SILVER LINING: Six out of 10 Executives Surveyed Say They Have Stronger Creative Teams Now Versus Three Years Ago

MENLO PARK, Calif., April 29 /PRNewswire/ -- There may be one upside to the challenging economic conditions of the past few years: Creative teams are stronger now than before the recession. Sixty-one percent of advertising and marketing executives polled said the caliber of their firms' creative talent is higher than it was three years ago. Only 6 percent felt the level of talent within their firm had declined.

The national study was developed by The Creative Group, a specialized staffing service providing creative, advertising, marketing and web professionals on a project 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.

Advertising and marketing executives were asked, "How would you rate the caliber of creative talent on your team now versus three years ago?" Their responses:

"Businesses hold on to their best people, even in a difficult economy. But many companies are also taking the opportunity to enhance the overall skills of their teams by upgrading their talent bench," said Donna Farrugia, executive director of The Creative Group. "High unemployment levels have left many talented creative professionals in search of jobs."

Farrugia added that retaining top creative talent will become more of a concern as the economy gains momentum. "Many employees are biding their time, waiting for new opportunities to open as the recovery takes hold," she said. "It's important to identify key staff members now and make sure these workers know they are appreciated and that there is a career path for them within the organization."

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 workplace and career advice, follow The Creative Group at facebook.com/thecreativegroup or twitter.com/creativegroup.

SOURCE The Creative Group