Nobody can afford to rest on their laurels just now: “Unemployment in the UK is rising alarmingly,” says The Chartered Institute of Marketing’ s director of research and information, David Thorp. “With redundancies likely to hit many businesses as they adjust to harder times, it’s vital to ensure your skills and knowledge set you apart from your peers,” he says. “Keeping your career skills up to date is a valuable differentiator, cements your job security and gives you better options for looking for new roles elsewhere.”
Despite feeling anxious about the state of the economy overall, the majority of marketers surveyed recently by The Institute were optimistic about the likely fortunes of their own companies and, crucially, the prospects for marketers themselves. Indeed, 80 per cent of marketers felt business for their own company would get better or stay the same, and as many as 29 per cent said their companies were likely to increase numbers of marketing staff. Only 10 per cent believed their companies would reduce the size of the marketing team, with a further 60 per cent expecting the number of marketing roles in the company to remain the same.
Every cloud . . .
There’s even a silver lining – the survey revealed growing opportunities for marketers working in green and sustainable fields as these areas become increasingly important to customers despite the downturn.
There’s good news when it comes to salaries too. The survey found that a third of marketers now receive a bonus equivalent to 9 per cent of salary and pay increases for marketing professionals averaged 3.3 per cent over the last year, in line with the national average. Moreover, 51 per cent of marketing professionals receive private health insurance, and of the 75 per cent of marketers in a company pension, around a third still enjoy the benefits of a final salary scheme. The overall forecast for marketing professionals for pay awards in the next 12 months is 3.5 per cent.
Gareth Vale, head of marketing at Blue Skies Marketing Recruitment, says that while he hasn’t noticed a dip in salaries, and while he’s still seeing plenty of new jobs coming onto the market, there’s never been a more important time for marketers to hone their career‑building skills.
“Employers are definitely taking longer to recruit,” he reports. “As a rule they’re interviewing a greater number of candidates and adding extra interview stages. They’re looking for more.”
Looking ahead to 2009, he adds: “It will probably be a client-led market with a surplus of candidates. With fewer jobs and more candidates, they’ll have to work harder to impress.”
Specialisms will stand you in good stead, believes Vale. “Experienced, quality candidates with specialist skill sets, such as digital or direct marketing will find the market slightly easier.” Regardless of your areas of strength, you should map out your career path. “Get your boss to define the criteria necessary for promotion, achieve this and they’ll be hard pressed not to credit you with a promotion,” says Vale. “Remember that asking for a promotion or pay rise because you want a new car isn’t going to cut the mustard. You must demonstrate your value and why you’re worth it.”
Smart candidates, says Rob Seery, senior manager at Nigel Wright Recruitment, will use the current climate to consolidate their skills – and learn how to operate and benefit from a tough market. “Innovation and execution become more important for a marketer in tougher times. If you can save some budget, but deliver the same or more, you will be universally popular. On the flip side, budgets wasted through poor execution will lose you many important friends.”
Star quality
In terms of ensuring your hard work is noticed, Seery is optimistic. “My advice to people is always to do their very best in a role, and then opportunities come and find them,” he says. “If you are the star performer but your boss hasn’t noticed, you could be a highly prized commodity for your competitors.”
Colin Fish, business manager for Reed Marketing & Creative, adds a note of caution, however. “You need to be realistic in the current financial situation. Be as flexible as possible in relation to salary and location of roles.”
Meanwhile, Steve Mann, managing director of Brand Recruitment, says marketers should not look at their sector as a homogenous group. Nor should they fall into the trap of sweeping generalisations. “We are seeing less recruitment on the services side, for example. Due to the credit crunch, sectors such as property, financial services, recruitment and solicitors are tightening their belts,” says Mann.
“That said, we’ve made a placement in each of those areas in the last month. Fast moving consumer goods is particularly strong – the impression I have is that companies are choosing to increase market share in these tough times, even if overall revenue may drop.”
He adds that while they’ve noticed fewer senior roles on the market, he is seeing a massive boom in demand for brand managers.
The Institute offers a final tip: “Seeing training days as ongoing learning opportunities can give you a focused approach to enhancing your skills,” says Thorp. Whether you attend a one-day workshop or a more advanced residential course, they are a good way to demonstrate your innovation and ensure that you are indispensable, even in the current climate.
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