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With the influx of affordable smartphones and cheap data plans, the addiction to social media among Indians has continued to escalate every passing year. As per a study, an average Indian spends roughly three hours daily on social media. Consequently, companies, irrespective of their size, have begun leveraging social media to engage with their consumers for brand recognition, increased sales, customer engagement, etc. 

According to specialist staffing company Xpheno, the current count of active talent in social media-specific roles is more than 240,000, and this pool has annually grown by 8% - 12% over the last five years. However, with subdued hiring activity in this space, the job openings are only 4,000, the Bengaluru-based company told Storyboard18.

'Types of social media jobs'

A slew of job roles have opened up across industries in the social media space. Varun Satia, Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at Kraftshala said that roles like social media creators, content strategists, content creators, copywriters, editors, scriptwriters, community managers, and influencer marketing executives are some of the roles which have been growing in recent times.


<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/special-coverage/entertainment-industry-witnesses-spike-in-jobs-as-otts-originals-boom-38341.htm">Entertainment industry witnesses spike in jobs as OTTs’ ‘Originals’ boom</a>


"Since companies have become more mindful of their brand perception, they are allocating their social media budgets to influence customers' decisions", Shantanu Rooj, founder and CEO at Teamlease Edtech added, "Consequently, social media has opened up numerous career opportunities, such as SEO specialists, data analysts, creative director, UX designers, etc".

According to Xpheno, the top industry with respect to social media job roles is- Advertising Services (45,000 professionals), followed by IT Services and IT Consulting (32,000), Software Development (15,000), Marketing Services and Media (13,000).

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-marketing/ott-industry-may-add-2-80-lakh-jobs-in-next-4-years-as-demand-for-vfx-animation-surges-report-37770.htm">OTT industry may add 2.80 lakh jobs in next 4 years as demand for VFX, animation surges: Report</a>


'Social media jobs salary'

Shincy Morris, Business Head - Direct Hire at Xpheno said that Cost-to-company (CTC) varies depending upon the job role, company location, sector, and pedigree of talent. "A common compensation range would hence be incorrect to draw," Shincy said. 

As per the data by Sekhar Garisa, CEO of foundit, a fresher's salary in the social media space may range from Rs 2 lakh-Rs 4 lakh in startups; between Rs 3 lakh and Rs 5 lakh in IT and media industry; and between Rs 4 lakh and Rs 6 lakh in the FMCG sector. At the mid-level, the salary packages may also vary in different sectors, such as Rs 5 lakh- Rs 8 lakh in startups; Rs 6 lakh- above Rs 10 lakh in the IT industry; Rs 8 lakh- Rs 12 lakh in the FMCG sector, and Rs 7 lakh- above Rs 14 lakh in the Media & Entertainment industry. For senior-level posts in social media job profiles, annual salary packages in startups could vary between Rs 9.53 lakh - Rs 15.86 lakh; in the IT industry Rs 13 lakh - Rs 24.8 lakh; in the FMCG sector Rs 15.88 lakh - Rs 25 lakh, and Rs 16.9 lakh - above Rs 30 lakh in the Media & Ent industry, respectively. Notably, some organizations, that pay outside these ranges, do exist and the above figures cannot be solely used as a benchmarking.

According to Teamlease Edtech founder Rooj, the salary of a 'Digital Marketing Professional' may vary from Rs 3.5 lakh to Rs 5 lakh at entry level, and at senior level, it could be between Rs 12 lakh and Rs 15 lakh annually. An SEO specialist may earn an annual remuneration between Rs 3-4 lakh at the entry-level and between Rs 10 and Rs 12 lakh at the senior post. For the Content Manager's job profile, the fresher's annual salary could be between Rs 3- Rs 5 lakh; Rs 5-Rs 8 lakh at the mid-level post, and Rs 9 lakh to Rs 10.5 lakh at the senior level, respectively.

'Social media job skills'

A career in social media demands a diverse skill set that blends creativity, analytical thinking, and technical expertise. "For content creators, user-centricity, ability to identify interesting ideas, curiosity to dig deep and write interesting scripts, the skill to visualize how the content will eventually look, and finally understanding of video editing, music, and aesthetics become important. For social media managers, project management, working with stakeholders, data analytics, and strategic planning are critical," Satia from Kraftshala said. Additionally, understanding SEO is critical to ensuring content reaches a wider audience, increasing visibility, and driving organic traffic by improving search rankings, founfit.com Garisa said. 

