The amount of top CMO talent has gotten incredibly tight in 2019 and is only going to get more competitive in 2020. Top marketing executives understand how valuable and in-demand their skills are. As a result, just when companies have figured out how to speed up their hiring process, the talent has started to move more slowly.

With seventy percent of the global workforce comprised of passive talent (candidates who are not actively seeking jobs) combined with the candidate-driven market, from CMO executive search firm perspective hiring managers will have to learn how to pivot their interview process by 2020 in order to recruit top marketing executives or risk hiring subpar leadership.

(Video) Hiring Best Practices for Passive CMO Candidates

CMO Executive Search Firm Explains How Organizations Can Hire the Best Marketing Executives in 2020

Hiring Managers Will Have to Go to the Candidate for 1st Round Interviews

Hiring managers, be prepared to meet candidates for first-round interviews at a location convenient to them. By the end of 2020, it won’t be unusual for hiring managers to get on a plane and travel to interview a candidate for a mission-critical role, particularly candidates who are experts in the digital, martech or e-commerce. For your marketing executive searches, you’re going to have to meet them where they are; they do not need to come to you.

With that being said, this new outlook on first-round interviews will open up more opportunities for organizations to vet and access a larger pool of top CMO talent outside their area. Although the economy is strong, there is a shortage of talented marketing executives. Thus, hiring managers are going to have to be more flexible to the candidates time and needs.

Take a page from professional sports, when recruiting a superstar, you will need to go to them.

Moving More Expeditiously

The shortage of top CMO talent in the marketplace has created more job opportunities for candidates. But, many are so secure in their current job position, they have taken a slower approach when they hear about a new job opening.

Because hiring managers sense of urgency is higher than candidates, hiring managers must move faster during their marketing executive searches when talent begin to express interest in a role. Fundamentally, once a recruiter reaches out to a passive candidate, convinces them to update their resume and helps the talent apply for a role, the candidate will begin to see who else might be interested in their skills, experience, and background. Do not get comfortable with timing, just because the candidate was not looking for a new role before they applied for yours. Speed is still critically important if you want top talent.

The job market will continue to be candidate-driven in 2020. Because candidates have the upper hand, hiring managers and HR departments can’t afford to waste time and add additional steps into the interview process. As a CMO executive search firm, we witness candidates finish first, second, and even third rounds interviews within two weeks. As an organization, what are you doing to mitigate losing top CMO talent because of speed?

Find the Right Balance with Remote Workers

3 Ways to Compete And Win Top Marketing Talent in 2020 | CMO Executive Search

According to Forbes, about half of the U.S. workforce will soon be remote. When candidates are establishing their career, and they have family or children, it makes it harder to balance work and personal life. The rise in remote workers is a microcosm of our society today, and it is a good indication of how our society is evolving to accommodate the quality of life. To develop a team of successful marketers starts with a supportive work environment.

One of the most significant factors contributing to the increase in the remote workforce is the Internet of Things (IoT). IoT is changing how we work and when we work. From AI home assistants to interconnected electric systems, these devices connecting to a central network in modern households have made it easier and more convenient to work from home according to Fast Company.

From a recruiting perspective, hiring remote workers will make finding A-level marketing leadership easier because the candidates won’t be limited to geographic location. Of course, with so much time away from the office it creates, it’s own challenges and stress factors. This is why organizations must take the time to decide and plan which job positions need to be done onsite and which ones can be effectively managed offsite. Ultimately, it’s not enough to recruit top talent; you must also retain top talent. As an organization, how are you helping your employees with work-life balance?

Final Words

Don’t let your marketing executive search fall behind by not being up to speed on the best hiring practices. Marketing is ever-evolving, and the way you recruit talent will need to adjust to the behaviors of candidates. If you want to find the best marketing executives to move your company forward, be prepared to make a few changes on how you interview and pivot your interview process so you can dominate your competition in 2020!