Scale With Strive

Author: Iwan Robertson

  • Hiring Account Executives in London: A Guide for SaaS Companies

    Hiring Account Executives in London: A Guide for SaaS Companies

    London remains one of Europe’s most competitive markets for SaaS Account Executive talent.

    As the region’s largest technology hub, it draws venture-backed startups, global software vendors and a fast-growing wave of AI companies – all targeting the same pool of experienced commercial sellers.

    For SaaS employers, London offers unrivalled access to European sales talent, but securing the best AEs demands competitive economics, a strong employer brand and a hiring process built for speed.

    Here is what SaaS companies need to know.

     

    Europe’s most competitive SaaS Talent Market

    London concentrates a huge share of Europe’s SaaS commercial talent and an equally large share of the companies competing for it.

    Domestic startups, US businesses expanding into EMEA and established vendors are all hiring from the same pool.

    To attract top performers, you have to work harder to differentiate: a clear value proposition, a credible growth story and a compelling reason to choose your role over the many alternatives a strong candidate will be weighing.

     

    Compensation Expectations have risen sharply

    Sustained growth in SaaS and AI has pushed London compensation expectations higher across the market.

    Candidates evaluate opportunities on base salary, commission potential, equity, flexibility and progression – often across multiple offers simultaneously.

    Packages that lag the market lose candidates late in the process. Benchmark carefully against current London conditions, and be ready to articulate the full earning potential and career trajectory, not just the base salary.

     

    SaaS experience and market knowledge are highly valued

    Many London employers prioritise AEs with proven SaaS sales experience – particularly in Enterprise, Cybersecurity, Fintech or AI-focused environments and a track record of managing complex sales cycles and selling into international markets.

    That makes genuinely experienced commercial talent difficult to secure.

    Be deliberate about which requirements are essential versus desirable; a candidate with strong transferable skills and high slope can often outperform a narrower ‘perfect fit’ who ten other companies are also chasing.

     

    Employer Brand is a key Differentiator

    In a crowded London market, candidates look well beyond compensation. Company culture, leadership credibility, funding stability, hybrid working policy and long-term growth potential all influence their decision.

    SaaS vendors with a strong employer brand and clear market positioning consistently attract ambitious AEs more easily.

    Your interview experience is part of that brand – treat every stage as a chance to sell the opportunity as well as assess the candidate.

     

    Speed and candidate Experience are critical

    Top London AEs are usually involved in several recruitment processes at once.

    Slow hiring timelines or an inconsistent interview experience will cost you candidates to faster-moving competitors.

    The businesses that hire well are decisive and well-prepared: they align stakeholders early, keep the process tight, communicate clearly and convey opportunity, progression and value at every stage.

    In London, a fast, professional process is a genuine advantage.

     

    What Good looks like in London

    The strongest London AEs combine consultative selling with the versatility to operate across diverse verticals and, often, international buyers.

    Look for consistent quota attainment, disciplined pipeline management and the ability to win competitive deals in a mature market.

    Given how many London roles carry an EMEA remit, the capacity to sell across borders and cultures is frequently what separates a good hire from a great one.

     

    Learn more about hiring AEs in London here. 

     

     

    How Strive helps

    London rewards employers who understand its pace and its talent pool.

    With deep networks across the city’s SaaS ecosystem, we help companies benchmark compensation accurately, position their opportunity to stand out, and move quickly enough to secure top AEs before the competition. The result is a strong shortlist and a process designed to convert it.

    Invest in a SaaS Sales Recruitment agency and accelerate your path to success.

    Reach out to a member of the team here about How Strive helps, or see more about how we can support your growth here about How Strive helps.

  • Common Mistakes SaaS Companies Make When Hiring Sales Teams

    Common Mistakes SaaS Companies Make When Hiring Sales Teams

    Building a sales team is one of the highest-stakes things a SaaS company will ever do, and it is also one of the easiest to get wrong.

    A single mis-hire can burn six months of runway, sour a promising territory and quietly cap your growth for a year. Yet most hiring mistakes are not the result of bad luck – they are predictable, repeatable and avoidable.

    Below are the errors we see SaaS founders and revenue leaders make most often, and how to sidestep them before they cost you a quarter of pipeline.

     

    Hiring for the stage you are leaving, not the stage you are entering

    The sales rep who thrived selling your product at £5k ACV to SMBs is rarely the person who will win six-figure enterprise deals with procurement, security reviews and multi-threaded buying committees. SaaS companies routinely hire a mirror image of the team that got them to where they are, then wonder why the next stage of growth stalls. Before you write a job specification, be honest about the motion you are hiring into: deal size, sales cycle, buyer seniority and the degree of process versus improvisation required. A brilliant transactional closer can flounder in a consultative enterprise sale, and vice versa.

     

    Prioritising industry experience over sales athleticism

    It is tempting to insist that every candidate has sold your exact category before. In practice, deep domain knowledge is often learnable in weeks, whereas the underlying traits of a strong seller – curiosity, resilience, discipline and coachability – take years to develop and cannot be taught on the job. Screening solely for a familiar logo on a CV filters out high-potential athletes and crowds your shortlist with comfortable incumbents. Weight your assessment towards demonstrable outcomes and how a candidate thinks, not just the sector they happen to have worked in.

