It's tough to find good help. Based on a recent report from the Online Marketing Institute (OMI), this is especially true for organizations looking to hire marketing professionals with digital acumen. As more people spend increasing amounts of time on the web the nature of marketing is shifting towards online integrated strategies. Many organizations are realizing that marketing professionals that have some digital skills is not enough and are instead seeking marketing professionals that know how to market in a digital world. This is not to say traditional marketing skills are unwanted but there is certainly a shift towards hiring 'digital natives' that have an engrained understanding of the online sphere. Below is an executive summary of the report:
Overall, OMI research shows we are in a critical stage as an industry... some might say a make or break point. The opportunity of a job or career in digital marketing and for business ROI is fully recognized by nearly all, but that potential is grossly underserved. In fact, the results of the study indicate that there is a substantial gap that exists between the need for strong digital marketing talent, and the skills that individuals in the field currently bring to the table. Across the industry, there is insufficient focus on grooming talent, fostering the knowledge needed in various digital marketing areas, and standardizing the education programs needed to fill the gap. In fact, the gap between skills needed and talent available is becoming a massive chasm within the industry affecting job seekers and employers alike. Essentially, the survey results indicate several key findings:
1) There is a pervasive, deeply running digital marketing talent gap – a substantial difference between what employers value and what talent is available to them. While 71% of large brand/enterprise organizations believe their digital marketing team is strong in some areas, their employees exhibit mediocrity/weakness in others when importance and strength are analyzed together, with sizeable gaps in every area studied. There is a shift underway in the industry toward specialists with various levels of expertise.
2) Employers perceive spotty levels of knowledge, skill level and experience – there is a need for talent at each level (entry, mid-tier and executive), with knowledge and skill gaps observed in the most crucial areas. Employers report opportunities exist at every level of experience. Brands are in particular need of entry-level social media marketers, and mid-tier managers in content marketing, web analytics, and content marketing. Agencies perceive particularly strong gaps in specific areas, including mobile marketing, analytics, and marketing automation.
3) Significant challenges in locating talent results in a lack of consistency – a heavy reliance on referrals leads to hires based on subjectivity, without any industry standards or consistency indicated in performance expectations. 70% of large enterprises and 75% of agencies rely on referrals from other professionals to meet their hiring needs. More than one-third of respondents have not hired in the past year because they are overwhelmed by the various sources available and cannot identify a “go-to” resource for talent.
4) The industry is rife with missed opportunities in existing training and skills acquisition efforts – level-setting programs are infrequently used and underutilized, impeding returns on marketing investment. Just 22% of large brand enterprises have a level- setting program and only 10% use any type of testing, resulting in skills that cannot be formally measured.
5) Skill assessment plans lack consistent implementation, characterized by frequent dissatisfaction – Organizations recognize the value of assessment and measurement, yet an absence of industry-wide standards and insufficient onboarding programs puts employers at a competitive disadvantage, hampers career growth, and makes it increasingly difficult for individuals to prove their worth.
6) There is a broad sense of entitlement among young employees – Employers report a wide- spread attitude of entitlement among young hires. This attitude results in significant risk of career self- sabotage, and also interferes with the ability of the organization to generate results. 70% of respondents say that new employees expect to advance or be hired for upper-level positions before proving themselves.
7) There is currently a need for solid, measurable, and accurate digital talent education – programs are sorely needed but few organizations implement any organized formal team training programs. Organizations aware of existing programs feel that these programs are not adequate or sufficient for their needs. Close to 80% would value an on-demand library of digital marketing classes, with almost 70% being interested in customized eLearning of digital marketing skills or in-person workshops or training.
Do you feel your organization has the digital marketing skills to succeed or could you benefit from some training? If you're looking for some in-person training Deep Dish Digital offers a variety of digital marketing training programs and if you prefer learning through online courses I can confidently recommend you check out Online Marketing Institute (OMI). Thanks for reading; comments are welcome.
