Sustained demand for digital and e-commerce professionals
 

The downturn for the tech and startup scene which began in 2022 has carried on through 2023, with companies focusing on downsizing, hiring freezes and drawing the most efficiency they can out of a leaner workforce. This has translated into a more sluggish hiring market for the Sales & Marketing sector in the first half of 2023, with activities picking up gradually in 2023.

“Many e-commerce and internet companies have stabilised after the hyper growth phase they experienced in previous years. Now, they mostly want to maintain their current headcounts, and salary increments for digital and e-commerce roles have also flattened out after the big boom previously,” remarks Piyatas Suthapornpat, a Manager at Robert Walters Thailand specialises in digital and e-commerce roles as part of the Sales & Marketing division.

Hiring demand for the roles that Piyatas oversees has mostly been driven by the B2B, automotive, luxury and healthcare industries, which he says are some of the newer entrants to the digital and e-commerce scene. Traditional Thai companies have also have invested into building their own digital and e-commerce teams as part of efforts to innovate. There has also been some hiring demand for new channels such as social commerce, livestreaming and affiliate marketing.  

While opportunities are still available on the market, Piyatas notes that candidates prioritised job security as a key deciding criteria when considering new opportunities.

Read on to find out more about Piyatas’s expectations of the labour market and hiring trends for Thailand’s Sales & Marketing professionals in 2024, with an emphasis on digital and e-commerce positions.

Companies are after well-rounded, data-driven talents

Demand for digital marketing and e-commerce talents was still high in 2023, and Piyatas says this demand is not expected to let up anytime soon. However, companies will expect candidates to be able to bring more well-rounded skillsets to the table. “An ideal candidate would be someone who possess both digital marketing and e-commerce experience,” he explains.

Companies are also open to hiring candidates from other industries as such roles feature transferrable skillsets. The caveat for the FMCG and retail sectors is that candidates should have data-driven mindsets and skills, as more companies want to bridge data from customer relationship management (CRM) systems with digital marketing and e-commerce.

Flexible work arrangements will also remain high on the priority list for candidates.

Hiring trends in 2024

Piyatas anticipates that established digital and e-commerce companies will look to augment their headcount with talents in social commerce and digital engagement.

Meanwhile, across all industries, digital marketing, performance marketing and e-commerce roles are going to be in heavy demand. Roles that companies will hire for include digital marketing managers and directors, especially those with experience in media planning and ad optimisation.

As companies look to bridge their data, marketing and commercial functions to churn out more precise and effective campaigns, new roles in digital analytics, digital engagement and customer analytics have become more prominent in the market. Professionals who can effectively leverage data to maximise revenue will be heavily sought after.

Companies will also look for e-commerce managers and directors who can help them expand into new sales channels.

Set clear expectations and provide diverse benefits

Securing high quality talent in digital marketing and e-commerce has never been easy, and it’s a task that Piyatas says has only gotten more challenging. Demand remains high, and jobseekers are usually exploring three to five opportunities at any given moment.

“Senior candidates tend to seek out more challenging projects and job stability, while mid-level candidates will prioritise on salary increments,” he elaborates.

His advice for companies looking to attract talent is to focus on their employer branding, as it is one of the most important factors for candidates when they decide to move jobs.

He also recommends that companies be more open to candidates that show promise, even if they do not match job requirements to a tee. On this, he says, “The digital marketing and e-commerce space is always evolving. Hire your team on the premise that they can come onboard to learn a new tool, channel or strategy, or even consider hiring talent from other industries since the skillsets are transferrable.”

Salaries set to rise

In 2024, salaries are set to increase by 25 – 30% for job movers.

Find out more

Request access to our 2024 Salary Survey to benchmark salaries and to find out more about key hiring trends in the Sales & Marketing industry in Thailand.