     

    Skipping a structured, evidence-based interview process

    Sales is the one function where candidates are, by definition, good at selling themselves. A charismatic interview performance tells you very little about quota attainment. SaaS teams that hire on gut feel are effectively rolling dice. A structured process – consistent competency questions, a role-play or mock discovery call, a written exercise, and reference checks that probe real numbers – turns a subjective impression into evidence. Ask for specifics: what was quota, what was attainment, what was the average deal size, and what exactly did the candidate do versus what the team did.

     

    Hiring reps before the fundamentals are ready

    Throwing bodies at a revenue gap rarely works if the groundwork is missing. If you do not yet have a repeatable, documented sales motion, reasonable inbound or outbound volume, and at least a rough playbook, new hires will spend their ramp inventing the role rather than executing it. The result is slow ramp, inconsistent messaging and early attrition. Founders often need to prove the motion themselves – or with one or two early sellers – before scaling a team. Hiring five reps into a vacuum multiplies the chaos rather than the revenue.

     

    Underestimating ramp time and onboarding

    Many SaaS companies budget for the hire but not for the ramp. A mid-market AE may take three to six months to reach full productivity, and enterprise reps longer still. If your financial model assumes a new rep contributes from month one, you will panic-manage people who are simply following a normal ramp curve, and you may cut them loose just before they would have started producing. Set realistic ramp milestones, invest in proper onboarding, and measure leading indicators – activity, pipeline created, discovery quality – not just closed revenue in the first quarter.

     

    Neglecting the compensation and quota design

    A poorly designed comp plan will undo even a strong hire. Quotas set without reference to realistic pipeline coverage demoralise good sellers; commission structures that reward the wrong behaviours pull the team away from your strategy. If top performers cannot see a credible path to accelerators, they will leave for a competitor who can offer one. Treat compensation as a core part of the hiring decision, not an afterthought bolted on once the offer is out.

     

    Failing to sell the opportunity to the candidate

    In a competitive market for GTM talent, the best candidates are interviewing you as much as you are interviewing them. SaaS companies that treat hiring as a one-way filter lose out to those who articulate a compelling mission, a credible growth story and a clear picture of earning potential. A slow, opaque or transactional process signals what it will be like to work for you. Move quickly, communicate clearly, and give candidates a reason to choose you beyond the base salary.

     

    Going it alone when speed and quality both matter

    Perhaps the most common mistake is assuming sales hiring is something to be squeezed in around everything else. Sourcing, screening and closing strong GTM candidates is a discipline in its own right, and doing it badly is expensive. Whether you build a dedicated internal function or partner with a specialist recruiter, the goal is the same: a rigorous, fast, evidence-led process that consistently lands sellers who ramp and stay.

    Invest in a SaaS Sales Recruitment agency and accelerate your path to success.

    Reach out to a member of the team here about Going it alone when speed and quality both matter, or see more about how we can support your growth here about Going it alone when speed and quality both matter.

  • What actually is MEDDIC?

    What actually is MEDDIC?

    MEDDIC is one of the most effective (and widely used) sales qualification frameworks in B2B – especially in SaaS and enterprise sales.

    But what actually does it stand for – and why is it so effective?

    Let’s Dive In!

     

    What actually is MEDDIC?

    MEDDIC is a deal qualification and inspection framework.

    It helps you answer “Is this deal real, winnable, and worth my time?”

    It’s not about selling – it’s about:

    • Disqualifying bad deals fast
    • Focusing on high-probability opportunities
    • Improving forecast accuracy

     

     The MEDDIC acronym 

    1. Metrics (The “why now” in numbers)

    What measurable impact does your solution deliver?

    Examples:

    • Increase revenue by 20%
    • Reduce churn by 15%
    • Save £500k in operational costs
    • Improve sales productivity by 30%

    If there are no clear metrics, the deal is weak.

     

    2. Economic Buyer (The person who can say YES)

    Who has the final budget authority?

    Not:

    • Your champion
    • The hiring manager
    • The user

    But the person who owns the money

    Key questions:

    • Who signs this off?
    • Have I spoken to them directly?

    Reality: If you haven’t spoken to the economic buyer, you don’t control the deal.

    3. Decision Criteria (How they choose)

    What are they evaluating you on?

    Typical criteria:

    • Price
    • Features
    • Integration
    • Security
    • Ease of use
    • ROI

    You want to shape this, not just react to it.

    4. Decision Process (How they buy)

    What steps do they go through to make a decision?

    Examples:

    • Demo → Technical validation → Security review → Procurement → Legal

    Key questions:

    • What are the exact steps?
    • Who is involved at each stage?
    • What’s the timeline?

    This is where deals often die (unknown blockers).

    5. Identify Pain (The real problem)

    What’s broken enough to justify change?

    Weak pain: “We want to improve efficiency”

    Strong pain: “We’re losing £2M a year due to poor pipeline visibility”

    No real pain = no deal.

    Pain must be:

    • Quantified
    • Owned by a senior stakeholder
    • Urgent

    6. Champion (Your internal seller)

    Who is selling for you when you’re not in the room?

    A real champion:

    • Has influence
    • Has something to gain from your solution
    • Actively pushes your deal internally

    A “nice contact” ≠ a champion

    Test: Would they defend you in a meeting without you there?

