Since joining the Ecommerce recruitment space 4 years ago, I have noticed a number of changes and trends that differ from then to now. The requirements that my clients were asking me to search for even 2 years ago, is very different to the ecommerce job specifications that are being sent to me today. On the flip side, I have seen a huge shift in the candidate market. The role of an ecommerce professional seems to vary a lot from company to company and between industry sectors. Consequently, there is a disconnect appearing in the market. Clients are less aware now of the level of talent out there and what skill sets are available; and likewise, candidates are more hesitant to make moves due to not knowing where best they can add value or develop their skills further.
Julia Childs (yes, she is my sister!) has just recently been in the ecommerce job market and has shared her experience of securing her new position.

1. How did you find the job market when you were recently looking?

I found the job market within ecommerce/digital had grown since I had looked previously. I felt there were more of a range of jobs within this area that I could apply for with the skills/experience I had gained.

2. What challenges did you face when looking at roles?

The challenges I faced when looking at roles were that quite a few of the jobs that were being advertised at certain times were manager/head of department roles which had requirements I couldn’t meet. Also, as I was looking to work back in London I had to make sure the salary I was looking for would cover my commute from Essex and be a step up from what my role was at the time.

3. Had the market changed since you looked before?

I felt the market had grown in terms of ecommerce within the retail sector, which was the area I wanted to continue my career in. There were more opportunities out there which ranged from manager to assistant roles when I was searching for my new position.

4. What feedback were you getting on your applications? And were there any trends you saw in terms of what companies were looking for?

The feedback I was getting on my applications were all positive, but the reasons when I had progressed to final stage interviews and was not offered the position was the person I was up against had some more analytical experience e.g. Google Analytics.
The trends I felt I saw in with what companies were looking for, was that I had been working in ecommerce within the retail industry for over 3 years, so I have a good knowledge of that area. As well as good Microsoft Excel skills and experience in reporting. Also having skills within software systems that were relevant to the role e.g. CMS systems.

5. What was key for you when looking for a new role?

The key things I was looking for in a new role were new challenges and to further my experience and skills within ecommerce. I wanted to develop my analytical skills further so was looking for a position where a large part of this was covered in the job role. I was also after a role with more structure, than I previously had, and a company that I could really progress in my career.
Over the last couple of weeks, I have met with a number of senior professionals in the ecommerce sector and they too have seen this shift and experienced the difficulty in recruiting in this sector. As a result, we have decided to put our heads together and help the market out. I have set up a Slack community for people of all levels of experience to get together in one place and discuss hot topics. It is also a chance for people unsure of their next career move to have direct conversations with senior members of the community, for advice or even mentorship.

The group now has over 80 members and I would love to get as many people involved as possible. Coupled with this, it’s nearly Christmas and you will all have been working extremely hard over the Black Friday event; so RedCat Digital are hosting their first ecommerce event ‘Black Friday, Black Out Drinks’ on Thursday 7th December. It will be a great opportunity to put faces to names, discuss what’s hot in the market and how we can tackle and add value back to the ecommerce community. Oh, and have a free drink on me ?

Join my Slack group: e-comandchat.slack.com
For more details on our ‘Black Friday, Black Out Drinks’ call me on 0207 2657800 or email me at sjc@redcat-digital.com

Written by Sarah Childs, Head of Ecommerce and Web Analytics

LinkedIn: Sarah Childs / @RedCat_Digital

Twitter: @childsey_sj @RedCat_Digital

Facebook: RedCat Digital

Google+: RedCat 

 

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