The market correction that hit the tech industry in 2023 led to weaker demand for marketing roles in tech, with a dip in hiring for marketing project manager roles.

Nevertheless, digital marketing, social media marketing, e-commerce and communication roles remain highly sought after across most industries, discloses Aishah Jamall, Consultant at Robert Walters Singapore.

Read on to find out more about Aishah’s expectations of the labour market and hiring trends for Singapore’s Sales & Marketing professionals in 2024, with an emphasis on contract positions.

Boomerang employees and contracting on the rise

Already, companies have placed more attention on the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. This is a trend that Aishah believes is here to stay in 2024.

In some ways, employers will have the upper hand in the job market in the coming year. Aishah anticipates that companies will maintain an open outlook towards filling their open positions through contracts. Furthermore, with economic uncertainty and an unstable job market, the trend of “boomerang employees” returning to their previous companies may continue in the year ahead.

In-demand skillsets will remain popular in 2024

Digital marketing, social media marketing and e-commerce skillsets will remain highly sought after in 2024. Companies have also ramped up hiring for communications positions – a trend expected to persist through 2024. Lastly, the retail and FMCG sectors will also continue to hire more talent for customer relationship management and loyalty marketing functions.

Aishah notes that candidates will need to be more data-driven to stand out. “More and more, we receive requests for talents who can dissect the data and identify market trends that can better inform their marketing strategies,” she says.

She adds, “Soft skills are also vital. For many companies, creativity and critical thinking are essential to ensure their marketing teams can launch successful campaigns. These teams will also have to collaborate extensively with other stakeholders, so it’s also important that talents have strong communication skills.”

Wellness and mental health a priority

“Although candidates still primarily change jobs for better salary packages, work-life balance and flexible work arrangements are other common motivating factors that spark job moves,” Aishah reveals.

Companies should investigate and understand their employees’ motivations and concerns, and do their best to cater to them to attract and retain their talent.

For example, candidates with children will often prefer opportunities with more flexible working hours. For many other candidates, remote work remains an attractive benefit. While standards differ across industries, Aishah notes that it’s worthwhile for companies to explore how they can provide additional benefits tailored to the candidate.

Salary increments will differ by industry

Candidates can expect to receive increments when moving jobs, but salaries are not expected to rise significantly in 2024. Candidates will also find that their offers will differ based on the industry and specialisation of the role.

Find out more

Request access to our 2024 Salary Survey to benchmark salaries and to find out more about key hiring trends for Sales & Marketing contract professionals in Singapore.