If 2020 has taught us one thing...

​What a year it has been! A year ago, I welcomed in the new year at my sister’s annual party - in her house, holding hands with friends and family, and kissing everyone on the cheek! As the countdown told us we had officially ticked over into 2020, I did not, for one second, think that the year would play out as it has. 

None of us had any idea what was coming! 

Working in the Creative Industry, where our candidates and clients are made up of Marketing, PR, Digital and Creatives, it has been a crazy time filled with uncertainty and wondering what was going to happen next. It’s also been interesting to see what’s happened in our markets and how the impact has differed greatly; as I saw the Events space die almost overnight, the growth of Digital has been incredible. 

With everyone being told to ‘stay at home’, it’s no wonder that many events were cancelled worldwide. Of course, some were put on hold with the hope that later in the year they would get the go-ahead, but the reality turned out to be very different. The uncertainty was just too much, and many events were cancelled for the foreseeable.  

However, what was then so incredible, was to see was how the world adapted. It went digital very quickly! I started talking to candidates and clients who were telling me about how they were trialling virtual events; explaining how they were attending a virtual exhibition and showing me incredible virtual experiences and interactive stands that had been created. 

The Events industry has changed and might never be the same again. It certainly currently doesn’t exist as we knew it and has evolved and advanced to a place where maybe we thought we would be in 2025 or even 2030. Who knew that you could attend an event, from the comfort of your sofa?  

With those events that don’t really work in digital format, or aren’t able to go digital, I really hope that they will soon be able to take place as the world begins to open up again. Those challenges aside, it is amazing to see how Digital really does surround us and has helped us to make it through a year that has thrown hurdle after hurdle at every single business, no matter what size or sector. 

I am super proud and excited to be managing the Digital desk at Beyond The Book and can’t wait to see how it continues to evolve. It is great to see that some of the more niche roles are in demand across things like PPC, SEO, E-commerce and broader Digital Marketing roles. Whilst like many I have found this year particularly personally challenging, I am extremely excited to see how the world of Digital will continue to grow and evolve this year. 

If you are a candidate looking for your next role in Digital Marketing, then please do get in touch. If you are a business looking for some specialist digital talent to join your team then I would love to discuss how we can help. 

Happy New Year and here’s to a much brighter 2021!