RESEARCH REVEALS ANTICIPATED CREATIVE HIRING THROUGH YEAR-END: Survey Shows Stable Hiring Environment, Continued Recruiting Challenges

MENLO PARK, Calif., June 18, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- A majority of advertising agencies and marketing departments plan to maintain current staff levels in the second half of 2013, according to new research from creative staffing agency The Creative Group. Fifty-nine percent of advertising and marketing executives interviewed said they plan to hire to fill vacated roles during the remainder of the year. An additional 9 percent anticipate expanding their teams, 25 percent project hiring freezes and 4 percent expect to reduce the size of their staff. More than half (52 percent) of respondents said it is challenging to find creative professionals today.

The national survey was developed by The Creative Group, a specialized staffing service for interactive, design, marketing, advertising and public relations professionals, and conducted by an independent research firm.

Key Findings

• Fifty-nine percent of advertising and marketing executives interviewed plan to maintain current staff levels in the coming six months. Nine percent expect to add to their teams, 25 percent anticipate hiring freezes and 4 percent plan to reduce the size of their staff.
• More than half (52 percent) of marketing and advertising executives said it's challenging to find skilled creative professionals today. Hiring managers at midsize advertising agencies (50-99 employees) report the greatest difficulty, with 81 percent of respondents saying it is somewhat or very challenging.
• Web design/production, print design/production and account services are the top roles executives plan to hire for during the second half of the year.

View an infographic of the research highlights.

"Many organizations brought on new staff at the beginning of the year to position themselves for expected growth in the coming months," said Donna Farrugia, executive director of The Creative Group. "Employers are now adding positions, when appropriate, to keep up with new business demands. Web design and production remains a top growth area as companies seek to expand and improve their online presence."

Marketing and Advertising Specialties in Demand
When executives were asked in which areas they plan to add staff in the second half of 2013, web design/production topped the list, with 23 percent of the response, followed by print design/production (18 percent) and account services (16 percent).

Marketing and advertising executives were asked, "In which of the following areas do you expect to hire in the second half of 2013?" Their responses:

About the Survey
The national study was developed by The Creative Group and conducted by an independent research firm. It is based on more than 400 telephone interviews -- approximately 300 with marketing executives randomly selected from companies with 100 or more employees and 100 with advertising executives randomly selected from agencies with 20 or more employees.

About The Creative Group
The Creative Group specializes in placing a range of highly skilled interactive, design, marketing, advertising and public relations professionals with a variety of firms on a project and full-time basis. More information, including online job-hunting services and candidate portfolios, can be found at creativegroup.com. Gain insights into the latest hiring and salary trends in the creative and marketing fields at creativegroup.com/salarycenter.

SOURCE The Creative Group