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/digital/as-media-jobs-dwindle-and-pay-checks-shrink-students-may-have-to-enhance-skills-37076.htm">As media jobs dwindle and pay checks shrink, students may have to enhance skills</a>

'AI impact on social media jobs'

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing social media job roles. A lot of routine tasks have become automated in this space. Xpheno's Shincy said that AI may play a significant role in jobs with 'low cognitive load activities' such as monitoring channels, collating data, measuring reach, etc. However, the AI-driven tools will facilitate the smooth analysis of real-time data, crafting personalized data, extracting insights and trends, and responding to customer queries, among others. 


"The impact of GenAI is increasing in the creative roles space but the demand and value for native human intelligence will remain high and will at best become AI-assisted for speed and scale," Shincy added.

Rooj emphasized that social media job roles are not just about tasks but require an understanding of psychology to interpret AI-generated insights, target ad strategies, and enhance customer experience. "The key is to leverage AI tools to help social media marketers increase productivity and performance across social media platforms".

Subhashree Dutta, Managing Partner, The/Nudge Institute called AI just a 'tool' that cannot become replacement for human judgment as relying solely on it can lead to homogenization of the content. "It can enhance content, but human touch is essential for unique brand voices", Dutta added.

Social media jobs on the rise: 240,000 active talent and growing

A significant number of employers have expressed confidence in the potential of fresh talent across industries in the second half (July-December) of the current calendar year, as per a study by TeamLease EdTech, a learning and employability solutions provider. 72% of employers surveyed across India intend to hire freshers during July-December 2024, the report revealed.

For instance, the 'Hiring Intent' by the e-commerce & technology startups has increased from 55% (January-June 2024) to 61% in (July to December 2024). The other industries that intend to hire freshers in the second half of 2024 are engineering & infrastructure (59%), retail (54%), and manufacturing (52%) respectively, according to 'Career Outlook Report HY2 (July-December 2024)' by TeamLease EdTech.

The hiring outlook for freshers in the marketing and advertising industry has increased to 9% in the second half of 2024 from 6% between January and June.

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/special-coverage/entertainment-industry-witnesses-spike-in-jobs-as-otts-originals-boom-38341.htm">Entertainment industry witnesses spike in jobs as OTTs' 'Originals' boom</a>

"From July to December 2024, the hiring intent for freshers has shown a promising increase to 72%, up from 68% in the first half of the year. This surge reflects a growing confidence among employers in the potential of fresh talent to contribute effectively to their organizations," Shantanu Rooj, founder and CEO of TeamLease EdTech said.

However, the 'intent to hire freshers' in the media & entertainment industry has declined from 18% (January-June 2024) to 15% (July-December 2024) as per the TeamLease EdTech report. The intent to hire has also declined in the telecom sector to 48% in HY2 2024 from 50% in HY1 of the current calendar year.

'Hiring trend in Media and advertisement industry'

TeamLease EdTech report underscored some key job roles that employers are looking to hire freshers are content marketing assistant, social media marketing assistant, business associate, graphic designer, and animator, respectively in the media & entertainment industry.

The highest demand for 'graphic designer' is in Chennai at 23% and for 'content marketing assistant' role in Mumbai at 20%. The hiring intent animator job profile is predominantly in Bengaluru at 19%, the report added.


In the marketing and advertising industry, employers may hire freshers for sound engineer job roles, market research assistants, brand marketing executives, SEO executives, and junior social media specialists among others. 


<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/digital/as-media-jobs-dwindle-and-pay-checks-shrink-students-may-have-to-enhance-skills-37076.htm">As media jobs dwindle and pay checks shrink, students may have to enhance skills</a>


Among the cities, the highest demand for junior social media specialist is in Delhi (10%), followed by Coimbatore (8%) and Ahmedabad (5%), respectively.

For SEO executives, the highest demand is in Pune at 11%, for market research assistants in Mumbai at 13%, and for sound engineer in Bengaluru at 16%.

To increase the prospect of employability, the most in-demand courses in the ad and media industry are the advanced certificate in digital marketing and communication, graphic design specialization, soft skills and personality development, and product management certification program.

