Savage also believes that Asia needs a period of prolonged stability if the market is to see a significant upswing in new hires. "The job market is measurably improved on 2003. The early signs are positive, but it is exceedingly fragile, and the market will gain strength if there is no bad news," said Savage. "We expect a slow and steady increase in demand."
At present, Savage points to particularly strong demand for advertising account management candidates with specialised industry knowledge. "We see particular demand for account management roles in the ad industry with specific industry experience, such as tobacco, telecommunications and FMCG," he said.
On the creative side, meanwhile, the contract freelancing model is beginning to take grip across Asia, as companies realise the benefits of the greater flexibility afforded by this approach.
"There are many people in Australia and Japan who now make a living out of freelancing," said Savage.
To capitalise on the recovery, however, potential candidates will need to display a strong global awareness, coupled with a more rounded skill set.
"It's important to start thinking globally about how their skills are in demand in the global marketplace, and important to develop skills that will be in demand," noted Savage. "People should do a regular audit of their skills, as demands have changed so rapidly. For creatives, as an example, in addition to technical skills, softer skills such as networking ability have become more relevant."
In particular, the increasingly fast-paced nature of the market means that the era of the stereotypical creative loafer may well be fading.
Savage said that the harsh economic environment, coupled with harder-nosed management, has led to an overriding expectation of creatives to be commercially savvy.
"There is a universally high expectation of hiring people who can deliver higher productivity much more quickly than before," he said. "Less tolerance exists for some of the eccentricities of the creative mindset than there was before."