Top skills the marketing industry should have in 2019

Sales and marketing professionals with big data, digital, e-commerce and transformation experience, will be highly sought after as companies continue its digitalisation efforts.The ongoing digitalisation wave also sees demand for relevant skillsets such as IT specialists in the niche areas of cyber security, big data and artificial intelligence, according to the annual Robert Walters Salary Survey. Additionally, the survey also found that the top jobs in 2019 will be analytical and data-driven in nature, such as data scientists, product management, UX designers, and digital roles.Meanwhile, cybersecurity will remain a major focus, with rising concerns in the wake of recent high-profile cyberattacks within the country. As organisations advance its digital transformations, tech giants expand and enter the local market and tech start-ups grow, the demand for IT professionals will increase. Moreover, specialists with skills and experience in analytics, applications, data science, the Internet of Things and cybersecurity will be in high demand.With a limited talent pool and global talent shortage in key sectors, the report noted that local talent will continue to be in demand and competition will intensify for specialists such as Singaporeans qualified with international and cross-border experience and knowledge. This is due to the increasing trend of businesses seeking out overseas expansion opportunities.As such, companies are advised to step up efforts to retain its top skilled talent by investing in training, offering benefits such as flexible working arrangements and providing attractive counter-offers, hiring managers are also seeking innovative solutions to draw candidates.In addition, senior-level professionals who can use their expertise to drive business objectives will be in high demand. Job movers in Singapore can expect increments of 5% to 15% in 2019. Larger increments are expected for candidates with specialised skillsets in IT, digital and financial services.Rob Bryson, managing director for Singapore, Robert Walters said that the best candidates look for roles they can grow into, while employers who can demonstrate that they have the right teams and systems in place to support a candidate’s success in a role are better positioned to secure top talent.“There is greater urgency now for hiring managers to expand their pool of candidates and reach out to local professionals residing overseas with the necessary expertise, skill sets and international experience. Companies, particularly those in the more mature markets, are also looking to refine and optimise their recruitment processes, with more seeking outsourcing solutions,” Toby Fowlston, managing director for Southeast Asia, Robert Walters said.