Marketing Skills In High Demand

The job market has been steadily improving over the past few years.

No one can deny the above statement because of the facts that support it. The unemployment rate is down to 5.5%, compared to 6.5% last year and 36% of employers plan to increase full-time, permanent headcount in 2015, a significant jump from 24% last year.

But what type of jobs are companies hiring for?

According to CareerBuilder, marketing abilities are among the most coveted skill sets heading into 2015. Job seekers with effective communication and interpersonal skills are needed to fill numerous open marketing and sales positions. This need has created an extremely large gap between average monthly marketing job openings and average monthly hires (22,996 to be exact).

The scary truth remains: the desire for marketing talent has not even hit its peak. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that the number of marketing manager positions will grow 12.7% between 2012 and 2022.

Unfortunately for employers, the sheer number of available positions is not the only thing increasing – so are salaries. The creative and marketing sector can expect to see an average starting salary growth of 3.9% between now and 2022.

So how does this national news translate to WNY?

The Bureau of Labor Statistics collected data from employers in all industry sectors in the Buffalo-Niagara Falls, NY region to determine that the annual mean wage for a marketing manager in this area is $127,530.

But why the sudden influx in marketing positions?

Fortune Magazine said it best, “chalk it up to the proliferation of social media and the scarcity of people who can make a company’s message stand out amid the ever-growing clutter”.

The ability to capture, manipulate/analyze data, evaluate/influence buying patterns, and ultimately develop meaningful touch points with consumers, has made top marketing talent highly coveted among employers. Companies are increasingly turning to their CMOs and marketing team for sales insight and strategy development.

Does your company need some marketing firepower? Where do you begin?

First, identify what skill sets you have (or don’t have) in your current marketing department. Determining specific roles within your marketing department allows you to identify possible areas for improvement. From there you can begin searching for candidates with specific areas of expertise that can contribute to the overall marketing strategy. 

Remember, a candidate that knows a little bit about everything might be a good place to start for a small company. However, a larger company, with an extensive marketing department, may require individuals with a bit more niche experience. There is no right answer on who to hire – but one thing is clear – now is the time to start searching for the right candidate!