    How MEDDIC is actually used (in reality)

    1. Deal inspection (pipeline reviews)

    Managers ask:

    • What are the metrics?
    • Who is the economic buyer?
    • What’s the decision process?

    If Reps can’t answer, the deal gets downgraded

    2. Forecasting

    Deals are forecast based on MEDDIC completeness.

    Example:

    • No economic buyer → not forecastable
    • No champion → high risk
    • No clear metrics → weak business case

    3. Coaching Reps

    MEDDIC shows exactly where deals are weak:

    • No champion → build internal alignment
    • No pain → re-discovery
    • No process → map stakeholders

    Common MEDDIC mistakes

    1. Treating it like a checklist

    Bad Reps: “Yep, got a champion” (but they don’t)

    Good Reps: Validate everything rigorously

     

    2. Ignoring the economic buyer

    Most deals stall here.

    3. Weak pain

    If the pain isn’t urgent and painful, the deal drifts forever.

     

    4. No control of the process

    If you don’t know the buying process, you’re reacting, not driving.

    5. Fake champions

    This is a big one.

    A real champion:

    • Introduces you upward
    • Shares internal info
    • Pushes your deal

     

    What Elite SaaS salespeople do differently

    They:

    • Build MEDDIC early (not late-stage)
    • Disqualify aggressively
    • Multi-thread accounts (not single contact)
    • Quantify value relentlessly
    • Get to the economic buyer early
    • Control the process

     

    If you’re hiring SaaS Sales talent

    You should screen for:

    • Can they explain MEDDIC in detail?
    • Have they used it in real deals?
    • Can they give examples of:
      • Finding a champion
      • Accessing an economic buyer
      • Quantifying ROI

    If they can’t – they’re not enterprise-grade.

     

    Simple MEDDIC cheat sheet

    • M → Why does this matter financially?
    • E → Who controls the money?
    • D → How do they decide?
    • D → What steps do they follow?
    • I → What’s the real pain?
    • C → Who is pushing this internally?

     

    Notes around MEDDPICC (the evolved version)

    Note, alot of the top SaaS orgs now use MEDDPICC:

    The additions here are:

    • P = Paper Process → procurement + legal steps
    • I = Implicate the pain → make the cost of inaction clear
    • C = Competition → who else is in the deal

     

    Final Thoughts

    MEDDIC isn’t just a framework – it’s a truth detector for deals. If a deal doesn’t satisfy MEDDIC it’s probably not real.

    The best salespeople use MEDDIC to kill bad deals fast and win the right ones.

     

     

    Are you looking to hire MEDDIC qualified SaaS Sales talent?

    Reach out to a member of the team here, or see more about how we can support your growth here about Final Thoughts.

     

     

     

     

     

  • Why Specialist GTM Recruiters Outperform Generalist Agencies

    Why Specialist GTM Recruiters Outperform Generalist Agencies

    As SaaS businesses scale, few decisions carry as much impact as who you hire into your go-to-market (GTM) team.

    At Strive, we regularly speak with founders, CROs, and talent leaders who have worked with both generalist recruitment agencies and specialist GTM recruiters. The difference in outcomes is often significant – not because generalist agencies lack capability, but because GTM hiring demands deep, specific expertise.

    This blog explores why specialist GTM recruiters consistently outperform generalist agencies when it comes to building high-performing SaaS revenue teams.

    Let’s Dive In!

     

    1. GTM Hiring Is a Revenue-Critical Discipline

    GTM roles directly influence pipeline, conversion, and revenue. A mis-hire in Sales, RevOps, or Marketing doesn’t just slow hiring – it impacts growth.

    Specialist GTM recruiters understand:

    • How different GTM roles contribute to revenue

    • The cost of ramp time and missed targets

    • The nuances between sales motions, deal sizes, and buyer personas

    Generalist agencies often treat GTM hiring like any other role. Specialists treat it as a revenue strategy.

     

    2. Context Matters More Than CVs

    A standout sales hire in one SaaS company can fail in another.

    Specialist GTM recruiters evaluate candidates through context:

    • ICP and customer profile

    • ACV and deal complexity

    • Sales cycle length

    • Level of enablement and operational maturity

    Generalist agencies tend to focus on transferable skills. Specialists focus on environmental fit, which drives performance.

     

    3. Deeper Market Knowledge Leads to Better Shortlists

    Because specialist GTM recruiters operate exclusively in this space, they have:

    • Real-time insight into candidate availability

    • Clear benchmarks on compensation and expectations

    • Immediate feedback on what profiles are realistic

    This results in sharper calibration early in the process and shortlists that actually convert to hires.

    Generalist agencies often learn the market during the search. Specialists already know it.

     

    4. Better Conversations With Revenue Leadership

    GTM hiring requires close partnership with Sales, Marketing, and Revenue leaders.

    Specialist recruiters speak the same language as CROs and Heads of Sales:

    • Forecasts and pipeline health

    • Quota and territory design

    • Ramp time and productivity

    This credibility leads to better role definition, faster alignment, and fewer hiring missteps.

     

    5. Faster, More Confident Hiring Decisions

    When hiring managers trust the recruiter’s judgement, decisions move faster.

