60-second interview
As the UK emerges from recession there are worse places to be than Manchester if youíre looking for marketing jobs.
And to assist the North West jobseeker, thereís a networking event in Manchester arriving on 18th November.
I spoke with Dan Marshall, director of North-West based recruiter, Absolute Recruitment and asked his thoughts on the marketing jobs sector in Manchester; how his company is doing things differently; and what jobseekers can do to stand out from the crowd:
What is marketing recruitment looking like in Manchester?
The North West has always been a hive of activity for the marketing sector, with Manchester, Liverpool and Leeds emerging as critical hubs over the past fifteen years.
As the country emerges from recession, weíre already witnessing a massive surge of activity amongst employers keen to attract the very best marketing and online marketing talent. Itís a sad fact that marketing budgets are usually the first to suffer during economic downturns; the upshot though is theyíre usually amongst the first to be reinstated as things start to look up. As a result, there are some hugely exciting opportunities in the region at the moment, particularly in the online arena.
How do you see the marketing jobs market going in 2010?
As confidence returns in the UK economy, companies are champing at the bit to push ahead with marketing strategies that may have become casualties of budget-cuts over the past twelve months. This will have a major impact on the numbers of marketing positions becoming available over the coming year. We are already seeing increased hiring activity across all disciplines, but for marketing jobs online specialists are in particular demand as many firms advocate cost-effective online strategies in the fallout of the recession. Good marketers should be looking around now to make sure they arenít left behind.
What should a marketing jobseeker be doing to make themselves more visible to their audience?
We work in the most innovative, creative, exciting industry in the world. Mediocrity stands out like a sore thumb. Marketing jobseekers need to remain creative, vibrant and enthusiastic and be able to demonstrate this to prospective employers. Just as importantly though, they need to appear business savvy and at the forefront of technology to ensure they stand out, especially when so many excellent candidates are looking for new opportunities. Jobseekers need to be avid users of Social Media and remain proactive in their careers – whether thatís via networking or by keeping up to date with the latest marketing processes and techniques.
What innovative steps is Absolute Recruitment taking to ensure it remains competitive?
Absolute is constantly updating its brand and publicising itself via Social Networking; recommendations; and getting the brand out there via meeting marketing professionals, both client and candidate side. Because our Consultants are still business hungry, our brand remains competitive – we are always developing business relationships ensuring our name is constantly out there. We market ourselves out via Email Campaigns, attending events, speaking to the public, Social Media and developing our own Media Tools.
Why are you sponsoring the Manchester Link-up networking event?
The North West has historically been associated with the Industrial Manufacturing, but the past thirty years has witnessed a massive image shift for the region, with North West companies trailblazing the way in the Marketing Sector. As a company, Absolute Recruitment UK Ltd has always been highly sensitive to the recruitment market and we can see great things happening in the Marketing sector at the moment. Events like the Manchester Link-up are the very best way for companies and jobseekers to ensure they remain at the forefront of this exciting industry, and Absolute are proud to support it.
If you would like to meet the Absolute Recruitment team, increase your career opportunities and make new marketing contacts please join us at the Manchester Link-up jobseeker and networking event on 18th November. Ticket price includes food, the chance to register with some of the North Westís most celebrated recruitment agencies and the opportunity to speak with direct employers who are hiring right now and using this event to find people like you!
Simon Lewis Editor Only Marketing Jobs
