We live in a time when new digital technology is emerging around us almost daily. As the industry changes with all the new tools, algorithms and approaches, the system for training respective specialists is also evolving, from traditional university degree plus advanced training courses to online platforms and immersive programs. However, the digital industry is struggling with a shortage of personnel. What are some ways for a company to address the job market challenges as well as the rapid evolution of technology?
What skills does the market need?
Modern marketing programs at universities certainly include digital skills, and industry practitioners are often invited to teach relevant courses. However, even this approach is not always enough to keep up with the rapid changes, when knowledge can become outdated in just six or 12 months.
There are different specializations within the digital marketing field. Today, a specialist needs not only to be able to create campaigns for a variety of goals and audiences, but also to launch them on various advertising platforms, and subsequently analyze the results using analytical tools. One of the possibilities is to use Yandex platforms. The company offers training courses where specialists learn how to run ads in Yandex Direct and analyze data in Yandex Metrics. University programs and these courses complement each other and can be taken together, but to really grow, a specialist needs to work on real projects.
Learning for the sake of learning is a waste of time and resources. One needs a strategy to develop their skills – a strategy that takes into account their personal interests, market needs, and their career goals. A beginner can be advised to watch the recordings of professional conferences in order to better understand the different aspects of digital marketing and make a conscious choice of specialization.
In addition to professional digital skills, interacting with neural networks is a skill that the market will appreciate. Being able to use Midjourney to create visuals or write prompts for ChatGPT will definitely give you an advantage. It is also important to be a confident user of presentation tools – being able to showcase your ideas and defend your projects will come in handy, too.
At Adventum, we always assess a job candidate’s soft skills along with their hard skills. We need to hire specialists who work well in a team. In a marketing agency setting, which involves constant interaction with colleagues, customers and partners, communication skills and shared values are of the essence. Management skills are important in leadership positions, and project management competence is important for account managers. The higher the position, the greater the importance of soft skills.
On-the-job training is an integral part of working in digital. No candidate is an ideal hire – finding someone who fully meets all your job requirements is next to impossible. The best you can do is find the next best match and train them when they’re already part of the agency or the in-house team.
Additional training and staff development
Internships
Doing an internship benefits both the specialist and the company, mainly because what interns learn during their training period will be as relevant as possible for the company’s current needs. The new specialist will become familiar with real projects and tasks. Their new knowledge will be as relevant as is gets, with the opportunity of putting it to use immediately.
At Adventum, we have several reasons to give preference to this type of initial training of our candidates:
- The potential employee does not waste time studying unnecessary things and actually begins contributing to the company.
- They see the results of their efforts immediately, which greatly increases motivation.
- If this career choice does not really work for them, they will also know it soon enough. On-the-job training can also highlight a person’s real interests in digital and tasks that suit their personal qualities, not only their current skill level.
Many young specialists are interested in doing internships at companies. We offer a month-long in-house training program in paid positions, and we always get a lot of applications. For example, in October, 996 people applied for an analytics internship. We sent a test task to 541 candidates, and 96 of them completed it. We invited 14 people for interviews, and finally accepted six. As a rule, only two or three interns complete the program. This approach helps us not only to identify the most motivated and talented candidates, but also to prepare them for real work, combining recruitment and training in a seamless process.
Onboarding
Employee training cannot be postponed – it must start from their first day in the company. From the very beginning, the new employee must be familiarized with the important internal regulations. They must know where they can and should go when they have a work problem. This significantly reduces the time it takes to solve a problem compared to a situation where an employee is acting by instinct. It is especially important to conduct onboarding if the company offers a hybrid work format (office and remote), which is common in the digital industry.
For high-quality onboarding and learning about the main digital inventory used in the company, we use the Motiviti platform. In addition to a convenient format for transferring knowledge, it also provides the opportunity to test it. After studying an important section, you can take a quiz.
Despite all the efforts that the company will spend on filling such training platforms, the content will inevitably become outdated. Current tools, methods, and new advertising platforms always change. Therefore, it is important to establish a process for regular updates. We solved this issue by setting KPIs for updating training materials for top management and managers. They allocate time to record new videos and create training presentations. But, of course, the CEO should evaluate the economic feasibility of this process. For some areas, there are ready-made courses. In some cases, it is more profitable to purchase a ready-made course than to develop it in-house.
Individual development plans (IDPs) and career tracking
As soon as the probationary period ends, it is worth starting to move towards the personalization of learning. An Individual development plan will determine the goals, strengths, and weaknesses of a new employee, and based on them, the most suitable paths for professional growth can be chosen.
An IDP helps an employee focus on the skills and knowledge that are necessary for their specific role in the agency. And of course, when a specialist sees that their development is actively supported by the company, they feel more valued and motivated. This is important for reducing staff turnover. Career tracking helps to clearly understand what steps need to be taken to reach the next level. This may include mastering the latest tools, participating in projects, or developing leadership qualities. If there is a clear understanding of a career path, there will be less uncertainty and stress.
Ideally, several people should work on compiling an IDP. First of all, the HR who brought the person to the company. They will not only ask questions about how the work is going but also help identify difficulties. This is important because some aspects of the work may be difficult to understand and require additional support. Secondly, it is the immediate supervisor, who assesses the existing knowledge and skills and correlates the person’s wishes with the needs and resources of the team.
Mentorship and coaching
But even if the path is mapped out and the training content is available, a new employee needs a guide – a mentor who will help navigate the wealth of information. Preparing materials that would be understandable to everyone is not an easy task, as each person perceives information differently. Therefore, it is the mentor who can provide comments with which the content can be adapted to the needs of a specific employee.
Documenting the mentoring process is also of great importance. The company should have a well-established system that allows specialists at the middle level to move to the senior level through mentoring. This creates opportunities for growth not only for newcomers but also for experienced employees. When a middle specialist becomes a mentor for a junior, they not only share knowledge but also develop their own skills. Mentoring is a mutual process as both participants benefit from the interaction.
What to consider when building a training system in a digital company
- Do not forget about fundamental knowledge. Provide employees with access to basic concepts and theoretical foundations that will help them navigate the chosen field. This may include studying fundamental works and modern research – everything that broadens one’s horizons and forms a solid foundation for professional growth.
- Focus on practical training. Concentrate on teaching specific skills that are needed here and now. Employees should be able to learn current tools and technologies, have access to platforms for automation and control, in order to be effective.
- Adapt to new realities. Pay attention to new technologies, such as neural networks, and teach employees to work with them. This will help not only to solve current routine tasks within the company more easily but also prepare for possible changes in professional activities, given that career trajectories may change several times in a lifetime.
By Yevgenia Grunis, CEO of Adventum