Marketing & Ad Executives looking for Account Services Professionals.

Thirteen percent of marketing and advertising executives plan to add full-time staff in the next three months, according to The Creative Group Hiring Index for Marketing and Advertising Professionals , and 3 percent forecast reductions in personnel. Most respondents, 80 percent, expect to make no changes to the size of their teams.

The national study was developed by The Creative Group, a specialized staffing service providing interactive, design and marketing professionals on a project and full-time basis, and conducted by an independent research firm. It is based on more than 500 telephone interviews — approximately 375 with marketing executives randomly selected from companies with 100 or more employees and 125 with advertising executives randomly selected from agencies with 20 or more employees.

Key Findings

The net 10 percent of executives planning to hire in the second quarter is up one point from the same time period last year and down four points from the first-quarter 2012 forecast. The majority (80 percent) expect to make no changes to their current staffing levels. This is up four points from the previous quarter’s forecast.

Account services, web design/production and brand/product management are the specialties in greatest demand, according to survey respondents.

Forty-one percent of survey respondents said it’s challenging to find skilled creative professionals today, down four points from three months ago.

Ninety-one percent of marketing and advertising executives report they are confident in their companies’ growth prospects for the second quarter, up two points from first-quarter projections.

“Companies are moving more of their advertising and marketing budgets to digital and online media, driving demand for professionals with expertise in this specialization,” said Donna Farrugia, executive director of The Creative Group. “There also is an ongoing need for account services professionals to help manage a growing number of current and prospective client relationships, as well as keep projects on track and within budget.”

Marketing and Advertising Specialties in Demand

When executives were asked in which areas they plan to add staff, account services ranked first for the second consecutive quarter, along with web design/production (each with 20 percent); brand/product management followed with 18 percent. Forty-one percent of respondents said it’s challenging for their firms to find skilled creative professionals.

Perspectives on Business Growth

Marketing and advertising executives’ confidence in their ability to attract new business rose slightly from last quarter: Ninety-one percent of those interviewed said they are somewhat or very confident in their firms’ prospects for growth in the second quarter, up two points from confidence levels three months ago.

To view additional chart CLICK above on ‘More Images’.

For more information at http://www.creativegroup.com