With unemployment in the UK above two million for the first time since 1997, the three words “recession”, “redundancies” and “recruitment” are sending shivers through the digital world.

The effect of the global downturn on digital has divided opinion. On one side some think digital will be galvanised by the recession with targetability and accountability being top of the agenda. On the other side, some fear a repeat of the dark days of 2000 to cataclysmic effect.

One thing everyone agrees on is that inevitably as the economy shrinks, marketing spend declines and a multitude of marketers leave their roles with nowhere to go.

• Agency Perspective 

 Currently recruitment freezes and requirements for business-case sign-offs are becoming the norm. The market is now employer-driven with the shift from a heavy requirement of bringing in people across an array of roles, skewed to the seeking of the perfect candidate for each role.

With budgets tightening, agencies are being extra careful who they bring in. Raj Samuel, Digital Consultant, observes that “agencies are placed in a position where they are forced to rethink their own strategies about being smarter with their clients’ budgets and getting more for less.” Jake Dyer, Planning Partner of LBi adds “in order to maximise clients’ digital impact, it is crucial to recruit people who can act both as specialist and generalist.”

When agencies are looking to recruit, they are more demanding than ever before, ensuring the successful candidate adds real value to the company. The stand-off here arises from the ‘best’ often being the least likely to be made redundant in their current agency and so reluctant to move to a new agency as ‘last in’ with the subsequent risk of being ‘first out’ should a round of redundancies ensue

While there are significantly fewer vacancies out there, paradoxically people are paying greater attention to the job market and more people are applying for roles than ever before. This volume of applications for recruiters and HR Managers means sifting through a high quantity of applications like a needle in a haystack. 

Nadine Drelaud, Creative Services Director of Momentum, has found that “agencies are lowering overheads and costs – ‘cutting the fat’ and making redundancies. Whether this leads to an eventual shift towards creating bespoke ‘project by project’ teams is yet to be seen.” She predicts “many agencies, particularly smaller ones with no access to a global network, will actually have to cut costs to the extent where they will need to rely on freelancers more, a shift towards the ‘freelancer model’.”

Many agencies and networks are using their global resources in a ‘one team approach’ which Drelaud believes “should result in better staff efficiency but also in terms of working on a wider variety of jobs. Furthermore, smaller agencies are partnering with other agencies and getting production houses on board.”

• Candidate Perspective

“The knock-on demand of clients wanting more for less, has resulted in more work across the same amount or even less people” comments Jerome Courtial, Senior Digital Planner at Wieden & Kennedy. With even tighter budgets and less resources, staff are often working more hours, taking pay-cuts or experiencing redundancy.

Many have an increased workload and while not complaining to the ‘powers that be’ are keeping an ear to the ground for any openings that could be of interest. Couple this with those who have already suffered in a round of redundancies and the result is an abundance of people keeping tabs on the latest vacancies.

In contradiction, over the last 5 years there have never been fewer vacancies in the digital space.

The stream of redundancies combined with vacancy cutbacks, has resulted in a case of supply outstripping demand. This has created a downward spiral whereby the reduced salaries agencies are offering due to restricted budgets, have been matched by candidates willing to accept lower pay in order to get back into employment.

Conversely, there is an argument to suggest those agencies seeking the cream of the crop to help push through the recession are paying a premium to these candidates who are reluctant to leave their comfort-zone for the unknown.

• Recruiter Perspective

Recruiters have the vantage point of seeing both the candidate and the client perspective. On one side, recruitment isn’t top of the agenda for many over-stretched agencies and CVs go to the bottom of the To-Do pile. On the other side, candidates are keener than ever to secure new roles and can often become frustrated with the time-lag between the steps of the recruitment process.

Here are some recommendations for both sides to ensure the best outcome:

Agencies: 

Be selective in who you work with. Use a handful of carefully chosen recruiters that add value to your business, help streamline efficiencies and ultimately deliver the right candidate. Remember your recruiter acts as an ambassador for your brand – if you perceive a hard-sell, aggressive impression the likelihood is that your candidate will feel the same.

With a more exclusive PSL, recruiters are better positioned to work closely with agencies, meet line-managers and consequently find out much more about the role and the person the candidate will be reporting to than can be lifted from a generic job spec.

Using a specialist recruiter with a connected digital network and expertise within digital marketing acts as an extension of your team and will help you find the best people for your agency.

Have good internal processes in order to save time and money, and ensure your recruiter follows these including –

• Full candidate screening (aptitude and attitude) ensuring a fit for both the agency and the specific role
• Receive a profile from the recruiter outlining why the candidate could be a good fit
• Recruiter to be transparent through the process consulting with the client and the candidate and giving all necessary information
• Recruiter to fully prepare, feedback and keep your candidates updated

Keep prospective candidates up-to-date – work closely with your recruiters in periods when there are time-lags, or risk losing the candidate to another agency. In this time of finding the very best, agencies need to act quickly to secure the top digital talent.

Candidates:

Remember we are in uncharted waters within the digital job market – so your experience may be completely different to previous occasions.

 Its a genuinely competitive market; how can you stand out?

1. CV 

• As a snapshot of your professional life, keep it fully up-to-date
• Tailor and prioritise it to the roles you are applying for so it is clear to the hiring manager you meet the requirements
• Keep it concise and give a good taster of your skills and experience – include your achievements in a bullet-point format (anything from awards won, new business wins, to something you deem as being proud of achieving)
• Bring your CV to life by incorporating sections such as your profile and interests / hobbies

    2.   Your recruiter

• This is your career. Find a recruiter that listens to what you are looking for and is there to help find the right opportunity for you (while having an appreciation that there are currently limited jobs out there). Meet them face to face or at least have a thorough telephone interview
• Ensure you are clear about what you want and that you are not shoe-horned into interviews / roles that simply aren’t right for you
• Find a recruiter who will comprehensively support and guide you through the process

    3.   Interview Process

• Be patient. Recruitment is rarely the top of the agenda in agencies during a recession. Sign-off for roles and interviews is taking much longer, but with patience you will get there in the end.
• Make sure you are at your best. Your recruiter should work with you to fully prepare you for the opportunity. Remember this is an exceptionally competitive market and agencies are looking for the best.
• Enjoy it (or try to!) Let your personality shine through and engage with the interviewer. Agencies are looking for personality and cultural fit just as much as technical expertise.

Digital Outlook

 We are starting to see after the streamlining, stability within the recession. We still might be a distance from those green shoots but digital is a dynamic sector that could well be galvanised by the recession.