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The last two years of the pandemic were challenging to say the least. It brought a huge shift in healthcare, lifestyle and work. If you were someone looking for a new job during the pandemic, you would have noticed the number of job ads about digital marketing. How is it that during such challenging times this one space was able to create job opportunities? Why is there this demand and how long will it exist?
Photo by Aman Pal on Unsplash
According to Shaun George, lead HR at Concentrix, a BPO, “During the pandemic only promotions helped businesses and digital marketing helped every business.” George shared how digital marketing’s demand increased with the need for a digital presence for multiple brands. Almost all services and products have entered the digital space and hence created
more opportunities for marketers.
But how long will this demand last? According to Shweta Bhatkar, senior human resources manager at digital marketing agency Schbang, as of today, demand won’t dip. Only in the future, if there is an industry that changes marketing and the digital space, could there be a dip.
Commenting on why there is a need for such mass hiring, Abhishek Singh, Senior Vice-President, marketing at Hirect India, said, “The success of digital marketing roots from them experimenting with new technology to better their growth with a very transactional approach,” and that from Google ads to email and now social media, marketing has expanded greatly in the digital space. With this expansion comes the need for fresh minds and more hands on deck. These agencies hire people to cover varied aspects of their company and services. Some roles in the agency include copywriters, graphic visualisers, Web executives, communication leads, solutions strategist, media planners, strategy management consultant, account heads, influencer marketing strategists, graphic designers, social media strategists and Web strategists. Job vacancies for the same are posted on social media sites such as LinkedIn and shared with personal connections. The agency also hires people through campus placements.
For these positions applicants from fields such as media studies, marketing and advertising are ideal. Though agencies don’t just look for educational qualifications, an individual’s creativity, communication skills, outspoken nature, passion and mindset play a vital role in the hiring process. A common mistake that applicants make is pretending to be interested in things, topics or aspects of work, when they are not. “Half knowledge is risky,” George emphasised and encouraged that people should research roles well, before applying. “Talent acquisitions are curious to know ‘why do you feel you are fit for the role?’ Usually, an internship helps gain this knowledge and clarity.”
The filtering process for applications, however, varies from company to company. The majority of agencies give assignments to analyze an applicant’s work and then proceed with an interview to gauge the individual’s behaviour and attitude. They are looking for ‘go-getters’ and people ready to ‘learn and grow’ in the agency. Opportunities for growth in the field exist both internally and externally. A yearly evaluation by HR that analyzes tasks and responsibilities executed by employees, helps them further their careers. Additional responsibilities, employee work efficiency and capacity are taken into consideration for appraisals and promotions. At Schbang, half the number of interns in the agency convert to full-time employees.
According to Singh, Business Intelligence shall see an increased demand in the future, while automation engineers will have increased job opportunities. However, product managers “will always be in demand” he concluded.
All in all, digital marketing, apart from glamour and fun, is a serious arena of marketing that is expanding with an increasing growth in the Web space.