Careers in Advertising First published in B&T, December 2006, ©Katrina Fox 2006

©Reed Business Information Australia

Does the talk of skills shortages mean all advertising professionals are in demand? What are the hiring expectations of executives in 2006 and how will market growth continue?

The good news for those working in the advertising industry is that the market outlook in terms of hiring is expected to be buoyant in 2006.
According to Aquent global CEO, Greg Savage: "[Hiring of] candidates on the suit side will continue to be strong. We'll see growth on the interactive side and online, and there's a great shortage of people with specific design skills such as packaging. Senior creatives will also be in demand."

His predictions are borne out by the latest figures from the Hudson Report which analyses the hiring expectations of employers each quarter.
"The projection for quarter one 2006 for the advertising and marketing industry does indicate growth in hiring expectations," practice leader sales, marketing & communications, Amy Smith, says.

Those with strategic skills will particularly be in great demand. "The requirement for more strategic communications planning seems to be a big part of where future is, managing director Mitchell & Partners, Stuart Mitchell, says. "The old planning and buying system has gone and there's more communications companies which are servicing other needs."
Clemenger BBDO Sydney managing director, Jim Moser, says it is constantly looking for people who can think strategically.

"This is extremely important both in account management, and also some of the most talented creative people are the ones who understand brand strategy and work clearly with what we're trying to do. [Employers] will be looking for people who have the ability to look beyond advertising, so through-the-line thinking, who can understand, when given a client's business problem, how communications can help solve it and which communications channels you should employ to reach the audience you should be talking to.
"Also in demand will be big idea people - predominantly creative people who can think conceptually - not someone who immediately thinks of a tv script, but can see how to translate an idea online or into an event to reach the audience."

Similarly in Perth, Marketforce general manager, Carrick Robinson, says while there won't be mass hirings in the area, strategic media skills are very much in demand at the senior strategy level and account service.

Directing marketing is an area also experiencing growth, according to director at Recruit Direct, Linda Jones. "We're really busy and I think it's going to be consistent," she says. "There is more and more demand for skilled direct marketers, especially at mid-management levels, as well as for writers and art directors at the midway level."

IBM is one of the largest employers of marketing staff, and marketing director IBM Australia & New Zealand, Megan Dalla-Camina, says during 2006 the company will continue to have a strong focus on industry marketing. "The ideal skill-set for us is someone who has deep industry marketing skills and also product and services skills that are relevant for the industries we are in."

But what of those staff in advertising agencies who try, often unsuccessfully, to cross over into industry marketing? Emphasising transferable skills and showing an understanding of business strategy is crucial, according to Savage. "People on the agency side who want to leap the fence will have an advantage if they can demonstrate exposure to the specific industry the client is in," he says. "For example, if you worked a lot in airline marketing advertising and want to join an airline's marketing department, if you can point to an understanding of the particular issues in that industry, that's a bridge. Also, ad agency executives should show how ad campaigns they've worked on led to deliverable results for clients, rather than how they won an award."

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