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5 Ways to Prepare for Your First Marketing Hire: A Guide for Business Leaders

Writer's picture: Kathryn WhartonKathryn Wharton

Updated: Jan 27

Hiring your first marketing professional is a major milestone for your business. It’s a sign you’ve grown to the point where you recognise the need for expertise to increase the visibility of your brand. But let’s be honest—it’s also a big decision. 


If you get it right, your hire will help drive growth, build your brand, and deliver measurable results. If you get it wrong, you could waste time, budget, and momentum.


So, how do you prepare to make your first marketing hire? Here are five practical steps to ensure you’re ready to recruit the right person for your business.


Define What Your Business Actually Needs

Before posting a job ad, take a step back and consider what your business really needs from a marketing hire. Many leaders default to hiring a mid-level marketing manager, but this might not be the best solution for your business.


Ask yourself:

  • Do you need someone to set your marketing strategy, or just execute existing plans?

  • Do we need someone full-time? Or would part-time hours give enough coverage until we grow larger? 

  • Are you looking for help with branding, lead generation, content creation, or something else?

  • Could a freelancer or agency meet your needs more effectively right now?


Practical Tip: Spend 10 minutes listing the top three marketing outcomes you want to achieve in the next 12 months. Use these to guide your hiring decision.


Consider Who Will Manage Them

A common oversight in hiring is underestimating the management your new hire will need. Even the most experienced marketers require alignment on goals, strategy, and expectations.


Be realistic about the time and expertise you can dedicate to supporting them. A mid-level hire will likely need hands-on direction, while a senior professional will require strategic collaboration. If your time is limited, outsourcing or hiring a more senior candidate could be the better choice.


Practical Tip: Pull up your calendar and look at a typical week. Identify how much time you can realistically allocate to managing a new team member. This will give you clarity on the level of experience you’ll be looking for. 


Determine Their Budget

Hiring a marketing professional is just the first step. Once they’re in post, they’ll need a budget to execute campaigns, purchase tools, and achieve results. Without this, even the best hire won’t be able to deliver the outcomes you’re looking for.


During interviews, expect good candidates to ask about the resources they’ll have at their disposal. Be ready with a clear answer—it’s a key indicator of how prepared you are to support their success.


Practical Tip: Develop a rough marketing budget, including estimates for advertising, tools, and campaigns. This will set clear expectations and build trust during the recruitment process. Gartner recommends 10% of company revenue as a guide to use. 


Think About Cultural Fit

Your first marketing hire might be a one-person team, but they’ll work closely with everyone in your business—from sales and operations to leadership and external partners. Ensuring they’re a good cultural fit is critical to their success and your team’s harmony.


Consider your company’s values and working environment. Are you fast-paced and informal, or more structured and process-driven? The right hire will not only align with your business culture but also enhance it.


Practical Tip: Write down three words that describe your company culture. Ask at least one culture question during the hiring process. Use these words as a guide to assess candidates during the process.


Evaluate Their Personal Brand

A marketer’s personal brand can be a valuable asset to your business. Someone with a strong online presence or industry reputation brings credibility, authority, and sometimes even a built-in audience.


When reviewing candidates, look beyond their CVs. Check their LinkedIn activity and professional networks. Do they engage with industry trends? Do they demonstrate thought leadership?


Practical Tip: Spend time researching candidates’ online presence to understand the social capital they could bring to your business.


Why It’s Important to Get This Right

Hiring your first marketer is more than just filling a role—it’s a strategic decision that can shape your business’s growth trajectory. 


A good hire will bring clarity, direction, and measurable results to your marketing efforts. But, a rushed or poorly planned hire can lead to wasted resources and missed opportunities.


Need Help Making Your First Marketing Hire?

As an experienced marketing consultant and hiring manager, I understand the challenges of finding the right person for your business. From identifying what you need, to writing the job description and person specification, assessing candidates, and onboarding them effectively, I can help you navigate every step of the process.


Let’s ensure your first marketing hire is the right one. Contact me today to discuss how I can support your recruitment process and set your business up for marketing success.


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