Adding talented people to your digital marketing team may seem easy enough in theory. You need to seek out qualified individuals, convince them why you’re the right company for them, and bring them on board. Once they’re on your team, you have to focus on keeping them happy and allowing them different opportunities within your company.
Unfortunately, it isn’t this simple. You won’t always get a stack of glowing resumes on your desk, and even the best credentials doesn’t mean that candidate is ideal for your workplace.
With this in mind, here are some general tips to implement when you’re hiring your dream digital marketing team:
1) Avoid Hiring Full-Stack Marketers
A full-stack marketer is someone who’s familiar with a variety of marketing skills, like:
- Social media management
- Media buying
- Content strategy development
- Conversion optimization
- PPC advertising
- Analytics and metrics
- Storytelling
While this may be the right person to bring in if your company is still up-and-coming, you should try to avoid hiring this jack-of-all-trades. A full-stack marketer will not have equally balanced skillsets. Plus, a single person has personal limitations when it comes to time and productivity.
Rather, find several people who specialize in one or two skills. This will be much more efficient and cost-effective for your company in the long run. You’ll build a team of unique voices, rather than rely on the talents of one person.
2) Don’t Neglect Background Checks
HR departments often forgo the background check process when hiring marketing professionals. Because these people don’t handle highly sensitive information, employers believe that a background check isn’t necessary. However, you should strongly consider getting one performed for every marketing professional you bring onto your team.
A marketing professional will have a lot of influence on your company’s reputation, so you should ensure that they are reputable themselves.
3) Look at Your Competitors
Study local competitors that are succeeding in your industry. Create a plan to solicit their employees. Entice them with superior benefits and company culture.
Job poaching is attempting to hire employees who currently work at another company. Though the term has a negative connotation, it’s perfectly legal in most circumstances
Your company can get in trouble if job poaching leads to the leaking of confidential information or the theft of trade secrets. If you do look at your competition for marketing professionals to bring to your team, talk to your legal team first.
4) Get Referrals from Your Current Employees
If your marketing team is small and you’re looking to expand, turn to your current employees. Ask them if they know any qualified individuals to fill certain marketing positions and offer a small bonus for their referrals.
Your employees will be motivated to recommend good candidates. Having additional qualified individuals on your team will make their jobs easier, and they’ll be more comfortable inviting a friend to join.
5) Look for Talent Everywhere
There’s not just one stagnant pool of marketing talent; your potential employees could be located anywhere.
Start on social media. Use various channels to connect with employees globally. You can also tap into online communities like LinkedIn.
Another good option is to take advantage of specialized job boards like ProBlogger. You can complete specific searches for candidates based on their skill sets. This will save a lot of time and weed out candidates who don’t meet your requirements.
Bottom Line
Keep an open mind as you start hiring your dream digital marketing team. While experience is important, you shouldn’t rush to hire someone with the longest resume. You also need to ensure they fit with your company’s culture and have a strong drive to make positive contributions to your business.
