It may be in turmoil, but Kiwis still want to work in the media

Despite the seminal challenges that it faces, the media industry manages to remain very attractive to New Zealanders.

BY Rose Sneyd 01 May 2013

Despite the seminal challenges that it faces, the media industry manages to remain very attractive to New Zealanders, according to a survey just released by Randstad. For the second year in a row, 7,000 New Zealanders of working age ranked the media industry as the most attractive – although it has lost some of its shine from last year.

Interesting job content, competitive salary, and employee benefits were all factors that contributed to its appeal. And the most attractive company within the sector was TVNZ, which was also ranked the fourth most attractive employer in New Zealand overall.

Education and training services and the fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) came in at second and third. Education succeeded off the back of its ‘good work atmosphere’, ‘work-life balance’, and ‘training and development opportunities’, while FMCG was valued for its financial health and ‘strong management’.

The news must be welcome to an industry in turmoil. “Now, more than ever, the media boundaries are blurred and user-generated content is becoming more mainstream and accessible – and this has had a drastic effect on employment and staffing levels,” Paul Robinson, director of Randstad New Zealand, said. He added that the media sector has done particularly well to maintain its ranking as the most attractive one for jobseekers given the massive change that it is undergoing.

Other industries, which struggle to maintain talent even during challenging economic times, could learn from the sector, according to Robinson. “Building a strong employer brand will help all organisations maintain a powerful advantage over competing organisations and industries,” he said.

Interestingly, while men and women share the same top five priorities, in terms of their employment decisions, there are some strong differences. While women place a greater importance on flexible working arrangements and a pleasant working atmosphere, the financial health of an organisation, strong management, and long-term job security are more important to men.

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