Odds & Ends on the Job Front: Living The Glamorous Life

In scanning the various trade journal websites, ad association websites and government sites, we can’t seem to find anyone talking about the job market (or the lack thereof) in advertising and marketing.  Nothing, nil, zip, zero, niente!  It’s like everyone is ignoring the topic.  In fact, if you go to Ad Age’s TalentWorks home page, most of the stories are so old, you’ll need an extra can of Pledge to dust them off. 

Job seekers might get excited by the third story listed on the TalentWorks site: “Hiring Freeze Starts to Thaw as Agency Business Hunts for Talent.”  But it’s from March of 2010, over 18 months ago! Is this story listed as number three because that’s the last bit of news on the job front Advertising Age reported on? Or is there no one at home, maybe the TalentWorks staff was downsized itself and Ad Age forgot about this section on their site?

The same holds true for other sites.  We just haven’t found anyone talking about our industry’s job market.  Of course, job forecast stories are all over the headlines these days.  Kiplinger’s just recently reported: “look for job growth of 150,000 a month in 2012. That’s enough to sustain growth in gross domestic product of around 2%, but too low to reduce the unemployment rate and nourish a strong recovery.”

So we decided to go to the source, the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Here’s the latest they had on advertising/public relations professions in their latest “Career Guide to Industries”:

“Competition for many jobs will be keen because the glamour of the advertising and public relations services industry traditionally attracts many more job seekers than there are job openings. In addition to new jobs created over the 2008-18 period, job opportunities also will arise from the need to replace workers who transfer to other industries or leave the workforce. Layoffs are common in advertising and public relations services firms when accounts are lost, major clients cut budgets, or agencies merge. Downturns in the economy also can result in significant layoffs.”

Paints a not-so-rosy picture of the glamorous life we work in doesn’t it?  Speaking of the glamorous life, read on about what the government says of our working conditions:

“Most employees in advertising and public relations services work in comfortable offices operating in a teamwork environment; however, long hours, including evenings and weekends, are common… Work in advertising and public relations is fast-paced and exciting, but it also can be stressful. Being creative on a tight schedule can be emotionally draining. Some workers frequently must meet deadlines and, consequently, may work long hours at times.

Workers, whose services are billed hourly, are often under pressure to manage their time carefully. Most firms encourage employees to attend employer-paid time-management classes, which help reduce the stress sometimes associated with working under strict time constraints. Also, with today's hectic lifestyle, many firms in this industry offer or provide health facilities or clubs to help employees maintain good health.”

The government may or may not have gotten some things right. We do work in a fun and exciting environment, more often than not we do work long hours, and it can be stressful at times.  To others, possibly our friends and family, we might be living the glamorous life, (but at the expense of those long hours…).

But jobs in advertising have changed forever. And many have disappeared. But many are popping up.  And as we all know, new jobs have some kind of digital and technical bent (if not all) – regardless of the responsibilities or job title.  That’s what our industry trades and associations should be writing about: the fast evolution and transformation of the jobs in our industry, and the new job requirement for all – digital DNA, digital acumen, digital thought leadership. That’s what will get an ad professional a job these days so they can continue to live the glamorous life.

Despite the doom and gloom of the national job market, our Job Bank has lots of great jobs and positions available, and as discussed above, most of them are digital related. So if you’re looking for a job, or wanting to switch your current job, don’t forget to regularly check our job listings. Some of the most recent posts include plum positions with Starlight Theatre, The Lead Group, The Collaboration, Inc., Diamond Merckens Hogan, Ryhcom and Garmin International.

In addition to our own AAF-KC listings, here are just a few links to some other job boards focusing on positions in marketing/advertising:

• The Kansas City 4As Agency Council is the only 4As regional council in the country with its own website independent to the national organization. Under "Job Opportunities," the site provides job links to all KC 4As member agencies in one handy place! 
• MediaPost features media planning, buying jobs, online, digital and social media listings, and media sales listings.
• From Adweek, AgencyScoop is networking site that offers job listings, a way to share your portfolio and more!  
• From AdAge, TalentWorks will let you post your resume, post jobs, review resumes, search jobs, provides salary tools and more!  
• Talent Zoo has all kinds of useful information for job seekers including listings for Ad Jobs, New Media Jobs, Creative Jobs, Marketing Jobs and Geek Jobs!
• Non-Profit Connect - jobs based in the non-profit sector

Sheree Johnson is a maven in all things media-related and is the Director of Business Intelligence at Meers. She also serves as the Email Communications Chair for AAF-KC and was a 2010 AAF-KC Member of the Year nominee.