Recruitment agency Aquent says the “critical” shortage of talent is being exacerbated because people are staying put. Of the 110 companies surveyed, Aquent found 5% employing advertising suits reported staff turnover of greater than 20% in 2005. In 2004, 45% of these respondents reported staff turnover of greater than 20%. In 2005, 81% of creative and advertising client servicing respondents reported less than 10% turnover in staff. In the first two quarters of 2005 alone, 80% of creative employers and 73% of those employing advertising suits and media professionals were planning to hire additional permanent staff in the upcoming 12 months.

Pay Rises

Eighty per cent of all respondents were gearing up to increase salaries, 39% of those employing “suits” were gearing up to raise salaries by more than 10%. Only 3% of respondents reported they had “exceptional” talent to choose from in the past 12 months – with the majority reporting average (49%) ad even poor (18%). The general opinion was that employers were not overwhelmed with the calibre of potential hires.