Sales and marketing roles high in demand, says post-GE14 salary survey report

Sales and marketing roles were listed as among the top six most in-demand job categories of 2017-2018 in Malaysia, according to Jobstore.com's post-GE14 Salary Survey report.The report, which surveyed 1.2 million job seekers on Jobstore.com, as well as HR managers, recruiters and company owners, said that revenue-generating roles are "very crucial" in the fast-paced competitive business environment. It also noted an increased focused in branding and digital efforts by companies to continuously engage with existing and potential consumers. Hence, the need for roles such as marketing manager and product manager.The expected salary for a vice president (sales and marketing, strategic and planning) role is from RM15,000 to RM50,000, while senior marketing managers and project managers can expect to earn RM12,000 to RM40,000. Meanwhile, key account managers are predicted to earn between RM6,000 to RM30,000, while digital marketing managers, marketing communications managers and marketing managers are expected to obtain a salary of between RM5,000 to RM10,000.[gallery link="file" ids="227325,227326,227327"]Among the list of industries that were in-demand were IT, customer service, F&B/hospitality/tourism and engineering. Jobstore.com said that while Malaysian job trends differ before and after the general election, there is "no doubt" that regional job trends may affect the country due to the globalisation of job roles and the increasing number of multinational companies in Malaysia.One of the trends identified in the report is that technology jobs and skills have been in top growth and are here to stay, with demand coming from tech and non-tech companies alike. Also, roles that involve understanding and working with potential and existing customers are critical for business success. In order to attract and hire more top talent, companies need to carry out relevant employer branding strategies to promote their organisational credibility, ensuring potential candidates know that they are a great place to work at.To attract the right talents, the report said companies must treat talents as their consumers and offer the values and experience that are most ideal to their personalities. From the career site to the application stage, it is crucial to maintain consistency and a positive candidate experience. Additionally, data-driven technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) are a "game changer" in talent management, allowing companies to adapt to the increased market competitiveness and support ever-changing business needs. AI can offer insights to help build more sophisticated HR strategies for better hiring, employee retention, career development and succession planning.