Hiring, especially a demand gen manager, in 2022 isn’t the most straightforward process.
On the one hand, you’ve got people who can talk a big game and sound knowledgeable enough to breeze through every interview stage. But can they demonstrate a deep understanding of what it takes to be a demand gen manager in 2022?
With that in mind, Mark Huber, Head of Brand & Product Marketing, and Jason Widup, VP of Marketing at Metadata, talk through seven vital questions Metadata uses to interview demand gen candidates for roles on their team.
This will help you figure out who can walk the walk and not just talk the talk.
Tune in to the full episode to hear the seven questions you should be asking prospective demand gen managers.
Watch the full episode
Three top takeaways:
Takeaway 1: Do they have an optimization mindset?
We aren’t just talking from a marketing perspective in this case. It helps candidates to have an optimization approach to life as a whole.
First, you want people who never settle. You want people who recognize that if there’s a ‘good,’ there’s probably a ‘better’ and a ‘best.’
When this way of thinking is embedded in their psyche and isn’t just a quality they bring on from the 9-5, then it’s sure to show in all the work they do moving forward.
Takeaway 2: People and processes come before tools
Putting tools before people and processes is the modern-day version of putting the cart before the horse.
While a sound knowledge of how to use tools and technology is a vital part of being a demand gen manager, your candidate should know that the tools don’t necessarily solve problems. People do, and they do this by using the right thought process.
That’s why it’s just as important to be able to evaluate the need for a tool as it is to know how to use the tools themselves.
Takeaway 3: Creative and analytical thinking should go together
You’re not looking for someone who’s 100% data-driven or someone who just goes with the flow. There has to be a balance.
No doubt, data delivers cold-hard facts, but there should always be room for fresh new ideas and even plain old luck.
The key here is to always look at how these new ideas end up performing and then feed that data back in to optimize the entire process.
It’s more about filling a skills gap.
What’s the ratio of creative to analytical thinkers on your team? If you’re lacking in analytical thinkers, then it’s time to hire one, so you can get different perspectives at the end of the day.
So again, it’s all about creating that balance and making sure that these two schools of thought work together.
Next steps
Get the exact questions you should be asking when hiring a demand generation manager in our blog post: 7 Questions You Need To Ask When Hiring a Demand Generation Manager.
Or you can steal our exact job description template so you can hire your next demand gen manager.
