7 Tips for Hiring Marketing Executives

Marketing is one of the most crucial elements that contribute to the success of a business. When done right, it lets other people know about your brand and build your reputation. This process also gets the word out about your product or service.

All these can translate to a boost in sales in both the short and long run.

Since marketing can make or break a business, only the best, most qualified persons must handle this function.

How to Recruit Marketing Executives

Marketing executives or officers play important roles in developing marketing campaigns to promote your brand, product, or service, product. They will also take lead roles in promoting campaigns or events.

Their specific responsibilities include planning and implementing marketing and advertising campaigns, organizing events, research, and public relations. Their main goals are to sell a product or service or raise awareness of an issue that affects the public.

Finding someone to handle all these tasks is certainly not an easy thing to do. If you want to be sure only the most qualified persons take on your opening for marketing executive jobs in the UAE, follow these hiring tips:

1.    Create a list of the key skills and qualities you are looking for

Aside from the right educational qualification and experiences, certain skills and qualities can make a person more qualified for a marketing executive role.

These important traits include:

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Impressive analytical skills
• Outstanding planning and organizing skills
• Creativity
• High emotional and social intelligence
• Flexibility

Put these skills and qualities on your list and add other ones that you think are important. Talk to other employees, particularly those holding the same position, to find out other traits that make them highly effective at their job.

With this list at hand, you will come up with the right job description. It will help you during the screening process as well.

2.    Create an engaging job description

Today, a good job description does not only list the skills and qualities you are looking for in the person you want to hire. Such job posts are no longer enough to get the attention of the most qualified candidates.

However, don’t think you should ignore the list of skills and traits you collated. You can still use them in your job description. But make sure they are concise and clear and worded in interesting, engaging ways.

Additionally, make sure the job description discusses the role in terms of its overall purpose and enumerates the critical areas of responsibility.

To attract qualified candidates who are looking for more challenging roles, consider making a performance-based job description.

A performance-based job description helps identify what is wanted out of the position. It also informs applicants of what they are expected to do and contribute once they are part of the company. With this information in mind, the candidates can decide beforehand if they can live up to these expectations and pursue their application.

3.    Use the right sourcing strategies

Once you have your job description, the next step is to start looking for qualified candidates.

Post your job ad, including the job description, on LinkedIn, Indeed, Monster.com, and other employment and career networking sites. If you want to have a large pool of applicants, try promoting it on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media channels.

Ask your current employees and colleagues as well if they can recommend candidates so that you will have more applicants to select from.

Lastly, consider looking into your current pool of CVs. Assess and screen these applications and contact the candidates that have the qualifications and skills you require.

4.    Be flexible with the interview process

When you’re ready to start interviewing candidates, create an interview team first. However, avoid choosing only people from the HR team to conduct this process. Include people who the candidate will report to if hired, other marketing executives, and the staff responsible for onboarding the new hire.

Additionally, rotate people who will conduct the interviews so that they can keep perceptions fresh and avoid biases.

For the interview questions, prepare a few open-ended ones to test their knowledge of your company and learn more about the skills and qualities they have that make them ideal candidates.

To learn more about the capabilities of the candidates, ask situational interview questions as well. Their responses will allow you to assess their expertise and, at the same time, get more objective information that will help you make an unbiased decision in choosing the most suitable applicant.

5.    Promote your expectations and your company culture

Throughout the different times you talk with the candidates, make sure you discuss the corporate environment, business goals, and what will be expected of them if they are hired. By doing so, you will enable the applicants to consider if they are a “right fit” for the job and company.

Their responses will also help you decide if they will fit into the role and corporate persona.

Keep in mind that employee retention will depend greatly on how the candidates will feel comfortable and satisfied with your company when they start working. If they think they don’t, you will find yourself looking for other marketing executives in a few months again.

6.    Highlight the benefits and perks of working for your company

Aside from “fitting in,” candidates will be more interested in pursuing their application and stay with your company if you offer an attractive compensation package.

Applicants will undoubtedly want a high salary. However, many experienced marketing executives look for other perks such as bonuses, health insurance, wellness opportunities, and flexibility in the workplace.

The most qualified candidates will also want opportunities to learn and grow and flexibility in their leadership methods. For many marketing executives, some leeway can be an irresistible lure.

7.    Check references thoroughly

Finally, before choosing which candidates to hire, take the time to talk to their references.

Prepare a list of questions to ask them. Choose ones that will give you more insights about the candidate’s capabilities, attitude in the workplace, and weaknesses. Try to talk to each reference for at least 15 minutes to get as much information as you can.

Once you have talked to two or three references, evaluate your notes. The summary should confirm your impression of the candidate. If it does not, ask him or her for her persons you can speak with or move on to other applicants.

If you want to have a more rounded picture of the candidate, talk to a current or former colleague of the applicant and anyone in your own company who might have crossed paths with him or her.

Hiring marketing executives can be tricky. If you don’t want to go through the long and challenging process of looking for the top talent, work with a recruitment agency that has the experience and resources to do all the work for you.