Telum spoke with Jane Cruz-Walker, recently appointed Chief Marketing Officer at SEEK Asia, on her priorities going into her new role, how marketing has changed over the years and tips for young guns entering the marcomms sphere.

What attracted you to SEEK?
With SEEK Asia’s two leading businesses undergoing a brand refresh, I saw a unique opportunity to shape the next phase of leading brands JobStreet and JobsDB - to continue to evolve from being perceived as a jobs board, to a jobs platform that supports job seekers and employers as their career and talent partner across our six markets (Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Philippines).

On top of that, the people! I was attracted to SEEK’s unified culture of working towards helping people live more fulfilling and productive working lives by connecting them to jobs that matter. As a brand, SEEK Asia is serious about jobs, finding a suitable job for the needs of individuals and employers is at the heart of everything we do. I was inspired to be a part of a company that walks the talk and truly aims to better the lives of others as part of their day-to-day work.

What are your priorities going into the role?
As we embark on this new journey to build the most innovative digital jobs platform, my priority is to establish JobStreet and JobsDB as the best career partner, helping people find their passion and purpose.

In order to meet our goal of helping 500 million people develop their careers with five million companies by 2025, we remain committed to innovation, customer centricity, and to be more locally relevant across all countries where we operate. Despite these challenging times, we provide the most jobs and quality talent across our markets.  

You have worked in marketing in sectors including FMCG, telecoms and media, and now at SEEK. How has marketing changed?
It’s the same foundation and marketing discipline of a customer-centric mindset that has gone through periods of refinement. BUT understanding, anticipating, and connecting with customers has become more complex as technology has changed the game. The customer journey has changed dramatically with mobility and big data.

Real-time tracking of consumer behaviour and habits paints a very detailed picture. Brands are now striving to reach customers at various phases of their journey. With this, marketers need to be better equipped with the necessary tools and rewired for better collaboration, speed, and customer focus. Delivering on growth requires updated capabilities and enablers (i.e. elevating consumer insights and analytics, a centralised data platform with a unified view of customers, marketing automation, segmentation and personalisation, multiple touchpoints). It’s the most exciting time of my career as a marketeer as I face a new era of tech-empowered consumers.
 
What trends are you keeping an eye on in marketing and communications in SEA?
With the pace of digitalisation and technology accelerating, there seems to be a surge in demand for jobs in the tech sector now more than ever. However, this doesn’t mean marketing and communications professionals can be easily replaced. JobStreet’s Decoding Global Talent Report found that slightly less than half (49%) of those employed in Marketing and Communications roles perceive automation as a risk to their jobs. This is the third-lowest group of employees who feel they can be replaced among the 20 roles surveyed - likely because this industry is rooted in creativity and establishing human connections.

As an industry, marketing and communications has also been evolving alongside technology, with more emphasis placed on digital marketing strategies versus purely traditional methods. This means building a relationship with customers is now more complex, requiring careful orchestration of a holistic and integrated approach across more and more channels.

Therefore, I foresee the need for marketers to upskill, and potentially reskill. In fact, according to the same report, 35% of those in Marketing and Communications are willing to learn and develop their skills for self-improvement, while 58% of them are willing to reskill if necessary.

Now you are at SEEK, what are your top tips for young people who are applying for new roles in general, and in marketing and communications in particular?
I know it’s cliché, but here it goes…

• Find your passion. It’s what keeps me going through the ups and downs. Dig deeper and ask yourself if you’re more on the science or arts side of the spectrum. A brand / strategy person’s strength could either be in creativity and ideas (arts) or insights and measurement (science).
• Evolution is happening at an unprecedented speed. Keep reading and learning and see what sparks your interest. We have access to many online learning and education tools at our fingertips that you can benefit from while you wait for your big break!
• Be creative. Think of ways to market yourself. When I was starting (eons ago!) I had to rely only on a well-written CV and connections to get interviews. The power of social media now allows you to paint a clear picture of who you are and what you’re capable of through the story you tell, the content you curate, and the mediums you choose (video, photos, illustration). A great starting point in your own brand journey.
• Plan your career from day one. I still have mine laid out on a spreadsheet, detailing pros and cons, various options, development needs and goals.