Sydney, Australia (July 21, 2005) — Advertising industry recruitment is booming across the Asia Pacific region, with the majority of agencies looking to increase staff, turnover rising and salaries spiking up, according to a new report from Aquent.

Aquent's Asia Pacific Salary Monitor 2005-2006 shows that the long-term slump the advertising industry experienced over recent years is well and truly over, with 82% of Sydney agencies planning to add more staff during the next year. Some 77% of Melbourne agencies will increase staff and 65% in Brisbane.

Demand is also up across the region, with 94% of mainland Chinese agencies expecting to increase staff and strong growth expectations across Singapore and Hong Kong.

The survey also shows that after years of salary restraint in the industry, the increasing demand is pushing up salaries and lifting staff turnover levels.

In Sydney, 40% of respondents reported staff turnover in excess of 20%
- in stark contrast to survey results in 2004 where not a single agency reported turnover close to this level.

Only 55% of agencies managed to keep staff turnover below 10% during the past 12 months, while that figure was 80% the year before. Similar volatility is seen in Brisbane and Melbourne, a clear indication that the competition for both creative and account service talent is on again in earnest right across Australia.

According to Aquent Asia Pacific ceo Greg Savage, the candidate-driven market is now pushing up salaries.

"77% of agencies surveyed in Sydney, 88% in Melbourne and 97% in Brisbane plan to increase salaries during the coming 12 months," said Savage. "In some cases these increases have been long delayed and employers are applying a 'catch up' approach as they begin to realise that increasingly, employees have the leverage when it comes to salary discussions."

He said there was also strong demand in the advertising contractor market.

"In Melbourne for example, 97% of agencies surveyed employ freelancers and contractors. In Brisbane, 95%, and in Sydney, 84% employ freelancers on an as needed basis," added Savage.

The full report, covering salary levels and candidate demand across 14 cities and more than 100 different advertising roles is available from Aquent, phone (02) 8288 8288.