Hiring Account Executives in Germany

In EMEA, Germany remains as one of the most difficult places to hire top talent - and certainly a region we advise having specialist support with, if looking to expand into this country.

A De-Centralised Region

Germany is a huge de-centralised region. With recruiting hotspots in cities such as Munich, Berlin, Frankfurt and Hamburg, each city has their own niche and their own expectations from candidates. Salaries fluctuate significantly from city to city, as does domain expertise.

Long Notice Periods

Notice periods in the US are typically two weeks; in the UK they are one month; in Germany expect a candidate to have a three month notice period. Ensure you factor this into your hiring timelines.

Risk Adverse

Don’t look to make a quick pitch and expect to have full buyin from a candidate here. Your typical candidate in Germany will be more risk adverse than other geographies. They will want ample time to do their homework and due diligence - and likely speak to customers to sense check the viability of your product.

Cultural Nuances

Germany has its own unique cultural nuances which can be especially challenging for non-European Hiring Managers. Expanding into Germany for the first time? Look to take some real guidance before hiring.

Engagement is Tough

Don’t expect your usual outreach to work in Germany - typically we see much slower time to hire and candidates are generally less responsive. To our surprise, English is however the preferred language for outreach.

1. What types of roles do you recruit for?

Strive build Go-To-Market teams for VC backed tech companies - all over the world.

Just so we're speaking the same language here, we mean Marketing, Sales and Customer Success!​

​Working with the likes of Sequoia, Dawn Capital, Battery Ventures, HV Capital, HG Capital and Insight Partners, to name a few, Strive has helped scale their portfolio of B2B SaaS companies, placing key hires within the Go-To-Market Function.​

Whilst we cover the whole of GTM, the most common roles we recruit for are:

• Sales Leaders

• Customer Success Leaders

• Marketing Leaders

• Sales / Business Development Representatives (BDRs / SDRs)

• Account Executives (AEs)

• Account Managers (AMs)

• Customer Success Managers (CSMs)

• Sales Engineers (SE) / Pre-Sales Engineers

 

2. How do you find and vet candidates?

We use a combination of targeted headhunting, our extensive talent network, and AI-powered sourcing to find high-quality candidates. Every candidate goes through a rigorous vetting process, including:

• Resume & background screening

• Behavioral & competency-based interviews

• Sales performance evaluation (quota attainment, deal sizes, etc.)

• Culture and company fit assessment

 

3. How long does it take to fill a role?

On average, we fill roles within 4 - 8 weeks, depending on the seniority and complexity of the position. 

 

4. What industries do you specialize in?

Whilst we can be agnostic when it comes to your Tech, typical sectors we support are: 

• Cybersecurity

• AI & Machine Learning

• DevOps

• Data

• BizApps

• Martech / Adtech

• FinTech

 

5. What’s your pricing model?

We offer flexible pricing structures, including:

• Contingency Recruiting – Pay on successful hire.

• Retained Search – Part upfront payment, followed by a success fee.

• Embedded Talent Solutions – Monthly fixed cost, unlimited hires

See more about our Solutions, here!

 

6. Do you offer guarantees on placements?

Yes! We provide a replacement guarantee if a hired candidate leaves within the agreed-upon time frame. Our goal is to ensure you find the right long-term fit.

 

7. Can you help with contract or fractional sales hires?

Absolutely! We offer contract, fractional, and interim sales leadership solutions to help companies bridge hiring gaps or test new markets.

 

8. How do we get started?

It’s simple! Get in touch with us, and we’ll set up a consultation to understand your hiring needs and start the recruitment process.