    Specialist GTM recruiters:

    • Challenge unrealistic expectations early

    • Provide market-backed advice

    • Reduce interview churn and candidate drop-off

    The result is shorter time-to-hire without sacrificing quality.

     

    6. Candidate Quality Improves – Not Just Volume

    Generalist agencies often optimise for volume.

    Specialist GTM recruiters optimise for fit:

    • Fewer, better-aligned candidates

    • Stronger candidate engagement

    • Higher offer acceptance rates

    Candidates are more likely to engage with recruiters who understand their craft and career trajectory.

     

    7. Specialist Partners Think Long-Term

    Specialist GTM recruiters don’t just fill one role – they help build hiring capability.

    At Strive, we work with clients across:

    • Multiple GTM hires

    • Different growth stages

    • Evolving sales and revenue models

    This long-term view leads to more consistent outcomes and stronger hiring foundations.

     

    8. Embedded and Flexible Models Outperform Transactional Approaches

    Many specialist GTM recruiters offer embedded or partnership-based models that go beyond contingency recruitment.

    These approaches deliver:

    • Deeper integration with internal teams

    • Ongoing market feedback

    • Scalable hiring support

    Generalist agencies are often limited to transactional, role-by-role delivery.

     

    Final Thoughts

    GTM hiring is too important to be treated as a generic recruitment exercise.

    Specialist GTM recruiters outperform generalist agencies because they:

    • Understand revenue impact

    • Hire for context, not just credentials

    • Partner closely with leadership

    • Deliver higher-quality, more consistent outcomes

    For SaaS companies serious about growth, specialist GTM recruitment isn’t a “nice to have” – it’s a strategic advantage.

    If you’re building or scaling a GTM team and want a partner who understands SaaS revenue hiring deeply, Strive is always happy to share insight.

     

     

    Choosing the right SaaS sales recruitment agency is about fit, expertise, and trust. By asking the right questions and digging into their processes, you can find a partner who not only fills roles – but helps you build a sales team that fuels long-term SaaS growth.

    Invest in a software sales Recruitment agency and accelerate your path to success.

    Reach out to a member of the team here, or see more about how we can support your growth here about Solutions.

     

  • When Should I Use a SaaS Sales Recruitment Agency?

    When Should I Use a SaaS Sales Recruitment Agency?

    Hiring top SaaS sales talent is one of the toughest challenges for founders and revenue leaders. Great Account Executives, SDRs, and Sales Leaders are in constant demand — and often off the market within days. So, when is the right time to bring in a SaaS sales recruitment agency to help?

    If you’re debating whether to handle hiring in-house or get external support, here are the key moments when partnering with a specialist recruiter can make a huge difference.

     

     

    1. When Your Hiring Process Is Slowing Down Growth

    In the world of SaaS, missed hires often mean missed targets. If open sales roles are staying vacant for too long — or you’re recycling the same candidates from job boards — it’s probably time to call in a specialist.

    A SaaS sales recruitment agency already has a network of pre-vetted, proven performers. They can cut your time-to-hire dramatically by engaging candidates who aren’t actively applying but are open to the right opportunity.

    👉 Sign it’s time: You’ve had a key AE or VP Sales role open for over six weeks and pipeline is starting to stall.

     

    2. When You Need to Hire for a New Market or Stage

    Hiring salespeople for your next growth phase isn’t as simple as scaling what’s worked before. A SaaS business at $1M ARR needs a completely different profile to one at $20M ARR — and hiring for a new market (e.g., enterprise, EMEA, or public sector) requires nuanced knowledge.

    Specialist SaaS recruiters understand stage fit and market dynamics. They can help you identify candidates who’ve scaled at your stage before, avoiding costly mis-hires.

    👉 Sign it’s time: You’re entering a new market, moving upmarket, or making your first regional sales hire.

     

    3. When You’re Not Sure What “Good” Looks Like

    Early-stage founders often know their product inside out but may not yet know what great sales talent looks like at different levels. Should your first hire be an SDR, AE, or player-coach? Should you prioritise someone who can close deals or someone who can build a repeatable sales motion?

    A SaaS sales recruitment agency can help you define the role, compensation structure, and ideal profile before you even go to market. The best agencies act as strategic advisors, not just CV suppliers.

    👉 Sign it’s time: You’re making your first few GTM hires and need help designing the right structure.

     

    4. When You’ve Made a Costly Mis-Hire

    Few things hurt more than hiring a VP of Sales or AE who doesn’t work out after a few months. In SaaS, this is a common and expensive mistake — the average VP Sales tenure is around 18 months.

    Often, mis-hires happen because of poor stage-fit or overreliance on CV pedigree. A strong recruitment partner helps de-risk hiring by assessing candidates for behavioural and situational fit, not just experience.

    👉 Sign it’s time: You’ve had one or more sales hires churn within the first six months.

     

    5. When You Need to Scale Quickly

    Whether you’ve just raised a new funding round or hit product-market fit, there comes a time when speed becomes everything. Hiring multiple SDRs or AEs fast — while keeping quality high — can overwhelm internal teams.

    A SaaS recruitment agency can quickly activate its network and deliver shortlists of qualified, SaaS-experienced candidates within days, not weeks.

    👉 Sign it’s time: You need to build or double your sales team in under a quarter.