Employers bullish on fresh talent: 72% to hire freshers in H2 2024, says report

The placement season for the 2023-24 batch is set to be completed by July-end across all mass communication institutes but the daunting number of unplaced students and low remuneration highlight the grim reality of the job market in the media and entertainment industry. In the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), of around 500 students, roughly 160 students got jobs during the 21-day placement cycle across its six campuses this year, students told Storyboard18, requesting anonymity.

 

A journalism student said that only a handful of mainstream media companies participated during the placement cycle in IIMC Delhi, while the major recruiters were from the advertisement and PR industry. Another aggrieved student from IIMC, who got the job off campus said the salary packages are so low that they are not keeping up with inflation.

 

"The packages for Hindi media students are lower than (those of) English media. For Hindi media, freshers are being offered around Rs 3.5 lakh LPA on an average, while English media offers between Rs 4.8 lakh and Rs 5 lakh LPA plus bonus," the student said.

 

Most students who want to pursue journalism as their career said they were not relying on campus placements but reaching out to the networks that they built during the internship period. This year, IIMC mandated its students to complete a one-month internship before sitting for the campus placement, starting on June 5.

 

According to specialist staffing firm Xpheno, 187 students from IIMC got jobs during campus placements in 2021, with an average package of Rs 4.5 lakh. At that time, the highest package was Rs 8.5 lakh. In 2022, as many as 320 students earned full-time jobs on an average package of Rs 4 lakh. 


On the other hand, this year, news agency company Reuters hired five people for its Bengaluru office with an annual package of Rs 6 lakh, an IIMC student, who wished not to reveal his identity, told Storyboard18. Notably, Prasar Bharati took the lead in the recruitment process in the government-run institute. The public broadcaster, headquartered in New Delhi, hired 50 students for a year’s internship, offering Rs 25,000 monthly.

 
An educator said that students appearing during the placement cycle in IIMC have declined in the past two years as the companies have reduced their CTCs. According to data from talent platform foundit, the average minimum package in the media and entertainment industry for freshers has declined by 11.17 percent from Rs 4.6 lakh 2021 to Rs 4.08 lakh in 2024. The average maximum remuneration also saw a dip of nine percent from Rs 7.47 lakh in 2021 to Rs 6.79 lakh in 2024. On the other hand, the average minimum freshers packages in the advertisement, PR, MR, and event management have seen a marginal rise of 7.6 percent from Rs 3.32 lakh of LPA in 2021 to Rs 3.58 lakh of LPA.


[caption id="attachment_37079" align="alignnone" width="300"]<img src="https://images.storyboard18.com/storyboard18/2024/07/data-image-2024-07-e476047217684017179f38b65e052907-300x169.jpg" alt="Data by talent platform foundit" width="300" height="169" class="size-medium wp-image-37079" /> Data by talent platform foundit[/caption]


Shantanu Rooj, Founder and CEO of TeamLease Edtech said that the media industry is currently experiencing a period of consolidation, where companies are reassessing their business models and operational efficiencies in response to evolving consumer behaviours. Such realignments often result in a "temporary slowdown in hiring".

 

Additionally, Rooj said, "Economic uncertainties and budget constraints have also played a role, leading to cautious hiring practices. The impact of generative AI and automation has further altered job roles, which has contributed to the cautious hiring approach".

 

A student from Amity University told Storyboard18 that out of the 300 graduates, around 40 people were hired by media organisations but for sales and marketing roles.

 

Dr Charulata Singh, Dean at Vivekananda School of Journalism and Mass Communication, explained the changes in the job landscape in the media industry. She said, "The jobs such as reporting, and TV anchoring in mainstream media are gradually diminishing and companies are hiring for content writing roles, PR and communications, marketing, and social media manager among others".

 

Professor Kalyan Arun, Placement coordinator at the Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), acknowledged the gradual decline in campus placements in all top bellwether media institutes. However, the professor said that over 95 percent of ACJ students got full-time jobs during this year's placement cycle and more interviews are scheduled in the coming days. The placement cycle started in the last week of April and concluded in the second half of May. "Mainstream media organisations such as The Hindu, The New Indian Express, Hindustan Times, The Indian Express, and others visited our campus and hired a minimum of 10 people and a maximum of 25 people. I am sure by July-end, we will achieve 100 percent placements this year". The students in ACJ were offered between Rs 5 lakh to 6 lakh LPA this time, Arun added.

 

Dr Charulata recommended that students should be equipped with writing and production skills as several job roles may get merged in the future. "One should be good in writing content, as well as, understand camera handling and editing videos for long-term success," the professor added.

