether report, which found nearly 40 per cent of the UK’s biggest brands plan on increasing their budgets for this year and next.

Robert Walters surveyed 102 hiring managers from several sectors including FMCG, technology and financial services earlier this month (2 to 6 June).

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