     

    6. When You Want to Focus on Core Growth, Not Admin

    Recruiting is time-intensive: sourcing, screening, scheduling, reference checking — all while you’re trying to hit targets or build product. Outsourcing sales hiring lets your internal team focus on their strengths while experts handle the legwork.

    Plus, SaaS recruitment agencies know how to sell your story effectively to candidates, especially if you’re a lesser-known brand competing with big-name vendors.

    👉 Sign it’s time: Recruitment is eating too much of your leadership bandwidth.

     

    Final Thoughts

    So, when should you use a SaaS sales recruitment agency?

    In short — when your time-to-hire is slowing you down, when you’re hiring for new stages or markets, when you’ve had hiring misses, or when you simply need to scale with confidence.

    A strong SaaS recruitment partner isn’t just a service provider — they’re an extension of your brand and a strategic advisor who understands your GTM motion, your ICP, and your growth journey.

    By bringing in the right agency at the right time, you can de-risk hiring, save time, and build a sales team that actually hits target.

     

     

    Choosing the right SaaS sales recruitment agency is about fit, expertise, and trust. By asking the right questions and digging into their processes, you can find a partner who not only fills roles — but helps you build a sales team that fuels long-term SaaS growth.

    Invest in a software sales Recruitment agency and accelerate your path to success.

    Reach out to a member of the team here, or see more about how we can support your growth here about Final Thoughts.

     

     

  • What Does a Solutions Engineer Do in a SaaS GTM Team?

    What Does a Solutions Engineer Do in a SaaS GTM Team?

    In SaaS businesses, go-to-market (GTM) success isn’t just about having great salespeople. Today’s buyers are more technical, more skeptical, and expect vendors to prove real-world value before they sign. That’s where the Solutions Engineer (SE) comes in.

    If you’ve ever asked yourself, “What does a Solutions Engineer do?”, think of them as the bridge between product and customer. They sit on the GTM team alongside sales, marketing, and customer success — but their role is unique: they bring technical credibility to the sales process, helping prospects see how a product works, not just why it matters.

    Let’s Dive In!

     

    The Core Role of a Solutions Engineer

    A Solutions Engineer isn’t just a “technical salesperson.” In a SaaS GTM team, they play several critical roles:

    1. Technical Discovery & Needs Analysis – SEs dig into a prospect’s business challenges, workflows, and tech stack to uncover the real problems that need solving. This ensures that what’s being sold is actually a fit.

    2. Product Demonstrations & Proof of Value – While Account Executives focus on business outcomes, Solutions Engineers translate those outcomes into product reality. They customise demos, build proof-of-concept environments, and show prospects how the software integrates into their world.

    3. Trusted Technical Advisor – Buyers often trust SEs as neutral experts. They answer technical objections, guide conversations about integrations or compliance, and give credibility that a pure salesperson sometimes can’t.

    4. Bridge Between Sales & Product – SEs bring market feedback back to product teams. They spot gaps, highlight recurring customer requests, and influence the roadmap with real-world insights.

    5. Enabling Customer Success – In many SaaS companies, SEs also play a role in the early stages of onboarding, ensuring the promises made in the sales cycle can actually be delivered post-sale.

     

    Why Are Solutions Engineers Critical in SaaS GTM?

    In the SaaS world, where competition is fierce and switching costs are lower than ever, buyers don’t want to be “sold” — they want to be shown. That’s why Solutions Engineers are so valuable:

    • They shorten sales cycles by addressing technical objections early.

    • They increase win rates by aligning product capabilities with customer pain points.

    • They reduce churn by ensuring customers know exactly what to expect before they buy.

    For SaaS businesses scaling their GTM teams, a strong SE function is often the difference between landing a deal and losing it to a competitor.

     

    Solutions Engineer vs Sales Engineer

    The terms Solutions Engineer and Sales Engineer are often used interchangeably in SaaS. Both roles focus on pre-sales technical support. Some companies prefer “Solutions Engineer” to reflect a broader consultative role that goes beyond just selling, emphasizing solving business problems rather than pitching features.

     

    When Should a SaaS Startup Hire a Solutions Engineer?

    Early-stage founders often rely on themselves or their product team to handle technical sales conversations. But as pipeline grows, this becomes unsustainable. A good rule of thumb:

    • If your Account Executives are spending too much time running technical demos instead of selling → you need an SE.

    • If you’re losing deals due to technical objections, poor integrations, or lack of proof of value → you need an SE.

    • If your product is complex and requires deep tailoring to different customer use cases → you need an SE.

     

    The Bottom Line

    So, what does a Solutions Engineer do? In a SaaS GTM team, they are the technical linchpin of the sales process. They ensure prospects not only understand the product but believe in its ability to solve their problems. By combining technical expertise with business acumen, Solutions Engineers help SaaS companies win more deals, accelerate revenue, and build stronger customer relationships.

    If you’re scaling a SaaS GTM team, hiring a Solutions Engineer at the right stage could be one of the smartest investments you make.

     

     

    Don’t let Solutions Engineer Recruitment challenges hold back your growth. 

    Invest in a SaaS Recruitment agency and accelerate your path to success.

    Reach out to a member of the team here, or see more about how we can support your growth.

    Please also visit our Job Descriptions Page for support in creating your new SaaS Job Descriptions.

