As markets rebound amid the gradual recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic, hiring of sales and marketing professionals in Malaysia saw healthy activity in 2022.
With rising costs, inflation, and the limited talent pool, 2022 was a year with higher salary demands from candidates moving jobs, says Marie Lee, Associate Director of Sales & Marketing, Robert Walters Malaysia.
“Candidates were also expecting better benefits on top of higher salaries,” she adds.
Hybrid and remote work options were popular in 2022 as lockdowns from covid-19 saw the shift from traditional work arrangements towards flexibility. “Company culture, diversity and inclusion, and brand-building drove key hiring trends in the market,” says Marie.
Read on as Marie shares her expectations of the labour market and hiring trends for sales and marketing professionals in 2023.
Strong hiring demand for digital marketing, data analytics, and people management
2023 will see greater use of data as companies focus on growth. “Many businesses are starting to utilise data and people analytics to formulate growth strategies,” shares Marie.
Just as employer branding and candidate experience will take centre-stage, companies will also increase focus on hiring based on soft skills such as personality, behaviour, cultural fit, and communication skills.
There will be high demand for skilled professionals equipped with demand generation, SEO/SEM, data analytics, brand storytelling, and marketing automation, as they will oversee managing digital channels to drive business decisions, awareness, and to generate targeted leads.
“They are responsible for developing and implementing strategies to promote a company’s brand positioning, which is important as many companies are moving towards data-driven ecosystems to drive demand across and within organisations,” says Marie.
Companies will also be looking to hire capable leaders with full P&L responsibilities and experience in people management. Along with the ability to contribute to a profitable business and devise strategies for business improvement, candidates sought after for such executive roles must be able to communicate actualities of P&L and ensure employees are positively invested in the goals of the organisation. “This may involve active listening to employees and coming up with creative ideas to work towards positive P&L management,” says Marie.
These skillset demands are expected to be seen across the sales and marketing segment, which includes industrial, consumer, and healthcare markets.
Focus on growth, diversity to attract and retain talent
To retain employees, companies should look at growth and progression as employees today are constantly searching for a sense of fulfilment in their work.
“Candidates are looking for long-term jobs that give them a chance to either move up the ladder or learn new things,” says Marie.
More companies are venturing into diversity and inclusivity initiatives to create safe and open workplaces as part of their employee retention plans.
This translates to their desire to be part of companies that seek innovation, as employees feel happier and more driven working in companies that are willing to invest in growth and continuous development of their products and services.
Companies should note that existing employees and new candidates alike are always assessing companies and looking out for those with efficient management, diversity and inclusivity, and a positive workplace culture.
“More and more companies are venturing into diversity and inclusivity initiatives to create safe and open workplaces for all likes of people,” shares Marie, adding that this helps to attract and retain talent when employees are free to be themselves.
Sales & Marketing salaries to rise
In 2023, professionals in sales and marketing can expect existing salaries to increase, as companies seek to retain talent in what is a limited talent pool. For job movers in 2023, salary increments will vary depending on industries and seniorities.
