As the year is now coming to an end and 2022 is looming around the corner, we decided to look back and review the digital recruitment market in numbers.
We reflect on what areas were most in-demand, what core skills we found in short supply and what we expect moving into 2022.
Marketing and Digital: 58%
This year, 58% of our assignments were within the broad Marketing or Digital function. This includes all areas of marketing such as SEO, PPC, social media, performance, content, brand and communications.
We saw a significant spike in demand for PPC professionals in the latter part of the year. Companies were finding it particularly challenging to source Paid Social and Paid Search Specialist as there was low supply as well as a lack of mobility in the market.
We are noticing that these areas are becoming more and more specialised and a PPC Specialist would once have covered both areas of social and search however, now there is a divide in responsibilities and organisations are looking for specialists in one of the two areas.
In terms of the SEO or PPC question often debated by marketers, we found that PPC was the more sought-after skill this year.
eCommerce and Product: 22%
22% of our assignments this year were within eCommerce and Product. This includes roles such as Product Owners, eCommerce Managers, eCommerce Executives, Business Analysts and Project Managers to mention a few.
Following on from the 143% year-on-year increase in eCommerce roles in 2020, this year has seen the high demand for eCommerce skills continue. It will come as no surprise to anyone that online shopping has boomed since the beginning of the pandemic and retailers are taking advantage. Brands within fashion, health supplements, gym equipment, outdoor sports, homeware and hardware are just a few of the areas that we’ve supported with their eCommerce requirements this year.
Companies have also consistently been seeking professionals within the product space over the past year and this demand is not going anywhere in 2022. Certain roles we’ve noticed becoming more widely demanded are Shopify Developers and PHP Developers. Overall, this year, whether you are in an eCommerce, Marketing or Design, Shopify experience has become highly desirable and there is a low supply of those who have it highlighted on their CV and LinkedIn.
Creative and Design: 14%
14% of our assignments in 2021 have been with the areas of Creative and Design.
This 14% mostly consisted of Creative Directors/Leads, Studio Managers and UX/UI Designers. While there were entry-level graphic designer roles, we found that many marketing executive roles are now expected to have some design skills and be able to fulfil the need for some companies. Adobe Creative Suite and Canva are sufficient for some organisations requirements.
Data and Analytics: 6%
Data and analytics made up the smallest portion (6%) of our live roles this year in relation to our four core areas.
In terms of key skills, we found that employers are always seeking candidates who have proven experience using Google Analytics or who are Google Certified. This is also a prerequisite for most digital marketing roles however, roles within data are expected to have a much better understanding of the more technical features within the platform.
Employers are also consistently seeking candidates with SQL and experience with data visualisation tools such as Tableau.
We deeply understand that the ability to attract and retain employees is incredibly challenging at present. To assist your business to achieve its goals in 2022, if you’d like to discuss the attached article in further detail, please feel to contact graham@connexusrecruit.com.
