Net 4 Per Cent of Marketing and Advertising Executives Anticipate Hiring in the Third Quarter: Executives Continue to See Recruiting Challenges for High-Demand Skills, Survey Shows

TORONTO, June 14 /CNW/ - Most marketing and advertising executives plan to maintain their current staffing levels in the third quarter of 2012, according to the just-released The Creative Group Hiring Index for Marketing and Advertising Professionals. In the latest quarterly survey, 10 per cent of marketing and advertising executives plan to add full-time staff in the next three months, and 6 per cent forecast reductions in personnel, for a net 4 per cent of executives anticipating hiring. Half (50 per cent) of those surveyed said it's challenging to find skilled creative professionals today.

The Creative Group Hiring Index for Marketing and Advertising Professionals is based on more than 250 telephone interviews -- approximately 200 with marketing executives randomly selected from companies with 100 or more employees and 50 with advertising executives randomly selected from agencies with 20 or more employees. Executives are asked whether their companies plan to increase or decrease the number of full-time marketing and advertising personnel on their staff during the coming quarter. The survey is conducted by an independent research firm and developed by The Creative Group, a specialised staffing service providing interactive, design and marketing professionals on a project and full-time basis.

    <<
    Key Findings

    -  The net 4 per cent of executives planning to hire in the third quarter
       is down 18 points from the second-quarter 2012 forecast.
    -  Fifty per cent of survey respondents said it's challenging to find
       skilled creative professionals today, down two points from the
       previous quarter.
    -  Web design/production, account services and social media are the
       specialties in greatest demand, according to marketing and advertising
       executives.
    -  Ninety per cent of survey respondents report they are confident in
       their companies' growth prospects for the third quarter, up four
       points from the second-quarter projections.
    >>

"While many marketing and advertising executives do not expect to change staffing levels in the next three months, they are feeling confident that their companies will see growth," says Lara Dodo, a regional vice-president of The Creative Group in Canada. "This is resulting in continued demand for professionals with specific skill sets, specifically those who can help enhance their company's digital presence or manage new and established client relationships."

Marketing and Advertising Specialties in Demand

When executives were asked in which areas they plan to add staff in the third quarter, web design/production and account services ranked highest, each with 20 per cent of the response. Social media followed with 19 per cent. Fifty per cent of respondents said it's challenging for their firms to find skilled creative professionals, down two points from the second-quarter forecast.

Marketing and advertising executives were asked, "In which of the following areas do you expect to hire in the third quarter of 2012?" Their responses:

    <<
    --------------------------------------------------------
    Web design/production                                20%
    --------------------------------------------------------
    Account services                                     20%
    --------------------------------------------------------
    Social media                                         19%
    --------------------------------------------------------
    Brand/product management                             18%
    --------------------------------------------------------
    Mobile applications development                      16%
    --------------------------------------------------------
    Interactive media                                    15%
    --------------------------------------------------------
    Creative/art direction                               14%
    --------------------------------------------------------
    Marketing research                                   14%
    --------------------------------------------------------
    Media services                                       13%
    --------------------------------------------------------
    Print design/production                              12%
    --------------------------------------------------------
    Public relations                                     10%
    --------------------------------------------------------
    Copywriting                                           6%
    --------------------------------------------------------
    Note: Multiple responses permitted. Top responses shown.
    >>

View the research highlights: http://creativegroup.mediaroom.com/file.php/314/TCG_0612_HiringReport_CAN.jpg

Perspectives on Business Growth

Marketing and advertising executives' confidence in their ability to attract new business increased over last quarter. Ninety per cent of those interviewed said they are somewhat or very confident in their firms' prospects for growth in the third quarter, up four points from three months ago.

About the Hiring Index

The Creative Group Hiring Index for Marketing and Advertising Professionals is based on more than 250 telephone interviews -- approximately 200 with marketing executives randomly selected from companies with 100 or more employees and 50 with advertising executives randomly selected from agencies with 20 or more employees within Canada. The interviews were conducted by an independent research firm.

The interviews were conducted by an independent research firm. Information from the study is featured in the Robert Half Professional Employment Report (http://www.roberthalf.ca/per), which launched in 2010 and is the first study of its kind to monitor the hiring environment for professional-level positions exclusively. Based on more than 1,000 telephone interviews with executives throughout Canada, it provides insight on employment trends to help businesses and job seekers prepare for the upcoming quarter. To see how hiring within the creative profession has changed since last quarter and how it compares to other sectors, please visit www.roberthalf.ca/per.

About The Creative Group

The Creative Group (TCG) specialises in placing a range of highly skilled interactive, design, marketing, advertising and public relations professionals with a variety of firms on a project and full-time basis. More information, including online job-hunting services, candidate portfolios and TCG's award-winning career magazine, can be found at creativegroup.com.

Nadia Santoli, [phone], [email protected]