People are leaving the marketing industry due to a lack of career development opportunities, followed by boredom and then remuneration, according to research by Precision Marketing.

The research found that the most popular method of looking for a new job is through the trade press, increasing from 18% in 2006 to 24%. The internet was the most popular method in 2006.

It revealed that 21% of respondents would use the internet to find a new job and the same number relying on recruitment consultancies.

Guy Hepplewhite, managing partner at integrated agency Space, told Precision Marketing: “Recruitment, like procurement, is one of those worlds that agencies find easier to criticise than work with.

“The more forward-thinking agencies realise that we have to work with, rather than against recruitment agencies. And we need to be prepared to invest in training and development to help build up a bigger pool of good people. Agencies need to work with universities and colleges and present the industry in a positive way so that students perceive direct marketing as an equally, if not more, dynamic career opportunity than advertising.”

The research found that people are working longer hours than they were last year as demands increase from all quarters. The average number of contracted hours of work has in fact fallen from 36.1 hours a week in 2006 to 35 hours, but the number of hours actually worked has risen from 43.7 hours in 2006 to 46.1 hours.