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Interesting post with some really useful insights. My comment isn't about the linked article per se, but I noticed recently (having made several first marketin

Interesting post with some really useful insights. My comment isn't about the linked article per se, but I noticed recently (having made several first marketing hires myself) that it's really important to: 1) Have a very good 'head of marketing level' friend help you make your hiring decision 2)Be loose with titles - if you call the new hire your CMO/HoM and then realise later that they aren't up to that job, it's hard to hire above them without causing problems (leading a team is a very different skillset to setting up the first marketing channels, and not everyone who is good at the latter transitions well to the former). Lastly, a tip for marketers looking to transition into working at a startup with a smallish marketing team (2-5 marketing hires) --> If they are advertising for a 'growth hacker' (with quite a generic skill set), then run for the hills and don't apply. Nine times out of ten, they realised too late that their CMO doesn't have the experience/skill to get the job done but, because they don't want to hire above them, they look for a 'growth hacker' to be CMO in responsibility but not pay or title (or decision making capacity).

gk1 8y ago
> 1) Have a very good 'head of marketing level' friend help you make your hiring decision. Absolutely. A friend, or a consultant, or see if any of your investors (if you have them) have a marketer-in-residence. Regarding titles, "Head of Marketing" is a safe one, in my opinion, because it isn't attached to a specific seniority (and pay scale) the way "CMO" or "VP" are. Can also go with "Marketing Lead." As for "growth hacker," it's time we all forgot about that term, and I'm glad to say I haven't seen it in a while.
Kagerjay 8y ago
I don't understand how anyone can call themselves a 'growth hacker', you might as well advertise you're a golden unicorn at the same time
- ddebernardy 8y ago
  I believe @louisswiss was discussing the company advertising to hire a growth hacker, rather than the marketer/developer advertising themselves as one. Having been on the receiving end of such a company once (and having unfortunately accepted the job), I strongly concur with the sentiment laid out: never, ever, ever accept a marketing job offer where the yardstick is delivering the moon and more every Friday like clockwork. Marketing is, first and foremost, a systematic activity. You get a small gain here and a small gain there, week after week, with systematic testing in between. Your bread and butter is compound interest, if you will, if one can compare growth rate to investing. Unicorn-sized ideas that move the needle a lot do occur, naturally; but not often, nor regularly.
  - jklinger410 8y ago
    >I strongly concur with the sentiment laid out: never, ever, ever accept a marketing job offer where the yardstick is delivering the moon and more every Friday like clockwork. "Hiring a growthhacker" is just code for "we don't have the money for a marketing department or even an agency so we want you to do everything yourself and find magic solutions to why our product isn't taking off and we really hope you have a friend who works at Techcrunch or we're all going to think you were bad at your job."

gk1 8y ago

> 1) Have a very good 'head of marketing level' friend help you make your hiring decision. Absolutely. A friend, or a consultant, or see if any of your investors (if you have them) have a marketer-in-residence. Regarding titles, "Head of Marketing" is a safe one, in my opinion, because it isn't attached to a specific seniority (and pay scale) the way "CMO" or "VP" are. Can also go with "Marketing Lead." As for "growth hacker," it's time we all forgot about that term, and I'm glad to say I haven't seen it in a while.

Kagerjay 8y ago

I don't understand how anyone can call themselves a 'growth hacker', you might as well advertise you're a golden unicorn at the same time

ddebernardy 8y ago
I believe @louisswiss was discussing the company advertising to hire a growth hacker, rather than the marketer/developer advertising themselves as one. Having been on the receiving end of such a company once (and having unfortunately accepted the job), I strongly concur with the sentiment laid out: never, ever, ever accept a marketing job offer where the yardstick is delivering the moon and more every Friday like clockwork. Marketing is, first and foremost, a systematic activity. You get a small gain here and a small gain there, week after week, with systematic testing in between. Your bread and butter is compound interest, if you will, if one can compare growth rate to investing. Unicorn-sized ideas that move the needle a lot do occur, naturally; but not often, nor regularly.
- jklinger410 8y ago
  >I strongly concur with the sentiment laid out: never, ever, ever accept a marketing job offer where the yardstick is delivering the moon and more every Friday like clockwork. "Hiring a growthhacker" is just code for "we don't have the money for a marketing department or even an agency so we want you to do everything yourself and find magic solutions to why our product isn't taking off and we really hope you have a friend who works at Techcrunch or we're all going to think you were bad at your job."