 

Rooj from TeamLease Edtech also said that upskilling is paramount in the media industry to keep pace with rapid technological advancements and changing consumer preferences. "Key areas for upskilling include digital content creation, data analytics, AI-driven content personalisation, and social media strategy," Rooj added. For Rooj, the outlook for the media industry in the second half of 2024 (July-December) appeared cautiously optimistic, particularly for roles that blend creativity with technological proficiency.

 
Sekhar Garisa, CEO of foundit said that there is a growing emphasis on data-driven decision-making in the media sector. This shift is creating numerous opportunities for graduates who possess skills in media analytics and market research. "There is an increasing demand for professionals skilled in digital marketing, social media management, content creation, and video production," Garisa added.

As media jobs dwindle and pay checks shrink, students may have to enhance skills

India's advertising and PR industry witnessed a 6 percent decline in hiring with 4,226 job postings in June 2024 as compared to 4,497 in June 2023, as per Naukri JobSpeak report. The Media/dotcom/Entertainment industry reported a 2 percent reduction in hiring at only 424 job postings in June this year as compared to 434 in the same period last year, recruitment platform Naukri's monthly index added.

According to Naukri JobSpeak, the hiring activity in India in June remained muted across all sectors this year. The recruitment for white collar jobs saw an 8% decline with 2,582 hiring in June this year versus 2,795 hiring in June 2023. 

Most of the sectors saw a flattish growth year-on-year in June 2024 such as BPO/ITES (-9%), IT-Software (-5%), IT Hardware (-9%), Telcom (-12%), and Animation (-45%) among others. On the other hand, the hiring activity in sectors such as Pharma/Biotech (6%), AI-ML (20%), and FMCG (12%) showed positive growth last month. Hiring in the Pharma sector witnessed notable growth in cities like Hyderabad (18%), Baroda (27%) and Mumbai (14%).

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/advertising/how-much-better-is-the-pay-for-in-house-creative-teams-versus-ad-agencies-34652.htm">Read more: New-age firms' in-house creative talent paid 30 percent more than ad agency talent</a>

The hiring was dominated by professionals with over 16 years of experience, contributing to a 58% increase year-on-year, the data mentioned. On the other hand, a 13% dip in new job opportunities for professionals with experience of about 4-7 years, compared to June 2023.

Interestingly, the tier-2 cities led in job creation across all industries in June this year. For instance, 36% of hiring happened in Jodhpur, followed by 35% in Rajkot, 21% in Kota, and 13% in Udaipur, Surat and Jamnagar, respectively. The hiring activity slowed in metros such as Bengaluru (-9%) and Mumbai (-6%), the data added. For the IT sector, cities such as Jaipur, Kochi, and Delhi-NCR emerged as bright spots. Hiring in smaller startups remained subdued while unicorns recorded 30% growth. 

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/cmos-command-premium-pay-in-tepid-job-market-find-out-how-much-cmos-earn-34497.htm">Read more: CMOs command premium pay in tepid job market. Find out how much CMOs earn</a>

Dr Pawan Goyal, Chief Business Officer of Naukri.com, said, “As we've reported over the past year, the power dynamic shift in the Indian hiring landscape is well and truly underway with mini-metros consistently outpacing their metro counterparts. Gujarat has been a silver lining in an otherwise turbulent market and it's now encouraging to see emerging cities in Rajasthan such as Jodhpur and Udaipur join the fray".

Hiring activity in advertising, PR industry declines by 6% in June this year: Naukri report

22-year-old Abhinav Kumar (name changed) is a graphic designer in a new-age firm with an LPA of Rs 7 lakh. Before this, Kumar said he worked with a cluster of ad agencies and added, "I love my current job because it pays me well". In the past decade, a drove of start-ups in the country have witnessed several changes, which includes the establishment of an in-house creative team. Companies have begun recognising the value of their in-house creative talent to drive marketing efforts, aligning with a broader shift towards greater control, agility, cost efficiency, and brand authenticity, Sekhar Garisa, CEO of foundit said.

According to Teamlease data shared exclusively with Storyboard18, the median salary of an employee at the "junior level" in the creative departments in a new-age company is Rs 3.75 lakh, and it tends to increase with experience to Rs 7.25 lakh, and at the managerial level, the median salary is Rs 15.35 lakh.

New age firms' impact on ad agencies

The recruitment of in-house creative departments by new age firms has hit advertising agencies to a great extent in the past decade.

