There’s no denying that our economy is facing a downturn. As friends of mine from a variety of industries (none of them DM) have recently been laid off and must polish their resumes and explore the, in many cases, bleak job market I cannot help but reflect on job demand in the direct marketing industry.
Over the past few months, I have heard from a number of Web analytics experts, database technicians and search engine marketers that it’s difficult to find the right combination of mathematics and marketing savvy for a lot of these positions, making it harder to hire even during a recession. My question is, will this unique set of skills remain in high demand and what can DM companies do to take advantage of a possible glut of eager job seekers?
Some might argue that national belt-tightening could force the industry to face inevitable cutbacks rendering the point moot. But direct marketing is traditionally an area that can see growth during tight times, and recent growth in online spend – especially search – suggests that this is still the case. Perhaps companies who are seeking specialists are advised to do in-house trainings to bolster their staff resources at a time when economic downturns are forcing some to reconsider their careers.
What do you think? Post comments or send me your thoughts about your company’s experience of talent crunches along with your predictions and prescriptions for bringing talent in the DM world at [email protected].
Recession’s impact on DM jobs
