Net 7 Per Cent of Marketing and Advertising Executives Anticipate Hiring in the Fourth Quarter: Greatest Demand for Account Services Professionals

TORONTO, Sept. 24, 2012 /CNW/ - Fourteen per cent of marketing and advertising executives plan to add full-time staff in the next three months, according to The Creative Group Hiring Index for Marketing and Advertising Professionals, and 7 per cent forecast reductions in personnel. The resulting net 7 per cent of executives anticipating hiring is up three points from the third-quarter forecast. Much of the growth is on the agency side, with a net 21 per cent of these advertising executives planning to add full-time employees.

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 advertising and marketing 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.

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    Key Findings

    -  The net 7 per cent of executives planning to hire in the fourth
       quarter is up three points from the third-quarter 2012 forecast. A net
       21 per cent of advertising executives expect to add full-time staff,
       compared to a net 7 per cent of marketing executives.
    -  Forty-two per cent of respondents said it's challenging to find
       skilled creative professionals today, down eight points from the
       previous quarter.
    -  Account services, brand and product management; web design and
       production; and social media are the specialties in greatest demand,
       according to marketing and advertising executives.
    -  Eighty-nine per cent of respondents report they are confident in their
       companies' growth prospects for the fourth quarter, down one point
       from the third-quarter projections.
    >>

"Employers are reallocating more of their advertising and marketing budgets to include digital and online media, which is stimulating demand for creative professionals with expertise in these areas," said Lara Dodo, regional vice president of The Creative Group in Canada. "Agencies also need account services professionals who can manage current and prospective client relationships, as well as keep assignments on track and within budget."

Marketing and Advertising Specialties in Demand

When executives were asked in which areas they plan to add staff in the fourth quarter, account services ranked first with 24 per cent of the response, followed by brand and product management (23 per cent), web design and production (21 per cent) and social media (19 per cent). Forty-two per cent of respondents said it's challenging for their firms to find skilled creative professionals, down eight points from the third-quarter forecast.

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

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    Account services                       24%
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    Brand and product management           23%
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    Web design or production               21%
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    Social media                           19%
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    Public relations                       17%
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    Media services                         16%
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    Print design/production                15%
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    Interactive media                      12%
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    Copywriting                            12%
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    Marketing research                     12%
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    Mobile applications development        11%
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    Creative or art direction              10%
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    Note: Multiple responses permitted. Top responses shown.
    >>

View the research highlights (http://creativegroup.mediaroom.com/file.php/322/TCG_0912_HiringReport_CAN.jpg).

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.

Information from the study is featured in the Robert Half Professional Employment Report, which was 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 in the creative profession compares to other sectors, please visit 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.

SOURCE: The Creative Group

Nadia Santoli, [phone], [email protected]