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U.S. Advertising and Marketing Executives Reveal Hiring Plans for First Half of 2016
Survey Shows Recruiting Challenges Reach a Five-Year High

MENLO PARK, Calif., Dec. 17, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Eleven percent of advertising and marketing executives surveyed plan to expand their teams in the first half of 2016, according to new research from staffing firm The Creative Group. The majority (76 percent) of respondents said they expect to maintain staff levels and hire primarily to fill vacated roles in the next six months. Fifty-eight percent of executives said it is challenging to find creative professionals today, the highest since 2010.

Research from The Creative Group reveals U.S. advertising and marketing executives' hiring plans for first half of 2016

 

U.S. Hiring Climate for Creatives*

Jan.-June 2016

July-Dec. 2015

Jan.-June 2015

Expanding/adding new positions

11%

21%

33%

Maintaining/filling vacated positions

76%

65%

56%

Freezing/not filling vacated or new positions

10%

13%

5%

Reducing/eliminating positions

1%

1%

6%

Don't know

1%

0%

0%

 

*Responses may not total 100 percent due to rounding.

 

View an infographic of the research highlights.

"Companies have specific staffing needs, particularly in digital marketing, and seek professionals with precise skills and experience to support these initiatives. Low unemployment coupled with high demand is creating a competitive hiring environment," said Diane Domeyer, executive director of The Creative Group. "Employers are also placing greater emphasis on finding job candidates who will fit well with their workplace culture, which is making the recruiting process even more challenging."

Marketing and Advertising Specialties in Demand
When executives were asked in which areas they plan to add staff in the first half of 2016, they reported a range of specialties. Content marketing and creative/art direction topped the list (27 percent each), followed by brand/product management and print design/production (26 percent each).

Advertising and marketing executives were asked, "In which of the following areas do you expect to hire in the first half of 2016?" Their responses:

Content marketing

27%

Creative/art direction

27%

Brand/product management

26%

Print design/production

26%

Interactive media

25%

Account services

23%

Media services

22%

Web design/production

20%

Marketing research

17%

Digital marketing

16%

Public relations

15%

Customer experience

15%

Copywriting

15%

Social media

15%

Mobile design/development

10%

 

Note: Multiple responses permitted. Top responses shown.

 

Recruiting Challenges
Hiring is getting harder for companies: Fifty-eight percent of advertising and marketing executives said it is challenging to find skilled creative professionals today, up 16 percent from six months ago. This is the highest it's been since The Creative Group started tracking the figure in 2010. Hiring managers at small marketing departments (100-249 employees) expect the greatest difficulty, with 62 percent of respondents reporting it is somewhat or very challenging to find the talent they seek.

When asked which areas are most difficult to fill, the top responses were brand/product management and customer experience.

About the Research
The national study was developed by The Creative Group and conducted by an independent research firm. It is based on more than 400 telephone interviews -- with approximately 200 marketing executives randomly selected from companies with 100 or more employees and 200 advertising executives randomly selected from agencies with 20 or more employees.

About The Creative Group
The Creative Group (TCG) specializes in placing a range of highly skilled interactive, design, marketing, advertising and public relations professionals with a variety of firms on a project, contract-to-hire and full-time basis. More resources, including online job-hunting services, candidate portfolios and TCG's blog, can be found at creativegroup.com.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151216/296619-INFO

 

SOURCE The Creative Group

For further information: Alison Strickland, (650) 234-6277, alison.strickland@creativegroup.com