Sumbul Khan, Business Lead for the Indian Market, Virtue Worldwide said that a different kind of talent was found in the in-house team of a new age firm/start-up around 10 years ago but the upstream communication was addressed by ad agencies only.

However, the shift began when the D2C brands witnessed a significant influx of funds. "They (new age firms) were able to make a proposition that was financially more gratifying for the top talent from the agencies too," Khan said. Also, the additional sweetener became the "Young or 18 till I die" talent of the ad agencies, a similar demographic found at the new age companies as well, Khan added.

Shantanu Rooj, Founder and CEO of TeamLease Edtech, a learning and employability solutions firm, said, "There has been a notable four percent increase in the establishment of in-house creative units, marking a rise from 78 percent to 82 percent between 2018 and 2023".

Rooj said that the growing trust in an in-house creative could be attributed to factors such as "amplified control over brand messaging, strategy, and execution". He added that cost-efficiency is the predominant factor behind the lack of reliance on agencies. Other contributing factors include swifter and more agile processes, enhanced integration, and a deepened understanding of the brand.

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/cmos-command-premium-pay-in-tepid-job-market-find-out-how-much-cmos-earn-34497.htm">Read more: CMOs command premium pay in tepid job market. Find out how much CMOs earn</a>

"There's a growing emphasis on brand authenticity and storytelling in marketing, where in-house creative teams excel in understanding and conveying a brand's unique essence, resulting in more genuine messaging. Furthermore, building an in-house team proves to be cost-effective compared to outsourcing to advertising agencies, as it eliminates agency fees and markups. In-house teams also boast agility and responsiveness in adapting to market trends and consumer preferences, facilitated by direct access to decision-makers and seamless communication channels," Garisa said.

According to Nisha Singhania, CEO & Managing Partner of Infectious, some new-age firms have fully in-house teams, while others adopt a hybrid model where they maintain a small in-house team and collaborate with external agencies for specific projects or campaigns.

Remuneration in ad agencies

In an ad agency, the median salary of a copywriter is in the range of Rs 3.2 lakh-Rs 3.5 lakh; a senior manager's median remuneration is around Rs 4.2 lakh per annum; a graphic designer may earn between Rs 4.5 lakh and Rs 4.7 lakh, and a Creative Director’s remuneration would be around Rs 14 lakh-14.7 lakh as per TeamLease data.

Oftentimes an employee in a new-age firm earns 30 percent more than his/her counterpart working in an ad agency. For instance, if a copywriter earns between Rs 4-5 lakh LPA in an ad agency, his counterpart may earn about Rs 8 lakh in a new-age firm. Similarly, if an ad agency designer has a pay package of around Rs 6 lakh-7 lakh, the same individual could get Rs 10 lakh LPA in a new-age firm, multiple industry professionals told Storyboard18. 

As per Rooj, research findings indicate that the working conditions associated with these positions are characterised by underpayment, devaluation, and exploitation in the ad industry.

However, Saksham Jadon, Founder and CEO of Youngun said that the advertising industry rewards both creativity and collaboration. "In recruitment processes, originality and willingness to learn are valued more than experience. A growing trend involves agencies offering unpaid trial assignments, with subsequent paid opportunities for promising candidates. This approach allows agencies to assess talent firsthand and invest in individuals who demonstrate potential," Jadon added.

Ad agencies vs new age firms 

Harshil Dhawan, Creative Head, Zomato, who previously worked with renowned ad agencies for over a decade, elucidated the pros and cons of the two. 

Dhawan said, "Ad agencies provide a dynamic work environment where you get to work on diverse brands, which fosters creativity and agility. However, working for a start-up or a new-age company like Zomato offers the in-house creative team a significant level of control over the brand's vision and strategy. This close alignment with the company’s goals also enhances stakeholder management and enables more cohesive and integrated campaigns." 

Speaking on remuneration, Dhawan emphasised that new-age firms tend to offer more competitive pay packages to candidates with significant and relevant experience, particularly when the company is performing well and expanding.

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/quantum-brief/why-did-godrej-consumer-products-set-up-an-in-house-ad-agency-why-did-godrej-consumer-products-set-up-an-in-house-ad-agency-17826.htm">Read more: Why did Godrej Consumer Products set up an in-house ad agency?</a>

New-age firms' in-house creative talent paid 30 percent more than ad agency talent

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