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How to Hire the Perfect Marketing Manager

May 10

It would be easy to hire a marketing director in a perfect world.

It would take just a few clicks to post your job on a few job boards. You will receive a lot of applications from qualified candidates and then choose the best candidate to make an offer.

Although it is more complicated than that in reality, being well prepared can help you save a lot of headaches.

This article will provide some tips and tricks to help you hire a marketing professional.

The challenges that you may face when hiring a Marketing Manager

Before you post a job, you should have a clear understanding of the skills and tasks your marketing manager will need. Also, you need to understand what criteria you will use to evaluate applicants' resumes.

Gary Nealon, founder of Nealon Solutions, identified two reasons why it is difficult to find the perfect candidate for the role of marketing manager.

One of these is that marketing requires a wide range of skills, including creativity, knowledge of social platforms, analytical tools and Google and Facebook ads.

You can't do it all, so prioritize is key for your company.

Candidates with experience in the mentioned fields are often expensive. Most likely, they have already been hired. Therefore, you will need something exceptional in terms both of the compensation and projects they will work on.

These skills are not enough. The person must also be able to manage. Because it requires a lot more soft skills than can be quantified, hiring for leadership qualities is often difficult.

Trust, but verify

Validating the accomplishments of candidates is another challenge.

If a candidate claims "I have increased the social media followers of Company X by Y," it is important to investigate to determine if that claim is true and how involved they were.

Here's how:

Interview questions

Answering some questions is the best way to get answers.

Ask, for example:

  1. They scaled up the company's social media following
  2. What strategies were they able to implement?
  3. They could work alone or in a group.

You can ask the candidate for specific examples of accomplishments that you believe show the candidate is a good match.

Use pre-employment skills tests

Use skills assessment tests. One of my companies offers assessments you can use at a top of the hiring process to make sure that the candidates you are reviewing truly possess the skills they claim. So you don’t waste time reviewing resumes of unqualified candidates.

I test skills such as typing and e-mailing to save time when evaluating resumes.

Sometimes, I ask candidates for a personality test such as the Big 5 or OCEAN test. I use this not to make hiring decision but to help them prepare for the interview.

Definition of the Marketing Manager Role

The development of a clear description for the role is another challenge in hiring the right marketing manager to your company.

Sometimes companies that are searching for a Marketing Manager don't have or just don’t want the time to search for exactly what they need in a candidate.

They may not be aware that they are missing something, even if they receive the first application or meet applicants at interview.

Here are some tips to help you avoid this.

Think about your company's marketing manager's responsibilities.

They should be based upon your goals and the problems that this specialist will need solve.

Once you have determined the responsibilities of the position, you can decide if a full time marketing manager, contract-based specialist or a marketing agency is best suited for your goals.

Once you know what you need and how you want them to perform, you can start searching for the right candidate through a job board like FarFarJob.

How to Select a Marketing Manager With the Right Skills

A list of key skills that are essential to the job of marketing manager in your company will be helpful when selecting from the many applicants.

Lisa Schneider, Merriam-Webster's chief digital officer, emphasizes creativity and innovation. She believes that the ability to work independently and generate new ideas is more important then following existing patterns and following the rules.

Here are some additional qualities to look out for:

  • Analytical thinking
  • Experience with marketing analysis
  • Selling skills
  • Take the buyer's view
  • The ability to recruit, train, and manage talented people
  • Excellent storytelling and writing skills
  • Prioritization, planning, and measurement
  • Technical and mathematical skills

You can find a marketing manager by asking the right questions

Interviews are a time to ask questions about the education and work experience of candidates.

Ask questions to find out if the candidate thinks outside of the box.

It might be worth asking them about how they would promote your company.

As stated above, you should always ask for examples if necessary.

Marketing Manager Compensation

Before you begin the hiring process, consider how much you can afford to hire the right candidate.

Glassdoor and Payscale are great resources for determining what salary is competitive. Salary.com reports that the median US marketing manager salary is $104,940 as at May 18, 2020.

It is important to evaluate the qualifications of a candidate, their cost of living in your region, any additional skills they have, and the length of time that they have been in the profession.

Remote work could be a great option if you're looking for the right candidate in an area that has a lower cost.

Make an Offer

Once you have found the right person, it's time for you to make an offer. All information should be written and sent to HR (if HR is available).

Do not reject anyone on your list until you are sure that the first choice is going be accepted. This way, if they refuse to accept you can move on with your second choice.