Advertising vacancies make “sober reading” for local advertising and creative employers, according to the APAC Aquent Salary Monitor 2005/06, released this morning. “The critical shortage of talent, a perennial issue over the last two years, is now not only severe but it has added new twist,” says Aquent NZ’s Simon Lusty. “That new twist is that the little creative talent there is, is in deep staying-put mode.” The search for talent is making 2005 the year of the pay rise, says the report, with 80% of respondents cranking up their salary budgets by between 4% and 6%. To see the full report, contact Lusty at slusty@aquent.com.