Demand for digital marketers and content curators is now exceeding supply, according to new research.
The study, from McKinley Marketing Partners, indicates that digital marketing jobs are the most in demand for marketing departments, while advertising and content rank as the most sought after skills.
Key findings from this year’s study include:
⦁ Demand for marketing talent far exceeds supply in key areas.
⦁ Forty-four percent of companies plan to hire more marketers in 2017 than they did the previous year (up from 28 percent).
⦁ Cutbacks will be minimal, though certain marketing functions will be hit harder than the rest.
⦁ Over half of marketing hires will be digital this year.
Overall, the study found that the need for marketing talent exceeds the supply with mid-level marketers the most in demand.
The study polled over 300 directors, vice presidents, C-level marketing executives in the UK, as well as hiring managers, and focused on the issues and trends that are important to the careers of those in the marketing departments.
The report concludes that hiring numbers are at times inconsistent across marketing functions as is the supply of available talent.
Digital advertising (27%), followed by content creation and curation (23%) and content strategy (20%) are the skills most in demand, while those that are least in demand include project management (10%) and both direct response and partner marketing (11%).
Further, SEO/SEM is seeing a diminishing demand at (19%), along with lead generation (16%) and marketing automation (14%).
One of the skills most sought after by employers are communications skills and problem-solving ability.
In addition, the report suggests that 52% of those surveyed will be hiring because of growth and 49% will hire to fill vacant positions or to redistribute responsibilities.
Amongst those planning to hire, 56% will hire professionals with digital marketing expertise primarily in the areas of content creation and curation, mobile, social, SEO/SEM and lead generation.
The second highest area of demand is in creative services (35%) with the most in-demand skills being graphic, web and visual design and copywriting. With digital marketers enjoying the largest hiring component this year (56%), the study suggests that only a fraction of digital marketers are looking for new opportunities.
When it comes to working conditions, the report indicates that quality of life does matter and more marketers indicate they prefer the option of working from home, with 76% open to the idea of working for non-profit organizations, with 55% of those surveyed indicating that non-profit work is more fulfilling.
“While the advent of new tools makes it easier to quantify results the basic tenets of marketing still stand: prove value to stakeholders and differentiate from the competition. As digital marketing continues to grow, marketers have a tremendous opportunity to make a lasting, positive impact,” said Michelle J. Boggs, president and CEO of McKinley Marketing Partners.
Read the full report here (registration required).