Job openings in SG marketing industry double from pre-pandemic levels

Over the past six months, marketing executives (13%), digital marketers (10%) and marketing interns (5.4%) have dominated the marketing jobs scene in Singapore, while roles such as graphic designers (23%), digital transformation consultants (6.7%) and communications interns (5.9%) dominated the media and communications industry. According to Indeed, hiring activity in Singapore has continued to rise despite the pandemic. As of February 2022, Singapore job postings on Indeed were double (+106%) that from pre-pandemic levels (1 February 2020).

Job postings in marketing also doubled (+102%) since before the pandemic began, while postings for media and communication roles were up 76%, Indeed's spokesperson told MARKETING-INTERACTIVE. "While both sectors are lagging behind the overall postings recovery (106%), there is still strong competition in both sectors that have created recruitment challenges," the spokesperson added.

According to Indeed, companies, in general, are seeking talent who are able to face challenges in an unpredictable work environment due to the unpredictable and volatile global environment. The spokesperson said:

People who can withstand challenges regardless of the situation and are able to manage teams and themselves in a conducive environment will always be highly sought after.

Additionally, demand for talent is elevated across every occupational category, although to a much greater extent in some occupations than in others. Production, engineering and installation and maintenance roles were the top-performing sectors with the highest number of job postings, and experienced growth that exceeded the national average.

Meanwhile, overall hiring is consistent with strong employment growth and a further decline in the Singapore unemployment rate, which is already low, at 2.4%. However, the Singapore labour market also continues to shift in favour of jobseekers, creating a more challenging recruitment environment. Callam Pickering, Indeed's APAC economist, said that this meant jobseekers have greater choice in where and how they work and are in a stronger position to bargain for higher wages or better benefits.

"Singapore is on the road to recovery and the strong job creation speaks volumes about the confidence that businesses have in that recovery. Nevertheless, people’s expectations of jobs and careers have changed throughout the pandemic and that will present a challenge to Singapore businesses," he added.

Pickering also forecasted that skill shortages will become more widespread until Singapore can tap onto international talent. "Recruiters though can make the best of a tough situation by anticipating these shortages and adjusting their recruitment strategies accordingly," he said.

Separately, a sustainability manager role is among the top five jobs on the rise in Singapore, according to the 2022 LinkedIn Jobs on the Rise list. The demand for this role is in line with one of the trends that LinkedIn has observed, which is climate action taking a front seat in business agendas. Governments and organisations are now coming under increased scrutiny to set ESG goals and adopt sustainable practices. Other roles to make the list include machine learning engineer, back end developer, healthcare assistant and talent acquisition specialist.

Meanwhile, according to a 2022 APAC salary guide by recruitment agency Links International, Singapore's sales and marketing function is projected to receive a 3% to 8.5% salary increment this year, while salary increment with a job switch in this sector will see an 11% to 21% change. Marketing directors are also expected to earn between SG$8k to SG$17k this year while digital marketing directors can expect a salary of SG$9.9k to SG$19k. Meanwhile, salaries for those in PR will range from SG$3.5k to SG$13.3k, while individuals in eCommerce will bring in between SG$4.1k to SG$13.3k this year.

Photo courtesy: 123RF

Related articles:
Demand for tech-related jobs hit all time high in SG as postings jump 76%, says Indeed
Indeed SG reports increase in searches for content-creating jobs amidst COVID-19
Which 5 jobs are on the rise in Singapore?
Switching jobs? Here's the salary increment SG marketing folks can expect