1.
MARKET REPORT
Digital is ever evolving. As a Digital Recruitment
Consultant (specialising in Digital Marketing,
Digital Content/production and Conversion Rate
Optimisation), it’s important I stay in tune with the
industry. On average I interview 6 candidates a
week face to face – around 300 candidates a year
- giving me valuable insight into the market. The
following is a collection of my observations in 2016:
1. What’s hot?
2. Tips for recruiting the best talent in the market.
Digital What’s Hot?

2.
What’s Hot?
Digital Analytics and Conversion Rate
Optimisation is ‘so hot right now’…
The path to a purchase is becoming increasingly
complicated, the emphasis on data analytics to track
and monitor the different stages in the purchase
funnel is ever increasing. Just about every digital role
has an analytical element to it now. We have seen a lot
of growth this year in ‘Conversion Rate Optimisation’
focused roles, these roles are concerned with
analysing and optimising the user experience online,
They identify opportunities for improvement and test
multiple variants of campaigns/messages/look and
feel, to establish the most effective combinations.
This is an immature market. Candidates with CRO
experience are in the minority and regularly head
hunted. This can make hiring and retaining them a
difficult task. Salaries can be driven sky high in this
sector, however money is not the only drawcard.
Offering the opportunity to work on higher traffic
websites can be enticing to potential employees,
as it gives them scope to work on a greater number
of tests and variants, thus increasing their skills and
experience and making them more marketable in the
future.

3.
The year of Content Marketing
and Marketing Automation.
Inbound marketing is undoubtedly a great way to draw interested and engaged visitors to your site;
especially when it’s via a link from an accredited/respected source. It derives interest and authority and
helps to increase time and engagement on-site, It is also important to improving search engine rankings
and overall digital visibility. Something that Hub Spot knows all too well, with an interest in candidates with
this skill set on the rise.
What’s Hot?

4.
Which leads nicely onto
Marketing Automation.
In the last 6 months, demand has soared for candidates with email marketing and marketing automation
experience. Many companies are looking to increase the sophistication and personalisation of their
customer communications, based on behavioural based triggers in an attempt to keep on top of every lead,
or customer touch-point. Experienced users of Salesforce Marketing Cloud (formerly Exact Target) and
Marketo are also highly sought after.
What’s Hot?

5.
Adobe Marketing Cloud
Over the last year, a proportion of our clients have invested heavily in the Adobe Marketing Cloud –
including AEM, Adobe Analytics (formerly Omniture Site Catalyst) and Test and Target. The opportunity to
work with such cutting edge technologies has been a big drawcard for candidates. However, there is a
very small pool of experienced users in the Australian market. Smart clients train up candidates who have
used comparable enterprise level software.
What’s Hot?

6.
Successful in-house
digital media teams
Some of our clients have begun to build very successful in-house digital media teams; particularly in the
area of paid search. This has increased the demand for agency-side candidates with the hands-on skills
required to set up, implement and run campaigns. Moving to the client side can offer such candidates
the opportunity to devote themselves to one brand and really see the impact that their work has on the
business. However, there are definitely challenges in attracting them, as some believe they’d miss the
variety, creativity and ‘buzz’ of agency life. Therefore, selling the benefits of your clientside role and
getting the recruitment process right is critical…
What’s Hot?

7.
Tips for recruiting the best talent
in the market
Snap them up.
When a strong digital candidate decides they’re ready for their next move they won’t be on the market
for long. Such candidates typically interview with 4-5 companies and often have as many offers to choose
between. Getting these candidates into your business can be a game changer, but boy do they know their
worth… If an application process appears too difficult or long, they can quickly lose interest. Finding ways
to expedite the recruitment process so you don’t lose out, is paramount. More and more of our clients are
open to video interviewing (through Skype, Google Hang Out etc) when neccssary. However, some clients
are reluctant to make the final offer without meeting the candidate in person. In our experience, end-to-end
video interviewing works exactly the same as a face to face interview and we have had made extremely
successful hires this way.

8.
It’s a 2-way street
The best interviews are an exchange of information and a genuine opportunity to build rapport, engagement and
excitement, rather than ‘grilling’ the candidate. As a hiring manager, think about what you love about the company,
team and culture and describe the overall opportunity (including future career potential) as opposed to just the role
duties. Some clients have also put together information to describe the employee value proposition (EVP) – a summary
of the company’s culture, working environment, training and development schemes and benefits. When we can share
this with candidates it’s a valuable source of ‘buy-in’ material and helps them to visualise their involvement in the
company; before they even reach the interview stage.
Tips for recruiting the best talent
in the market

9.
Interested to know more?
At Bluefin we consider ourselves consultants, rather than just reactive
transactional recruiters. We can help you to develop slick recruitment
processes and attract the best talent in the market. If you would value a
discussion about how I may be able to help it would be great to hear from
you
I have also written a market report around how to land your perfect role.
If you know anyone who would be interested in reading this let me know!
0420 315 057
+61 2 92702629
gemma@bluefinresources.com.au
Gemma Hardy,
Senior Account Manager - Digital