“They shouldn’t exclude these workers. There’s a massive skill shortage in the online space and there’s massive poaching going on (between interactive agencies). It’s got to change.”

Ball says he often tells clients to “get over it” and consider IT people for the job.

“Some clients have listened and have employed people who had been in a corporate technical environment before. They have added enormously to their business,” he says.

A high profile example of cross-skilling albeit in a senior role is Ed Butler, formerly an advisor to advertising agency Leo Burnett and a technology and business consultant with Bearing Point and Andersen Business Consulting.

Butler joined the Microsoft and Nine Network joint-venture ninemsn in the newly-created role of director of technology and development last month. As a portal Ninemsn is the epitome of media and technology convergence, driven by advertising dollars.

“Ed’s mix of technology and people skills along with his previous digital experience and his understanding of advertising gives him the perfect mix of skills to bring to ninemsn,” said Nick Spooner, ninemsn chief operating officer at the time of Butler’s appointment.

Ball says IT candidates can help agencies see their worth by “joining the dots” for them. This includes showing agencies and media publishers how their skills can be used in the online advertising environment and that innovation and creativity are not the exclusive territory of ad types.

To see how interactive advertising people see themselves and the companies they work for, including Google and Yahoo!7, check out their glossy videos on http://au.youtube.com/IABAustralia