     

  • How to Evaluate a SaaS Sales Recruitment Agency

    How to Evaluate a SaaS Sales Recruitment Agency

    Hiring the right SaaS sales talent can make or break your revenue targets. If you’re considering partnering with a SaaS sales recruitment agency, the stakes are high — and not all agencies are created equal.

    Knowing how to evaluate a SaaS sales recruitment agency is essential to ensure you invest in a partner who truly understands your market, your product, and your growth goals.

    In this blog, we’ll break down the key factors, questions to ask, and warning signs to watch out for.

    Let’s Dive In!

     

     

    1. Check Their SaaS Sales Specialisation

    Not every recruiter who claims to work in “tech” is skilled in SaaS. SaaS sales is a unique arena with:

    • Subscription-based revenue models

    • Long sales cycles

    • Complex buyer journeys

     

    What to look for:

    • Proven track record of placing SaaS Account Executives, SDRs, and Sales Leaders

    • Client testimonials specific to SaaS companies

    • Recruiters who understand metrics like ARR, CAC, and churn

     

    2. Assess Their Network & Candidate Pool

    A great SaaS sales recruitment agency has an active network of pre-vetted talent, not just access to job boards.

    Questions to ask:

    • How do you source candidates?

    • What percentage of your placements come from your own network vs. cold outreach?

    • Can you share anonymised examples of recent placements?

     

    3. Evaluate Their Screening Process

    You want a partner who does more than just send CVs. Look for agencies that:

    • Conduct competency-based interviews

    • Validate SaaS sales experience through performance data

    • Assess cultural fit, not just skills

     

    Tip: Ask if they use sales simulations or scenario-based interviews to test selling ability.

     

    4. Understand Their Metrics & KPIs

    A credible agency should share placement success rates and average time-to-fill.

    Good benchmarks for SaaS sales roles might be:

    • Time-to-fill: 30–45 days for mid-level sales, 60–90 days for leadership

    • Retention rate: 85%+ of hires still in role after 12 months

     

    5. Clarify Their Fee Structure & Guarantees

    Transparency matters. Ensure you understand:

    • Whether they charge a retainer, contingency, or success fee

    • If they offer a replacement guarantee period 

    • Any hidden costs for advertising or candidate testing

     

    6. Look for Industry Reputation

    Don’t just rely on their website. Check:

    • LinkedIn recommendations from both clients and candidates

    • SaaS industry forums or founder groups for recommendations

    • Whether they contribute thought leadership content on SaaS sales hiring

     

    6. Look for Industry Reputation

    Don’t just rely on their website. Check:

    • LinkedIn recommendations from both clients and candidates

    • SaaS industry forums or founder groups for recommendations

    • Whether they contribute thought leadership content on SaaS sales hiring

     

     

    Choosing the right SaaS sales recruitment agency is about fit, expertise, and trust. By asking the right questions and digging into their processes, you can find a partner who not only fills roles — but helps you build a sales team that fuels long-term SaaS growth.

    Invest in a software sales Recruitment agency and accelerate your path to success.

    Reach out to a member of the team here, or see more about how we can support your growth here about 6. Look for Industry Reputation.

     

     

  • Cyber Security Recruitment – Winning the Battle for Top Talent in 2025

    Cyber Security Recruitment – Winning the Battle for Top Talent in 2025

    For SaaS companies, cyber security isn’t just an IT concern—it’s a core business function. Trust is everything in software-as-a-service, and customers expect their data to be secure, compliant, and always available.

    But the ability to protect user data hinges on having the right cyber talent in place. With rising demand, fierce competition, and evolving threats, cyber security recruitment for SaaS companies has become one of the most critical (and challenging) parts of building a sustainable business.

    In this blog, we’ll explore the current challenges SaaS firms face when hiring cyber security professionals, and how they can adapt their recruitment strategy to stay secure in 2025 and beyond.

    Let’s Dive In!

     

     

    1. Why Cyber Security Recruitment Is Different for SaaS

    SaaS companies face unique risks: multi-tenant architectures, API security flaws, DevOps pipelines, and real-time data exposure. This creates a need for cyber professionals who understand both security and the cloud-native environment.

     

    Key SaaS-specific hiring challenges:

    • Cloud Security Expertise: Traditional security skills don’t always translate to SaaS platforms.

    • Speed vs. Security: SaaS teams often move fast—sometimes faster than secure design allows.

    • Regulatory Pressures: Compliance with SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR, and HIPAA creates constant demand for experienced GRC professionals.

    • DevSecOps Alignment: Security must be embedded in the CI/CD lifecycle, not bolted on at the end.

     

    2. What Top Security Candidates Want in SaaS

    To compete with big tech and high-growth startups, SaaS companies need to understand what motivates cyber professionals in 2025:

    • Opportunities to work with modern cloud stacks (AWS, Azure, GCP, Kubernetes)

    • Autonomy and influence on secure product design

    • Remote work flexibility and work-life balance

    • Ongoing upskilling and certifications (e.g., CCSK, CCSP, OSCP)

    • A strong engineering culture that takes security seriously

     

    3. Cyber Security Recruitment Strategies for SaaS Leaders

     

    🧠 Hire for Cloud-Native Security Skills

    Look beyond traditional security certifications. Prioritise candidates with experience in:

    • Infrastructure-as-code security (e.g., Terraform, CloudFormation)

    • Kubernetes RBAC and container security

    • API threat modeling

    • Identity & access management in cloud environments

     

    🌍 Use Specialist Security Recruiters for SaaS

    Work with recruitment partners who specialise in cloud and SaaS security. They often already have pipelines of candidates with niche skills.

