Marketing Staffing Survey Results Find That 57% of Fortune 500 Corporate Marketing Departments Plan on Hiring Additional Marketers in 2006

Good news if you're in the interactive marketing field...This field is one of the hottest job markets in the U.S. and around the world.

Internet Marketing is the Number One Area Corporate Marketing Departments' are Planning to Spend More Money On

Aquent Marketing Staffing, the world's largest staffing firm specializing in the placement of marketing professionals, today announced the recent findings of its "2006 Spending & Staffing Trends for Corporate Marketing Departments" study. Aquent surveyed over 1,700 marketing professionals at Fortune 500 companies across the country and Canada to gain insight into what areas of marketing Fortune 500 companies were planning to increase spending on in 2006 along with their staffing needs.

Compared to Aquent's 2005 findings, hiring has increased by 5 percent this year. "With more companies hiring, Aquent has seen a significant rise in its temp-to-perm solution, Talent Bridge," said Sean Bisceglia, president of Aquent Marketing Staffing. "Talent Bridge allows companies to work with a marketer on a "try before you buy" basis without adding head count for the first three months. That way hiring managers can evaluate performance, productivity, and cultural fit before making a permanent and costly commitment."

Aquent places over 1,000 experienced marketing professionals per year within leading Fortune 500 companies on an interim basis. Today, more than 20 percent of Aquent's interim marketers are going from temp-to-perm, and the number keeps growing.

Additionally, the survey found that there will be an increased focus on Internet marketing in 2006, with more than 50 percent of companies planning to increase spending in this area. Spending in branding and advertising follow closely behind, while brand mangers and project managers are the top two positions corporate marketing departments are looking to fill.
Aquent's survey also found that with the economy and job market picking up, along with the talk of Baby Boomers and the impending labor shortage, 59 percent of companies are concerned about employee retention and 78 percent believe employee turnover will be a challenge over the next five years.

To receive a copy of the "2006 Spending & Staffing Trends for Corporate Marketing Departments" study, please contact Kelly Shumaker by email kshumaker@aquent.com, 312-334-6980, or visit aquent.com.