Solving the Talent G in the Media Industry

For many business owners and hiring managers in the media industry, the talent gap has never been wider.

Every year, millions of graduates pass out of universities and colleges, the expectations of the industry has always been at variance with the content of prospective employees.

While this has been a general problem with the Nigerian labour market, the marketing communications industry has been on the receiving end of the negative consequences.

The lack of the necessary talent fitted for various jobs in the media industry led to a culture of poaching and counter-poaching of talents.

While this was greeted with approvals and disapproval from stakeholders, the industry has now realized that poaching could not solve a fundamental problem such as skills, experience and competence.

Aggregating the experience of business owners and hiring managers suggest that the pains of poaching as a strategy to acquire needed talents outweighs its gains. According to statistics, poached staff work for an average of two years before jumping ship.

On the other hand, non-poached staff stay for an average of three to four years. It is now apparent that poaching has not solved the knowledge gap and talent drought. The importance of competent hands in any organisation cannot be over-emphasized, so is loyalty and commitment.

Media agencies of the future must develop internal recruitment culture, capacity building, a balanced welfare system that will groom talents for the future.

Stories by Godwin Anyebe