Outside of London, Manchester is the creative hub of the UK with advertising, design and marketing professionals all finding job opportunities in the North West. The creative industry covers a range of job roles such as account manager, freelance designer and art director, whilst the introduction of MediaCityUK in Salford has also helped boost the local digital sector. Due to the prominence of the field, creative recruitment agencies based in Manchester are needed to source innovative candidates for the permanent, temporary and contract vacancies of their clients.
Although average salaries in the city are typically below that of their London counterparts, they are comparatively greater than those in other leading locations such as Leeds and the Midlands. The average salary for creative personnel is around £30K although this is largely dependent on the job type. A junior digital designer can expect to earn between £20K-£25K, whereas an executive or senior advertising art director can potentially make £100K+ per annum. Other jobs can include business developer, graduate graphic designer and social media operative.
Creative employers in Manchester
Some of the biggest creative employers in the region include TBWA and PR company Weber Shandwick, although MediaCityUK has brought more jobs to the city. The BBC and ITV are perhaps the most high profile inhabitants although an array of SMEs are also responsible for the 15K jobs created there.
Qualifications
Although formal qualifications aren't always necessary to work in a creative role, degrees, diplomas and courses are widely available for technical positions and to improve job prospects. An employer may favour experience over qualifications when looking to hire a studio manager, although a degree in marketing or advertising would benefit the applicant. On the other hand, a career within media technology will require prior training and qualifications from a candidate and these should be highlighted on their CV. A specialist agency based in the region will be best equipped to supply local and creative staff to a Manchester client and assess whether they have the necessary skills to be an asset to the profession.