How to Hire a CMO

Once you’ve decided when to hire a CMO and what to look for in a CMO, it’s time to begin searching for qualified applicants. In order to perfect the search process, you must know how to hire a CMO.

There are multiple ways to find a new chief marketing officer for your company, and every company will take a different approach to the search process. To get you started, here are five methods that can help you decide how to hire a CMO.

1. Hire an executive search firm.

Hiring an executive search firm can save your time during the search process. The staff at an executive search firm already knows how to find, interview, and hire a chief marketing officer, since they have plenty of experience in recruiting. In fact, they may already know someone suited for the job.

Since an executive search firm is already well versed in hiring practices and likely has a network of candidates to choose from, you can spend your time working instead of looking for a new CMO.

2. Evaluate your current marketing team.

If you want to take the CMO search into your own hands, it might help to start the search internally. Ask yourself a few questions: Does anyone currently on the marketing staff have all the qualifications, skills, and attributes you want for the position? Do you think this person could bring your company to the next level as the chief marketing officer? Would they be able to lead the current marketing team from a leadership role?

If it appears that someone within your staff has the qualifications necessary to become your next CMO, it may help to promote them rather than hiring someone from outside the company. By hiring internally, you do not have to worry about whether or not your new CMO will fit in with the company culture.

3. Use online sources.

When it comes to online marketing, a candidate’s web presence can tell you a lot about their expertise in the field. You can use tools such as LinkedIn to find qualified candidates, but you can also use them to assess someone’s online marketing ability. How they present and market themselves can show you a lot about the online marketing strategies they bring to a business, which is important when you’re trying to decide how to hire a CMO.

4. Use your professional network.

Your connections with people in the industry can also help you find a chief marketing officer. Don’t hesitate to reach out within your professional network and talk about the search process. Someone in your network may be interested in the position, or they may be able to connect you with potential candidates.

5. Perfect your job description.

If these techniques fail to yield a successful CMO, take another look at your job description and see if it needs some adjustment. Make sure your expectations for the position are reasonable, and adjust them if needed. A well-written job description can help an executive search firm target the right candidate or help you narrow down the search, ultimately helping you find the perfect CMO.

You might be interested in these other posts about hiring a CMO:
When to Hire a CMO
What to Look For in a CMO
15 Amazing CMO Interview Questions
What to Pay a CMO

What steps did you take while deciding how to hire a CMO? Let us know in the comments.

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How to Hire a CMO

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