When Marketing Works: Drown out the depressing data with inspiring solutions for 2022 staffing

Ugh. Nearly two years after the first confirmed COVID-19 case in the U.S., news outlets continue to share Debbie Downer headlines about “The Great Resignation” and other stories that make hiring managers cringe. But even the most optimistic recruiters will acknowledge the perfect storm that is hovering over our best efforts: low unemployment numbers, a rise in job postings, and burned-out employees seeking greener pastures. 

As a recent TIME magazine article stated: “So far, 2021 quit levels are about 10% to 15% higher than they were in record-setting 2019.” On a national scale, the U.S. unemployment rate fell to 5.2% in August, compared to 8.4% in Aug 2020. In Marcomm’s home state of Minnesota, unemployment dipped slightly to 3.8% in August 2021, down from 6.6% in Aug 2020. 

Meanwhile, according to a LinkedIn report, the demand for marketers, in particular, has grown: from January to June 2021 there was a 63% increase in the number of marketing jobs posted on LinkedIn; in the last year, a total of 341,000 marketing jobs were posted.

Maybe the authors of this FastCompany article weren’t too far off the mark when they quipped: “Attracting and closing game-changing talent has become a blood sport.” But while this environment is contradictory and challenging for both job seekers and hiring teams, that is not the whole picture. 

So rather than wallowing in dreary employment statistics, Marcomm would like to share how our flexible marketing solutions can help you achieve your hiring and staffing goals in 2022.

Talent hotspot

It boils down to this: With so many companies scrambling to fill vacant roles, hiring managers must be strategic about attracting the best marketing talent.

Marcomm is located in the Twin Cities, where we have access to a rich field of experienced, bright, skilled marketing professionals. Since Minnesota is the headquarters for several Fortune 500 companies—including UnitedHealth Group, 3M, Target, General Mills, Best Buy, Cargill, CHS, Hormel, Ameriprise and many others—this is a hot spot for innovation in almost every field. Many professionals in our network have honed their skills and learned from top marketers in the tech, medical, retail, financial, engineering, food/beverage, or manufacturing space.

Access to a talent pool with a diverse range of marketing skills is just one of the reasons it can be such a worthwhile experience to work with a staffing partner like Marcomm. We focus on building long-term relationships with high-caliber candidates in our own backyard who can add value to your marketing organization—whether it’s a scrappy start-up firm or a multi-national corporation.

Dedicated advocates

Marcomm supports our clients in providing great opportunities for great marketers. There’s significant value in working with a recruiting advocate who can focus their energy into filling your open positions. Here are three ways we make your job easier:

1. We’re working for you. Marcomm is networking on your behalf and selling your company ethos—your culture, mission, values, and what makes it a great place to work—even as we are vetting the right candidate for the role. 
2. We’re thinking ahead. Marcomm works hard to ensure the candidate’s career goals, salary expectations, scheduling preferences, and capacity for professional development are a good match for the role. We want your new hire to be a loyal, long-term contributor.
3. We’re big on commitment. Marcomm confirms the candidate’s strong interest and commitment prior to submission. 

Flexible and focused 

Although Marcomm anticipates that hiring challenges will continue through 2022, our flexible marketing services can equip clients to make smart hiring decisions. 

Recognizing that one size does not fit all, Marcomm currently offers several ways to connect companies with marketing solutions:  

Contract staffing continues to solve many business problems for Marcomm clients:

• Our contract staffing solution allows companies to support over-loaded marketing teams, cover for seasonal needs, provide much-needed relief during hiring freezes, and more. 
• Marcomm has been supporting Minnesota-based companies for more than 25 years—check out our blogs about clients such as 3M and Pearson—with short-term and long-term contract resources. 
• This is a great way for both companies and candidates to evaluate culture fit; it also makes it easier for companies to make staffing shifts as their needs change.
• With Marcomm, our clients get access to our industry-specific recruiting expertise; we are continually working with marketing departments and understand how to evaluate the unique skills and attributes that make great candidates.
• Read more about how Marcomm’s contract staffing solution can ensure your high-priority work receives attention quickly, without the 8-10 week process that a typical hiring decision requires.

Contract-to-hire has become an increasingly popular staffing solution over the last few years:

• Contract-to-hire addresses a variety of potential business problems, most notably when the current and future plans for the position are in flux or unknown. 
• One you are working with a Marcomm contractor, hiring them as a full-time employee in the future is easier and typically has no recruiting fees (Marcomm offers no fee conversions).
• In this video, Marcomm Founder & CEO Joe Foley shares more about Marcomm’s contract-to-hire solutions. 

Fractional marketing execution helps companies address several marketing functions through our expertise as your one-stop shop partner:

• Unlike marketing or advertising agencies, Marcomm’s Fractional Team is comprised of “doers” that execute your marketing priorities for a fraction of the time and cost of hiring a full team. 
• This is a great option for small or growing companies that may have a lean marketing department or want to develop projects outside their existing team’s capability.
• Some companies know they need marketing support, but they can’t define exactly what is needed. Marcomm steps into that gap—our Fractional Marketing Teams tackle small or complex projects to help companies stay competitive in an ever-changing, digitally-driven economy. 
• Click here to learn more about the benefits of this cost-effective marketing solution.

Want to explore our flexible solutions for your marketing challenges? Click here to learn more about Marcomm’s capabilities, or contact us to start a conversation.  

About MARCOMM

Marcomm believes people searching for their next career opportunity deserve to be treated with value, and that companies don’t have to settle for talent that doesn’t fit both culture and skill expectations. Founded in 1996, Marcomm is proud of our history connecting marketing talent with some of the best Twin Cities companies. Our mission is to rebuild the value of relationships as the cornerstone to delivering staffing, contract and support services to companies large and small. The human experience is central to our purpose and by connecting people to deliver great marketing efforts we fulfill both the needs of job seekers and our corporate clientele. For more information, visit: https://www.marcommdept.com.