The job market within the direct marketing industry has slowed. According to a survey of hiring practices, only 66% of respondents plan to add staff this summer, down from 72% in the spring and 80% last fall.
The good news is that there are fewer layoffs anticipated. Only two companies out of the more than 100 answering a survey from Bernhart Associates Executive Search said they would be reducing headcount during the next three months. That figure represents a record low for the five-year-old employment survey.
“Most job seekers are finding opportunities out there but the job market is not quite as robust as it was a year ago,” said the Owatonna, MN-based firm’s president Jery Bernhart in a statement.
There has been a shift in which disciplines are most in desire. In quarters past, data analysts and sales reps led the growth. While the call for salespeople remained high, Bernhart reported a spike in demand for candidates with Internet-related skills, particularly Web designers and graphic artists.
118 direct marketing companies including agencies, suppliers and end-users participated in the survey, which was emailed the week of July 10. Companies interested in being added to the quarterly survey should send an email to [email protected] with
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