Sales and marketing searches need more than a familiar job title. Start with the customers, buying process, and work your team needs someone to own. Company workforce changes can provide context for a search, while each person's fit and interest still need individual review.
For sales, define the selling environment
Write down the customer segment, product, typical buying process, and responsibility for generating pipeline. A role that closes large enterprise deals differs from one focused on high-volume smaller accounts. Clarify whether the hire will prospect, close, expand existing customers, or manage a team. Use those responsibilities to guide profile review instead of treating every account executive title as equivalent.
Example: an enterprise account executive search
Hypothetical example: a startup selling developer software needs an account executive comfortable with technical buyers and multi-person purchasing decisions. The hiring brief prioritizes experience navigating that buying process; a particular former employer is optional. The recruiter reviews the person's customer segment and role history, then asks about deal ownership and collaboration with technical teams. A company announcement alone does not establish the person's job status.
For marketing, identify the problem to solve
Decide whether the immediate need is demand generation, product positioning, lifecycle programs, content, or marketing operations. Growth marketing can cover several of those areas. Note what the hire will own, the resources available, and which outcomes the team will evaluate. A small team seeking someone to build a program may need different experience from a team hiring a specialist into an established function.
Example: a growth marketing search
Hypothetical example: a startup needs someone to improve trial activation and work with product on onboarding. The brief emphasizes lifecycle experiments, measurement, and cross-functional execution. Paid acquisition experience is useful but does not replace the core requirement. During review, distinguish campaigns the person directly owned from a company's overall results. Leave unverified achievements as questions for the conversation.
Review people without assuming availability
Check the current profile, role scope, location, and any information the person chooses to share about their next step. A restructuring may affect one function while other teams continue hiring. Do not treat company affiliation as a statement that someone is looking for a role. Make introductions about the work and give the person room to decline.
Keep distinct hiring needs separate
Keep an account executive brief separate from a marketing leadership brief. In MovTide, use company-event context and relevant people to inform your review, then open LinkedIn to check the current profile. Compare the work each person has done with the specific responsibilities you need covered.