     

    🧪 Assess Practical Skills with Real Scenarios

    Use SaaS-specific scenarios in technical interviews—like securing a CI/CD pipeline or responding to a simulated account takeover incident.

     

    📣 Market Your Tech Stack and Security Culture

    Showcase your commitment to security on your careers page, social media, and technical blogs. Talk about your:

    • Bug bounty program

    • Security champions within engineering

    • Regular security reviews and chaos testing

     

    🏗️ Build an Internal Security Pipeline

    Offer cloud security upskilling for DevOps and backend engineers. This is often faster (and more cost-effective) than hiring externally.

     

    4. Key Roles in SaaS Cyber Security Recruitment

    SaaS companies should focus on hiring for roles like:

    • Cloud Security Engineer – Expert in securing AWS/Azure/GCP workloads

    • DevSecOps Engineer – Embeds security in CI/CD pipelines

    • Application Security Engineer – Protects APIs, front-end auth, and backend logic

    • Security Architect – Designs secure, scalable cloud architectures

    • GRC Analyst – Manages SaaS compliance audits and risk

    • Threat Intelligence Analyst – Monitors SaaS-specific threats (e.g., token abuse, session hijacking)

     

    5. How SaaS Startups Can Compete for Talent

    You don’t need to match big-tech salaries to win top candidates. Here’s how smaller SaaS firms can stand out:

    • Mission-driven culture – Cyber pros love protecting something meaningful.

    • Greenfield opportunities – Let them build secure systems from the ground up.

    • Equity and ownership – Offer long-term incentives and meaningful titles.

    • Tech-forward approach – Invest in modern security tooling (e.g., Wiz, Lacework, Snyk, Datadog Security).

     

    Conclusion

    In 2025, SaaS security is a business enabler—not just a technical checkbox. With the right cyber security recruitment strategy, SaaS companies can secure their platforms, meet compliance demands, and earn long-term customer trust.

    Whether you’re a scale-up, startup, or established SaaS vendor, investing in cloud-native security professionals is key to staying competitive in an increasingly hostile digital landscape.

     

     

    Need help sourcing the best cyber security talent?

    Get in touch with us today and secure the professionals who will protect your future.

     

     

     

     

  • Tech Sales Recruitment: How to Build High-Performing Sales Teams in B2B SaaS

    Tech Sales Recruitment: How to Build High-Performing Sales Teams in B2B SaaS

    In today’s hyper-competitive SaaS landscape, having a great product isn’t enough—you need a high-performing sales team that can communicate value, build trust, and consistently close deals. That’s where tech sales recruitment becomes a critical pillar of your growth strategy.

    Whether you’re a startup looking to make your first sales hire or a scale-up expanding into new markets, the approach you take to hiring tech sales talent will define your GTM success.

    Let’s Dive In!

     

    🔍 What Is Tech Sales Recruitment?

    Tech sales recruitment is the process of identifying, attracting, and hiring sales professionals with experience selling technology products and services—particularly in fast-moving sectors like SaaS, cybersecurity, AI, and cloud infrastructure.

     

    This includes hiring for roles such as:

    • Business Development Representatives (BDRs)

    • Account Executives (AEs)

    • Sales Engineers (SEs)

    • Customer Success Managers (CSMs)

    • Sales Leaders (VP Sales, CROs)

     

    These professionals aren’t just selling—they’re educating, influencing, and managing complex buying cycles across multiple stakeholders.

     

    🚩 The Challenges of Tech Sales Hiring

    Recruiting in tech sales is uniquely difficult. Here’s why:

    • High demand, low supply: Top performers are often already in roles and not actively looking.

    • Fierce competition: You’re up against VC-backed companies offering big salaries and stock options.

    • Experience gap: Not all salespeople can sell technical or complex products.

    • Culture fit: Startups and scale-ups need adaptable sellers, not just flashy CVs.

     

    Traditional hiring methods often fall short. Job boards won’t attract the right talent, and internal teams often lack the time or network to source effectively.

     

    🧠 What Makes a Great Tech Sales Hire?

    Tech sales is a hybrid of relationship building, product understanding, and strategic thinking. When hiring, look for:

    • SaaS or technology background (especially with similar deal sizes or cycles)

    • Experience in your ICP’s industry

    • Proven track record of quota attainment

    • Strong discovery and consultative selling skills

    • Resilience and adaptability—especially in startup environments

     

    Great salespeople are often not actively looking. This makes proactive, targeted outreach and compelling employer branding essential.

     

    🔑 Best Practices for Tech Sales Recruitment

    Here’s how leading SaaS companies approach sales hiring:

     

    1. Define Your Ideal Candidate Profile (ICP) –  Just like in sales, hiring works best when you know who you’re targeting. Define must-have experience, cultural traits, and performance indicators before going to market.

    2. Speed Is Everything – The best candidates are off the market in days, not weeks. Create a fast, structured process that balances thorough evaluation with momentum.

