Marketing and Advertising Employment Levels Expected to Remain Little Changed in Second Quarter

MENLO PARK, Calif., March 10 /PRNewswire/ -- The employment outlook for marketing and advertising professionals is expected to be stable in the coming quarter, according to The Creative Group Hiring Index for Marketing and Advertising Professionals. Thirteen percent of marketing and advertising executives interviewed recently said they plan to increase staff levels in the second quarter of 2010, while 12 percent anticipate declines. The net 1 percent increase in projected hiring activity indicates personnel levels will remain little changed in the next three months.

The national study was developed by The Creative Group, a specialized staffing service providing creative, advertising, marketing and web professionals on a project and full-time basis, and conducted by an independent research firm. It is based on more than 500 telephone interviews – approximately 375 with marketing executives randomly selected from companies with 100 or more employees and 125 with advertising executives randomly selected from agencies with 20 or more employees.

Marketing and advertising executives were asked, "Does your company or agency plan to increase or decrease the number of full-time marketing/advertising personnel on your staff during the second quarter of 2010?" Their responses:

    
    
    Increase                        13%
    Decrease                        12%
    No change                       74%
    Don't know/no answer             1%
                                   ---
                                   100%

"With lingering uncertainty about the economy, many companies are using freelancers or consultants to fill their staffing needs until they are confident of their ongoing business demands," said Donna Farrugia, executive director of The Creative Group. "Employers also are re-evaluating their personnel requirements to ensure they have the right people in place to capitalize on emerging opportunities as the economy improves."

Marketing and Advertising Specialties in Demand

When respondents were asked in which areas they planned to hire during the second quarter, web design/production ranked first with 15 percent of the response, followed by print design/production (14 percent) and creative/art direction (13 percent). Despite high unemployment levels, 45 percent of respondents said it's challenging for their firms to find skilled professionals.

    
    
                  Specialty Areas in Demand
                  -------------------------
    Area                                   Percentage Hiring
    -----------------------------------------------------------
    Web design/production                           15%
    -----------------------------------------------------------
    Print design/production                         14%
    -----------------------------------------------------------
    Creative/art direction                          13%
    -----------------------------------------------------------
    Account services                                12%
    -----------------------------------------------------------
    Marketing research                              12%
    -----------------------------------------------------------
    Interactive                                     12%
    -----------------------------------------------------------
    Public relations                                11%
    -----------------------------------------------------------
    Brand/product management                        10%
    -----------------------------------------------------------
    Media services                                  10%
    -----------------------------------------------------------
    Copywriting                                      5%
    -----------------------------------------------------------
    *Note: Multiple responses permitted. Top responses shown.

Farrugia noted that the broad range of specialties being sought suggests many firms are operating with lean teams and, therefore, need support in multiple areas. "Many organizations have cut so deeply that any uptick in projects will require extra effort," she said. "The demand for print design and production suggests that firms may be boosting their traditional advertising efforts, as well as their digital presence."

Although the current Hiring Index indicates little change in employment levels for creative professionals, executives were optimistic about their ability to attract new business: 86 percent said they were confident in their firm's prospects for growth in the second quarter.

About The Creative Group Hiring Index for Marketing and Advertising Professionals

The Creative Group Hiring Index is based on more than 500 telephone interviews – approximately 375 with marketing executives randomly selected from companies with 100 or more employees and 125 with advertising executives randomly selected from agencies with 20 or more employees. The interviews were conducted by an independent research firm.

Information from the study is featured in The Robert Half Professional Employment Report -- the first quarterly study of its kind to monitor the hiring environment for professional-level positions exclusively. Based on more than 4,000 telephone interviews with executives throughout the United States, it provides insights on employment trends to help businesses and job seekers prepare for the upcoming quarter. To see how hiring within the creative field compares to other sectors, please visit www.roberthalf.us/per.

About The Creative Group

The Creative Group specializes in placing a range of highly skilled creative, advertising, marketing and web professionals with a variety of firms on a project basis. The Creative Group's internal account managers typically have prior experience working within the creative industry, which helps them better understand their clients' needs and their freelancers' unique talents. Headquartered in Menlo Park, Calif., the firm has offices in major markets across the United States and in Canada. More information, including online job-hunting services, candidate portfolios and The Creative Group's award-winning career magazine, can be found at www.creativegroup.com. For more career news and information, follow us at www.facebook.com/thecreativegroup or www.twitter.com/creativegroup.

SOURCE The Creative Group