Sales and marketing professionals in demand in China

Greater momentum in the space of e-commerce in China has seen an increasing number of marketing jobs being generated.

According to the Hays Quarterly Report for January to March 2015, there was an increase in demand for e-commerce marketing and operations managers, business development directors, and integrated marketing leaders.

The strongest demand is coming from the retail, fashion and fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) industries.

"E-commerce and digital sales channels are becoming increasingly popular in southern China. As a result e-commerce marketing and operations managers are in demand but few candidates are suitably qualified for the roles," said Simon Lance, managing director of Hays in China.

"A growing number of companies are also seeking business development professionals as they have confidence in the year ahead and believe it’s the best time to find the right people to help them gain market share."

Rather than hiring traditional marketers or digital experts, Hays found that most companies preferred to hire integrated marketing leaders who can make the best of both online and offline media to market the brand.

"Employers are also looking for senior corporate communications leaders with strong business awareness. They are seeking strategic advisors for their executive teams who can help strengthen a company brand, navigate through a corporate crisis and build a sustainable business long term." 

High importance is being placed on a candidate's integrity as more companies were found to hire agencies to conduct checks on a candidate's background and experience.

"Candidates should be honest from the start of the recruitment process or they will lose job opportunities," noted Lance.

He added that educational qualifications were still an important tool for employers to assess a candidate’s overall quality, especially in Fortune 500 companies, which continue to look for candidates from reputable universities.

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