Ben Watkins’ Post

Do "gaps between jobs on a CV" harm a job search? Being interrogated in an interview for having a 6-12 month break. So how do you explain the gap between jobs? Should you even have to? What should you add on your CV? And on your LinkedIn profile? Consider these reasons: - Laid off through no fault of their own - Recently completed a company exit - Recharging their mental health - Recovering from a toxic boss - Taking care of an ill relative - Supporting a new baby - Learning to sail a boat - Studies like an MBA - Moving home - Divorce - Travel Many people return to work energised smashing their targets. 🔥 Time off work doesn't make someone a bad candidate! Agree?

If applying to jobs adverts isn't working, then try a different approach: - Pick up the phone - Use your network - Contact investors - Talk to ex-colleagues - Talk to business leaders - Approach target companies - Post valuable content on LinkedIn - Create a podcast showcasing your skills - Stop blasting out your CV cold to many firms - Observe the behaviour of other job seekers and do the opposite 🔥 Applying to a job ad is like entering a competition! What's the chance of winning? - - - - PS: Don't forget 80% + of senior jobs aren't advertised! PPS: None of the recruiters I know pay to advertise their jobs

What works and doesn't work when hiring Enterprise Sales in Germany: Doesn't work: ❌ Advertising the job ❌ Over-selling the job ❌ Recycling an old American job spec for Germany ❌ Having little or no knowledge of the German Market ❌ Using US-based Recruiters to manage the hiring process WHAT WORKS: ✅ Pay a good salary ✅ Set-up a legal entity ✅ Take data protection seriously ✅ Get added to a Magic Quadrant ✅ Show German customer references ✅ Build a team not a one-person show ✅ Understand German business culture ✅ Commit to Germany for the long term 🔥 To hire the best Germans, don't cut any corners. . . . PS - Ping me for a free copy of our latest German SaaS salary level chart

28 Brilliant Interview questions to ask a Hiring Firm: (Given to me by a top CRO) Role: - Why are you hiring? - What's the (real) job title? - What needs to be done? - What's the career path? - Immediate fires to put out? - Who is the direct Manager? - What is the ideal candidate profile? - Is there equity, if yes, what's the plan? - What's the package, and when is commission paid? Company: - What's the revenue? - Describe the culture? - When the was the last funding? - What are the company's objectives? - Can I speak to one happy employee? - How much cash runway do you have? - How much received in the last funding? Clients: - Who are the larger clients? - How many clients are there? - What is the Net Promoter Score? - What is the customer churn rate? Business: - What is the target? - What is the com plan? - Who are the buyer personas? - What is the economic model? - What is the average size deal? - What is the average sales cycle? - What is the sales motion? (inbound or outbound) ❓ Take a copy of the above for the future, you'll thank me! PS - What would you ask?

Once I had a candidate apply for his own job! (This was embarrassing) It was for a Managing Director role, many years ago. I was asked by his employer to replace him on the "quiet" I posted a discrete advert, with no mention of the company name. Impossible to guess the company name. But someone forwarded him the job listing. He kept calling: "That role is perfect for me" "It has my name written all over it!" "How do I apply?" 😂 Luckily it ended well and he still doesn't know to this day. - - - - - What's your funniest hiring story?

Role plays in job interviews suck. Should you really ask a candidate to "sell" your solution to them? Something they have never sold before. A "fake" situation. Offering fake results. - - - - - - - - - - 🔥 My advice is ask a candidate to sell what they currently sell to you. PS- Then you will see a real-life situation. Agree?

Hiring Managers -> Get a free copy of our latest SaaS Salary Chart for Europe. - VP EMEA, CRO, VP Sales, Enterprise Sales, - Customer Success, Marketing, Pre-sales - UK, Germany, France, Netherlands, Sweden - - - - - - Hiring Managers, ping me a note or comment "salary" below to get a free copy. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 🇩🇪 🇳🇱 🇫🇷 🇸🇪

"I don't want to interview Joe, he doesn't have a Degree" - VP Sales "But he's the top sales person in his firm" - Me "To work for us, he must have a degree" - VP Sales "But they don't teach you to sell at University!" - Me - - - - - Do you really need a University Degree to sell software? Thoughts? PS - Having a top sales training record (MEDDICC) is more important.

It's a mistake to remove experience 15+ years old from your CV & LinkedIn. Many job seekers are advised to delete work experience before 2010. Delete half of your career! "No one is interested" "Only include what you did recently" "Over 15-year's experience makes you sound old" That's the advice given by many recruiters. But IGNORE this advice: ✅ It's good to know your "career story", not half of it ✅ I'm interested in what you did over 15-years ago ✅ So are the employer's Hiring Managers ✅ What you learnt in your early career ✅ How you progressed ✅ Who you worked for ✅ The overall story 🔥 Be careful who you take advice from. PS. What you do in your 20's and 30's can is part of you.

It's tough out there. Hiring Market Update (senior jobs).. It's getting harder to: - Get interviews - Find remote jobs - Get hold of Hiring Managers - Find a job by applying to a job advert - Receive job offers from Recruiters on LinkedIn Steps you can take: - Be pro-active - Learn how to sell yourself - Stop relying on applying to jobs - Identify what problems you solve - Create a powerful 60-second pitch - Make sure your LinkedIn profile is great - Ensure your CV tells a story and sells you - Create content, participate in communities - Only enter the hiring processes you can win - Have urgency. If offered an interview, book it quickly 🔥 The hiring market attracts people who promote & network well. Agree?