Product Management recruitment is part art, part science, and part speed!
This is especially true when recruiting adtech product management talent. Adtech product talent is highly sought after, so it can be assured that when a search begins for the next team addition, the competition is also likely out there searching for the same candidate persona.
So how can a brand stand out? Here are our top two recommendations:
Differentiated Process
Very little differs from one company to another when it comes to the hiring process.
The typical process is often a combination of the following steps:
- HR screen
- Hiring stakeholder interview
- Meet a peer
- Meet cross-functional stakeholders (Designer, Engineer)
- Maybe meet the stakeholder again
- Case study
- Meet the stakeholder’s boss
- Meet HR for final details
- Offer
It’s obvious to see the redundancies and the length of time this could take, especially if each step occurs within a timeline of one or two meetings per week. Time introduces complexity, and as the old recruitment saying goes, “time kills deals.”
Differentiating the process is something a startup has direct control over. Combining meetings and/or pre-scheduling every step and then cancelling if said candidate does not advance are just a few techniques we have seen our clients take to win the best talent.
When our client iQmetrix engaged us to build out their Product Management organization, they did so with incredible speed – enabling them to land their first choice. One client even completed a US-based VP Product search in just 33 business days! By changing and streamlining their process they were able to get the critical hire in the seat ASAP and start driving growth.
Differentiated Approach
In economies (like we are in now) when Talent Acquisition teams have been downsized, many business stakeholders were left with no other options than to source talent themselves. Many executives have conceded that this approach was not the best investment of time and talent.
Additionally, there will inevitably be candidates who, based on incorrect assumptions about a brand, opt to disqualify themselves from a search. Engaging a recruitment firm specializing in Product Management will know how to pique a candidate’s curiosity and will have the brand recognition to get them to return their calls and listen to the potential new role pitch.
When competing in a sea of very similar competitors, little tweaks and touches allow a brand to stand out and win over candidates.