    3. Sell the Opportunity – Your candidates are evaluating you as much as you’re evaluating them. Clearly communicate your mission, team culture, growth path, and how they’ll contribute.

    4. Use a Specialist Tech Sales Recruitment Partner – An experienced external recruiter with SaaS domain expertise can be your competitive edge. They bring:

    • Access to passive talent

    • Speed to hire

    • Market intelligence

    • Reduced time and internal effort

    The right partner will act as an extension of your brand, pitching your story to top-tier candidates and screening for both skill and fit.

     

    🤝 When to Partner with a Tech Sales Recruitment Agency

    If any of these apply, it may be time to bring in external support:

    ✅ You’re scaling fast and need multiple hires quickly

    ✅ You’ve struggled to find candidates with SaaS or cyber sales experience

    ✅ Your internal team is stretched thin

    ✅ You need help refining your hiring process or candidate messaging

    ✅ You’re hiring for new regions or markets

     

    📈 The Impact of Great Sales Hires

    Hiring top sales talent has a compounding effect. A strong AE or BDR can accelerate pipeline growth, shorten deal cycles, and build long-term customer relationships. Great sales hires don’t just hit quota—they raise the bar for your entire team.

     

    ✅ Final Thoughts

    In SaaS, your GTM strategy is only as strong as the people executing it. Investing in smart, efficient tech sales recruitment is one of the highest ROI moves a growing company can make.

    Whether you’re hiring your first AE or scaling across global regions, prioritize process, move quickly, and don’t hesitate to lean on expert recruitment partners to get it right.

     

     

    Don’t let Tech Sales Recruitment challenges hold back your growth. 

    Invest in a Tech Sales Recruitment agency and accelerate your path to success.

    Reach out to a member of the team here, or see more about how we can support your growth here about ✅ Final Thoughts.

     

     

  • Why Cyber Security Recruitment Needs a New Approach in 2025

    Why Cyber Security Recruitment Needs a New Approach in 2025

    In an increasingly digital world, the demand for cyber security professionals has never been higher—and neither have the challenges in hiring them. As cyber threats grow in scale and complexity, companies are quickly realizing that traditional recruitment methods are falling short.

    Cyber security recruitment today requires a much more strategic, tailored approach to succeed.

    Here’s why—and how your business can stay ahead.

    Let’s Dive In!

     

    The Cyber Security Talent Gap Is Real

    The skills gap in cyber security is no longer a future concern—it’s a present reality. Studies show that the industry faces a global shortfall of over 3.5 million qualified cyber security professionals. Organisations that fail to prioritise cyber security recruitment now risk not only delayed hiring but also increased vulnerability to cyberattacks.

    In this climate, securing the right talent isn’t just a HR issue—it’s a business-critical priority.

     

    What Makes Cyber Security Recruitment So Challenging?

    Cyber security recruitment presents unique obstacles that traditional tech hiring doesn’t always encounter:

    • Highly specialized skill sets: From ethical hacking to cloud security architecture, cyber roles demand niche expertise.

    • High candidate demand: Top professionals often have multiple offers and can command premium salaries.

    • Constantly evolving landscape: Skills in demand today may look very different in just a year or two.

    • Rigorous vetting needs: Candidates must meet strict security clearances, certifications, and ethical standards.

    In short, finding and attracting cyber security talent is a specialist skill in itself.

     

    5 Keys to Effective Cyber Security Recruitment

    To compete in today’s hiring market, businesses need a refined strategy. Here are five essential practices:

     

    1. Understand the Roles Deeply

    Cyber security is a broad field. Before you start hiring, clarify whether you need a penetration tester, SOC analyst, CISO, or cloud security engineer—and tailor your search accordingly.

     

    2. Highlight Purpose and Impact

    Cyber security professionals are driven not just by salary but by the mission. Emphasize how their work will protect people, data, and critical systems.

     

    3. Streamline Your Hiring Process

    In a candidate-driven market, a long, clunky interview process can lose top talent fast. Shorten time-to-offer without sacrificing due diligence.

     

    4. Offer Continuous Learning Opportunities

    The best cyber talent values ongoing development. Showcase your investment in training, certifications, and upskilling.

     

    5. Partner with Specialist Recruiters

    Cyber security recruitment isn’t the same as general IT recruitment. Work with agencies that specialise in cyber security talent to access wider networks and niche expertise.

     

    Why Choosing the Right Cyber Security Recruitment Partner Matters

    A specialist recruitment partner doesn’t just fill roles—they help future-proof your organisation. The right partner will:

    • Understand the technical and cultural fit you need

    • Quickly access passive talent not active on job boards

    • Advise on competitive salary benchmarking

    • Help you assess technical capabilities effectively

    • Build a talent pipeline for future scaling

    In a high-stakes environment like cyber security, making the wrong hire can cost far more than just recruitment fees—it can expose your business to real risk.

     

    Final Thoughts

    Cyber security recruitment is a mission-critical function that demands a proactive, expert-led approach. As threats evolve, so too must your hiring strategy. Whether you’re a startup building your first security team or an enterprise expanding your cyber defenses, the time to act is now.

     

     

    Need help sourcing the best cyber security talent?

    Get in touch with us today and secure the professionals who will protect your future.