War for talent is back in marketing and media

Jo Faragher

Demand is outstripping supply in the marketing and media sectors, according to the latest run of jobs figures from APSCo, which represents professional staffing companies.

APSCo’s data reveals that permanent placements in marketing have fallen by almost a fifth in the last three months, yet actual job openings have increased by 1%, pointing to a scarcity of candidates. The temporary market has done well as a result as companies look to plug those gaps – with growth in job openings and placements of 4% and 8% respectively.

Demand for permanent staff in IT and engineering has also improved slightly, with vacancies increasing by 0.1% and 0.5% respectively.

However, the overall picture for professional jobs was mixed, with many permanent roles being serviced by contractors. Over the last three months, temporary placements have risen 4% year on year, while permanent placements fell by 5.8% – this suggests employers may still be cautious to hand out permanent contracts.

According to a further analysis of online job postings, provided by tracking company Innovantage, there was an 11% drop in permanent professional vacancies in London and the South East – worse than any other region.

Ann Swain, APSCo’s chief executive, said: “What’s becoming clear from these monthly trends is that we are entering into a new era of corporate agility, where temporary workers will no longer be seen as atypical, but as the new way of working.”

She added: “While an increase in temporary placements may not appear good news as permanent hires fall, the use of contract workers is continuing to offer a great deal of flexibility to both employers and employees.”