Traditional Agencies Wage War in Order to Scoop the Best Talent For Digital Jobs

Off-line agencies join the digital bandwagonWho will win the race?
Information collated from the Major Players databaseAccording to Rosie Watherston, recruiter for digital
shows that since January 2010 there has been a largeclient services jobs at Major Players "Large traditional
increase in digital producer job briefs, 60% of whichagencies are already recruiting digital talent in order to
have been sourced from traditional integratedbuild and establish their own digital teams in-house -
agencies.they want to mature as a business and optimise their
This is good news for freelance project managers asreach within the market."
there is an apparent shortage of quality permanentHowever, this is not to say that the race has already
digital project managers within the sector. Thisbeen won by the 'bigger boys'. These global
encourages companies to employ freelancers in orderorganisations have spent the best part of the last 30
to fill short term skills gaps or as a 'try before you buy'to 40 years establishing themselves within the
method. This correlates with our research whichtraditional formats of print and TV, but will they be able
indicates that only one in five project managers on ourto harness digital as effectively? At first glance the
database have a strong digital skill set.smaller agencies are already ahead of the game in this
So, what does this mean for digital jobs?arena, but simply can't match the attractive packages
As a project manager looking to excel within the digitaloffered by the larger, traditional agencies.
sphere, now is the time to up your game and invest inCould this emerging trend potentially lead to the
your digital skill set. There are lots of ways to break-in,consolidation of digital and traditional houses in an
be it participating in independent projects, signing up toattempt to create an integrated package? With
training courses, shadowing those already establishedtraditional agencies keen to improve on what they are
within the industry or simply brushing up on youralready offering and smaller, specialist agencies
understanding of digital media and keeping up to datealready leading the way, the race to acquire the best
with new trends and technologies. In short, maximisein digital production talent has already begun.
your potential as a digital professional.