Graduates have become more demanding

14 Nov, 2007, 0119 hrs IST, TNN
www.economictimes.com

The strength of the economy means recent times have been good for marketers, and they can be choosy about where they work. Employers, meanwhile, are being forced to get smarter at attracting and keeping talent. This year’s pay survey by Croner Reward for the Chartered Institute of Marketing shows that marketers’ pay is holding up well, with increases averaging just over 3% in 12 months.

A third of marketers now receive a bonus equivalent to 10% of their salary. Some employers that dropped bonuses are bringing them back, and companies are paying more attention to motivators such as flexible working arrangements, training and development programmes.

“Job-seekers can hold out for what is right for them,” says Nicola Clark, director of marketing and communications at Investors in People. This is challenging for employers, who concur that graduates have become more demanding. “Before you can ask them what they bring to the company, they are already quizzing you about what the firm can do for them,” says Jonathan Harman, president EMEA of Carlson Marketing. Younger marketers — those in their 20s and early 30s — in particular appear to feel they have real bargaining power. “If what they want is not on offer, they look elsewhere,” says Katherine Turvey, consultant at recruitment agency SG Group.

Interestingly, Turvey says money is not the priority for most candidates. A marketing graduate joining an agency tends to be offered a starting salary of about £18,000 a year, compared with £28,000 for graduates entering financial services, she says. Marketers at professional firms face an even wider salary gap, receiving as little as a quarter of what lawyers and accountants are paid. A higher priority is flexible working. In a recent survey by recruitment agency Blue Skies, 51% of respondents said this was of vital importance, compared with 39% who cited high salary.

“Creative people hate being chained to desks — they would rather be treated as grown-ups, and not have to keep strict hours, as long as they get the job done,” says Blue Skies director Anita Baglee. Harman says Carlson Marketing tries to accommodate employees’ needs within reason. Some candidates want to work a four-day week, while others admit they plan to stay for only two years because they want to travel. “People value their time more than they used to, especially those with families,” he explains. “If you want the best talent, you need to be as flexible as you can. I’d rather have someone right for the job working four days a week than not at all.”

Flexibility can be applied to financial benefits. Bigger companies might offer an annual bonus of £3,000-£4,000 a year and let staff choose additional perks such as a personal assistant, or a bicycle to travel to work. While such practices may give some companies the edge, they play a relatively small role in motivating marketers after they have got their feet under the desk, according to employers — what really counts is the company’s culture and values, and the opportunity to work in a challenging and creative environment.

“Recruitment agencies are always asking me about what benefits we offer, and I tell them they’re the same as before,” says Mike Colling, managing director of Mike Colling & Company. “It’s less about schemes than about a philosophy that puts the individual first.” Recruiters say employers should take into account marketers’ desire for training and development — a benefit that’s the first to be given the axe when cutbacks are necessary.

For Tullo Marshall Warren client services director Chris Freeland, it is the day-to-day work of an agency that provides motivation. “It can be soul-destroying working with clients that don’t ‘fit’, so we are very careful about choosing brands,” he says. “That helps keep people motivated. Also, candidates at interview consistently say they don’t want to spend time doing the same thing.” Employers are going the extra mile to attract and keep the right people, and although marketers’ salaries may pale in comparison with other industries, their benefits are plentiful, with particular attention paid to work-life balance.

- Deepika