Do you need a marketing specialist or broader marketing skills?

The decision to bring in a new hire whether it be to fill a vacancy, fulfil the need for new skills or to support your growing business, can be a challenge. The recruitment process can be stressful and often unsuccessful, but it doesn’t need to be. When hiring for a marketing role, it is important to remember that you also need to consider whether you need a marketing specialist or someone with more generalist skills in the field.

So when do you need someone with a more specific set of skills and when would you benefit from a professional who can get involved with a bit of everything while also keeping in mind the overall marketing programme? 

Hiring marketing professionals

When determining which direction to go, it is crucial to truly assess your business needs. For example, if you are looking to expand your content schedule and create SEO optimised website copy or blog articles to better engage with your audience and improve organic search traffic, a content specialist or copywriter would be beneficial. Alternatively, if you need someone to come in and run your larger marketing campaigns from early planning through to execution, then a marketing manager with experience and a great understanding of multiple channels would be highly valuable.  

Specialist or generalist?

Contrary to what some may believe, the generalist marketing role is in fact still an in-demand skill set and for many SMEs, is the preferred choice. A professional who possesses a variety of marketing skills and has experience working across multiple functions can drive your marketing team to improve ROI and strengthen your customer-brand relationship. 
Working as a generalist marketer, these professionals may have also touched on specialist areas as part of their day-to-day role and would, therefore, have a basic understanding that can be built on if they need or decide to specialise.
The core understanding of the marketing function, how different channels work together to create meaningful messaging for customers, is essential. Specialist knowledge in technical or high-skilled areas is also of great value to businesses looking to improve their niche capabilities. It all depends on what you need.
As it can be difficult to find candidates with the right skill sets you should be sure to focus on the specifications essential for the role. If you start comparing other factors it will just make the decision harder. Of course, team fit should be a consideration, however, it is most important to assess a candidate’s ability to meet the brief in terms of skills and relevant marketing knowledge.

Managerial positions

If you are hiring for a more senior role such as a marketing manager or head of a particular marketing function, it is vital that they possess general marketing skills as they need to fully comprehend the business needs of the function and strategically lead their team to improve ROI. For some marketing functions, however, a manager with a history working in a specialised role is vital to ensure best practice and that the team is managed and supported effectively. Be clear on what you want to achieve through your new hire. 

Junior and entry-level positions

One of the biggest challenges our clients face is the competition for quality candidates and the salaries that they are prepared to pay. All industries vary but we have noticed that at the junior end of the market, there is a shortage of marketing experience with high salary expectations. 
Entry-level roles are generally more likely to be generalist rather than specialist and most clients we work with want a candidate who has completed an internship or something similar and can demonstrate that they have tried to gain some level of marketing experience. A marketing degree or qualification is always sought after. In addition to this, in any marketing role, at all levels, exceptional writing skills are always appreciated. Be sure your junior staff are exposed to the wide array of marketing activities your team engage in so that they can get more experience and identify the areas they enjoy most. 

Upskilling your team

Developing your team should be a key focus, not only will this ensure that your team is engaged and up to date with the latest in the marketing world but it also attracts external talent. Regular development discussions with your team can help you identify their marketing capabilities and truly understand their career aspirations which will enable you to focus training into areas where it is needed or there is a desire to learn more. This should be done on an individual basis to ensure the programmes are tailored to each team member but also aligned with business needs.
It is important to know that regardless of the experience your existing or potential employees possess, continued training and development is key. Ultimately, a good marketing professional, generalist or specialist, can make the transition from a generalist to specialist or vice versa. While it might be easier for a generalist to specialise as they may have touched on different areas throughout their career, there is a wide range of courses that can assist specialists to make the transition to a more general marketing role. It is also important for you, as a manager to ensure your existing employees have exposure to different marketing skills by allowing them to spend time with the relevant marketing functions and work collaboratively on projects. 
If you would like to discuss this further, or to explore how we can help with your recruitment processes, contact your local Michael Page office. You can also submit a job spec and one of our specialist consultants will be in touch. 
Elizabeth Woodforde
Associate Director, Michael Page Marketing 
T: +442072692528