The Changing Nature of The Communications Market
This article, written by Ralph Charlton, Interim Communications Executive, was originally featured in our 2018 Bridging the Gap report, focusing on the UK communications, digital, and marketing interim market. With over 20 years of experience in corporate communications, Ralph is recognized as one of the UK’s most influential PR professionals. He has managed reputations to achieve strategic objectives for various companies.
The Rise of Interim Roles
Many organizations benefit from using interim professionals, especially when facing distinct communication challenges, clear deadlines, and resource or skills gaps. Interims can immerse themselves in a business for a fixed period, providing value on a full-time or near full-time basis. The communications market is increasingly recognizing the value interims add, driven by a shift from big retainers to project work with defined budgets and outcomes.
Project Assignments and Leadership
As project work becomes more prevalent, the decision of who should lead these projects—whether in-house, agency, or interim—depends on the specific challenge, required skills, and available resources. Organizations are now seeking multi-disciplinary advisers who can navigate overlapping areas like tech, corporate, and public affairs.
Skills and Experience of Interims
Interims with both agency and in-house experience offer significant benefits. In-house experience provides insights into stakeholder relationships and the impact of culture on communications, while agency experience offers exposure to various sectors and scenarios. This dual knowledge is crucial for implementing best practices.
Continuous Learning and Adaptation
Interims must evolve their knowledge in line with market trends, whether through new technology or industry developments. Agency-side interims often stay updated through their environment, while in-house interims should actively engage in networking and digital channels to remain informed.
The Future and Opportunities
Looking ahead, market uncertainty, particularly due to Brexit, presents both challenges and opportunities for interims. Organizations may hesitate to hire full-time employees, making interims an ideal solution for addressing specific challenges within set timeframes.
If you’re looking for interim support or opportunities, contact our team today:
- External, Internal and Change Communications: Deborah Le and Matthew Gibbs
- Marketing and Digital: Karl Ramsaran
- UK, Midlands and North: Julie Mazzei
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**VMA GROUP is a leading international interim and permanent communications, digital, and marketing recruitment, and executive search specialist. We provide consultancy services supported by in-depth knowledge of the professions we recruit for. Our thought leadership and benchmarking studies are essential resources for the industry. VMA GROUP has offices in London, Manchester, Amsterdam, and Brussels, working globally with organizations and individuals.
