Hiring Marketers: WHO TO LOOK FOR?
Pravin Shekar
Inspires Creators on #creativity #unconventional #execution #outliermarketing?#strategy #insights #storytelling
The inner voice of a CEO: Why am I looking for a marketer?
I'm looking for a marketer, but not just any. The market is flooded with one-trick ponies, digital savants who miss the bigger picture. What I need is different, a rare blend: someone who brings fresh perspectives and complements our existing strengths, pushing us into the next stage of growth.
I am clear about what I want for the company, and the short, medium, and long-term goals. I am also very clear about the kind of person I want to be a part of my leadership marketing team.
As a CEO, then, who should I look for?
These pointers assist me and the companies I work with to narrow down the list of choices:
Seeking the Unique - beyond the echo chamber:
My aim as the CEO is to find a maverick, someone with the skills we lack and the courage to challenge my own ideas. A true partner in growth, not just a follower. I need to look for someone who brings something new into my company. Complementary skills, emphasising the value in diversity of thoughts and experiences. A partner who not only complements our team with unmatched skills but challenges me, shattering the echo chamber without becoming a mere "YES-PERSON."??
Decisive Action Over Deliberation:
Results matter. I'm after someone whose decisions have consistently turned the tide, someone who acts with conviction and can show tangible outcomes from their strategies. I will look for proof of such actions and do my due diligence, preferably directly. Did past decisions lead to tangible results?
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Self-driven:?
If I need to follow up and sometimes act as the secretary to check if the work has been done, it is a wrong hire. FIRE! So, look for proof of the drive, which could also be beyond work.
ABSTRACTION:?
From Concepts to Frameworks: Navigating Complexity with Clarity:
String together several discussions into a workable framework. This is something fundamental at a marketing leadership level. Everything cannot be put into an ironclad process. Must be able to work with ambiguity and create structured strategies from abstract discussions.??
Strategic Thinking to Execution:
IDEA to ACTION TAKER. I need a "Get it done" person rather than one who only speaks about possibilities.
DEMONSTRABLE PROOF:
There must be proof of having done something—not just gas.Actionable evidence. Ask for concrete examples of past successes, focusing on results and the impact made in previous roles. This could include campaigns launched, growth achieved, or innovations implemented. Request specific metrics or outcomes that demonstrate the Marketer's effectiveness.
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Numbers NUMBERS:?
Must understand budgeting, planning and what-if simulations. So, ask for numbers across several interval rounds. The numbers need to make sense, and must be consistent!
ADAPTABLE, MALLEABLE, DUCTILE et al:?
The test, learn, tweak and redo mentality. Things are always in motion, mostly in the opposite direction. Plans fail. People move. Clients reject. Yet, we need to keep moving forward.
Most importantly,?SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE:?
What are the sources of information consumption, analysis, and implementation? If the response is, "I am too busy to read books or follow articles," move on. Immediately. A genuine marketer is ever-curious, constantly drawing insights from a wide array of sources. Lack of intellectual curiosity is a deal-breaker.
The search is for a game-changer, not a placeholder!
The search for somebody ready to work with me, the CEO, to disrupt and drive the company forward.
It is a hunt for excellence.
A search for an endangered species.
The quest for the Real Marketer begins.?
Will you rise to the challenge?
Here's the link to the first THREE articles in the series "How to Hire Marketers!":
#hiring #differentiation #psychology #social #community #marketing
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