As I hit my 10 years hiring in the marketing and digital sectors, it has been really interesting to think back to recruitment then vs recruitment now. A LOT has changed, some for the good such as more tools available to find great people but also the advances that have allowed better connection and the amount of content available meaning I feel more ‘in the know’ in my sectors, through to working for an agency that have found the very best way to do recruitment. However, a lot has changed which has made recruitment more challenging (and I know any recruiter or internal hiring manager, HR partner etc reading this will be nodding their heads).
But rather than dwell on the challenges I thought it would be more helpful to look at the current market as it stands now and why marketing and digital roles are changing shape and what this means to companies hiring and also candidates looking for a new role.
Over the last several years the lines between traditional marketing, digital and communications/PR have blurred. They have blurred so much that often it is hard to distinguish what you actually need to hire for. Yes, you might need a PR person, but social media and digital crisis comms and digital messaging are a huge priority for many businesses so does that mean you need a digital marketer? Or do you need two people?
I saw something in an article I was reading which resonated to say that ‘today, the best marketing teams don’t think in ‘channels’ but in customer journeys.’ Whether you are running performance marketing campaigns, or focused on storytelling, roles that were once split up across teams are now blended together.
I am seeing PR candidates who understand wider marketing and understand data-led campaigns, to Content Writers who can tell a story but need to understand the analytics behind it and love to look at data to establish how well their content is performing. Brand marketers that used to focus on the visuals are having to dive into the data and understand marketing dashboards through to digital marketers who are having to also be and think creatively.
What this means for the recruitment process:
What does this mean – it means that there is no longer a typical role where you can find a generic job spec online. Each role a company is hiring for has to be carefully thought about, priorities need to be set and roles need to be shaped. This means that the recruitment process can take longer and there may be a much smaller pool of candidates that fit the bill.
- More people may need to be involved in the hiring process – which can take time and you will need to ensure the team are aligned, the right people are available for interview processes and ultimately a joined-up approach needs to happen from the start
- You may not have the expertise internally to shape the role you really need
- You may need to be flexible with the salary you are prepared to pay
- If you don’t get it right, you won’t attract the right person, and this can be a costly mistake
How we can help:
As specialists in marketing recruitment, we have seen the evolution that marketing teams have been going through, we understand and have felt your pain points and the years of experience and market insight we have means we are equipped to help you with getting it right, first time. We don’t just find people. We can spend the time with you and your teams to really understand the current team, the skill gaps and help you package this up into an attractive job spec… then we can go and find this unicorn that you will be looking for. We impartially qualify and dig deep to ensure that we find the right people for your business now, not just sticking an advert up and hoping that the right person applies (because in this niche world they likely won’t). We know the right questions to ask to ensure the candidate can do what you need and the impact they will have.
And for candidates:
- You need to stay curious, ensure you are keeping up with latest trends in marketing and have your eyes on what is happening in your industry and the types of roles, or should I say skill sets that are required – can you upskill?
- If you have experience that is integrated, you want this on your CV and LinkedIn profile
- If you have any experience in data, growth, working with digital platforms – your CV needs to showcase this
- Be open minded about the job titles you are searching for – there is no typical job title anymore – really take the time to read the job description and make sure your CV shows you in the best light, so yes this does mean tailoring each application which can be time consuming but there is no room for ‘one size fits all’ anymore.
