Hays Marketing reports marketers must practice what they preach

As marketers become increasingly reluctant to switch jobs, employers are under pressure to practice what they preach and actively market themselves to prospective employees, according to research from Hays Marketing.

The annual Hays Marketing Salary & Benefits Guide is compiled using details from the Hays nationwide database of candidates, live jobs and from client research. This information is then analysed to provide accurate market rate comparisons by sector or geographical area. Working in partnership with the Chartered Institute of Marketing, recruitment specialists Hays Marketing undertook the extensive research and questionnaire study that not only reports on marketing jobs salary levels by both job role, sector and region, but also examines issues such as digital skills, the dominant position of London and finding out what makes marketers tick.

As 53% of the employers questioned stated that a lack of appropriate candidates is the chief recruitment obstacle it seems clear that employers need to market themselves more proactively to potential candidates.

Perception appears to be a matter for concern as well. Given that a lack of candidates with suitable skills and experience combined with uncompetitive salaries and benefits packages are the main recruitment challenges facing the industry over the coming year, it is interesting to note 86% of the marketing professionals surveyed felt they had sufficient skills to succeed in marketing.

This apparent disparity may account for the finding that only one in ten marketers moves to pastures new to earn more money. The two biggest motivators are career progression and a fresh challenge. However, when respondents were asked about their most desired employment benefit, almost half (47%) said a personal performance bonus. What was clear from the survey was that employers need to offer both competitive salary and benefits packages - 46% wanted flexible working hours - to attract the best marketing talent in a candidate-led market.

Despite being pressed hard for the top spot, London retains its crown as the destination of choice for graduates, although Manchester, Bristol and Edinburgh are snapping at the capital’s heels. It may well be that London’s continued dominance can be attributed to London workers tending to command higher salaries; marketing directors and online/digital marketing executives can earn as much as 15% more than the national average.

The research also drew attention to a key skill employers felt was lacking in marketing professionals; nearly one in five employers feeling that candidates lack the appropriate digital and e-marketing skills. This is highly pertinent to salary expectations, as a digital marketing executive can expect to earn 25% more than a marketing executive, and this trend continues into management roles.

Yet formal marketing qualifications remain important to the vast majority - in fact two out of three of marketers consider the diplomas and certificates offered by professional institutes such as the CIM play a pivotal part in career progression in the industry.

“The survey reflects an industry that is responding to the challenges ahead,” said Matt Anderson, managing director of Hays Marketing, “Those involved in marketing have demonstrated that they are committed to improving their career prospects through gaining professional qualifications and experience. If employers can respond to the marketers desires in terms of benefits and bonuses, the industry will be well placed for the future.”

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Note to Editor:
Hays Marketing is a division of Hays Plc, specialising in recruiting for marketing positions. With a UK wide network of offices, Hays Marketing has developed relationships with leading organisations across the country within the financial, professional and public services sector, B2B firms and FMCG organisations.

Hays Marketing is a subdivision of Hays Plc, the FTSE 250 Company which employs 7,753 staff operating from 376 offices in 25 countries across 17 specialisms including IT jobs, engineering jobs, healthcare and retail jobs.

Contact Information

Charlotte Wright

PR Manager

Hays Marketing

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