Unless you’ve been distant from the CRM world, then you’ll know that HubSpot is currently the number one CRM for small and medium businesses across the globe and growing year on year.
And with this growth, of course, comes the demand for HubSpot agencies to assist in the implementation of the platform. But there is one person who can make or break your agency, and that’s the HubSpot Consultant. HubSpot Consultants are one of the most important talents you can have on your team. With the surge in HubSpot customers needing help with the CRM platform, finding the right consultants is more important than ever.
So, what do you need to look for when recruiting HubSpot consultants to join your team, the opportunities they bring, and how we can assist in your recruitment process?
The importance of HubSpot Consultants
Every business no matter its size or sector needs to have experts who understand the intricacies of the services that they provide, otherwise, the business will just crash and burn. When it comes to HubSpot agencies, it’s the consultants who are the experts in assisting customers to understand their needs from the CRM and what they need to achieve success.
But whether you’re a new agency or just need more guidance on hiring the right employees, we first need to discuss exactly what a HubSpot Consultant is and what they do.
What is a HubSpot Consultant?
A HubSpot Consultant is a specialist who tailors the customer’s HubSpot platform and advises how it can be used to improve current practices and data management for the business. Most consultants can have an overall knowledge of HubSpot, but some can specialise and become experts in specific areas such as marketing or sales.
What are their responsibilities?
Their key responsibilities are to assess the sales, marketing, and customer service processes and understand what areas need to be improved. However, a HubSpot Consultant won’t just offer advice and information on ‘what to do’ like a business consultant, they will be actively implementing and assisting with the setup of HubSpot and monitoring its performance.
They’ll provide recommendations on how to achieve optimal usage including campaign optimisation, lead generation, customer service, and more. Plus, HubSpot Consultants can provide the HubSpot customer and their teams with training and insights to ensure maximum usage of the CRM and its effectiveness.
What to look for when hiring a HubSpot Consultant
For agencies new to the HubSpot world, bringing on your first consultant will be one of your most important hires. Your HubSpot Consultant(s) don’t just need top-rate communication and management skills but must be HubSpot experts in their own right. But knowing what to look for in a candidate (especially when you’re hiring for the first time) is highly important to ensure you find the right candidate.
We’ve compiled a list of skills and experience a HubSpot Consultant needs to be successful in their role:
Communication
This may seem like an obvious skill, but for a HubSpot Consultant, it’s one of the most vital skills they need to possess. They’ll be business-facing and communicating regularly with the HubSpot customer, stakeholders, and users of the platform, which will require the consultant to advise and discuss the platform in different ways for everyone to understand. E.g., can they take technical jargon and make it easy to understand?
Expert knowledge
Your HubSpot Consultant isn’t just someone who knows how to use the platform, they’re the Einsteins of HubSpot. They’ll be able to implement strategies without breaking a sweat and be the go-to for any issues or queries. So, when it comes to hiring your expert, you need to be sure that you bring someone on the team who has the confidence to complete these tasks with ease.
Critical thinking and analytical skills
Although not the same, critical thinking and analytics are closely aligned as both evaluate information to understand the best paths and how to see patterns in creating informed decisions. Critical thinking requires someone to evaluate information objectively and any connections between ideas, while analytical skills are to make sense of the information and trends to make informed decisions for future updates and changes.
Attention to detail
Just one typo or small mistake can make a huge impact on the customer and potentially lose out on money. Attention to detail is highly important to both the client and your agency for a smooth operation.
Adaptability
Whether it’s changes within the business or updates to the HubSpot CRM, Consultants need to adapt to keep up with demands and new situations. This could be deadlines pushed forward or new software that will be beneficial for the client.
Problem-solving
One of the most vital attributes any HubSpot Consultant must have. It’s the whole reason the client has come to you in the first place, and if you hire a consultant who struggles with this then it’ll be detrimental to your agency. You need a HubSpot Consultant who can solve the issues with confidence and be able to show the clients the steps taken to ensure the problem has been solved.
Depending on what you’ll need your HubSpot Consultant to be an expert in can vary on their experience to be successful in their role. Will they be an all-rounder? Primarily focus on certain areas of HubSpot such as Sales Hub or Marketing Hub.? Figure out what you need from them before starting the hiring process.
How to conduct a successful interview
Let’s say you’ve just received a handful of CVs from us and you’re now in the process of conducting interviews; How you plan your interview process will greatly impact the candidate you choose and how quickly you can give the offer. So, how should you prepare and conduct a successful interview to find the perfect candidate?
Keep the interview process to two stages - Interviews that require three or more stages are less attractive and not always suitable for the candidate to attend. Plus, they’re more likely to accept the offer from the employer with fewer stages.
Explain the interview process – Let the candidate know about how you will conduct the interview, the number of stages, and any tasks to complete. This makes it easier for both you and the candidate to follow the direction of the interview.
Ask them to complete a task – Anyone can talk the talk. Giving the candidate a task regarding their role will allow you to see their work ethic and processes. This will also allow you to ask how they got to their final decisions.
Meet the team during the interview – To keep everything in the suggested two-stage interview process, then this is the perfect time to meet the team. This could be in either the first or second stage, depending on your process.
Don’t talk at them, talk to them – No one likes to be talked at, especially in an interview. It can make the candidate feel like they’re in an interrogation and throw off their confidence or willingness to go forward. Keeping the interview informal but still with a level of professionalism will make the interview(s) go smoothly.
What you need to have in place
You’ve got your plan down to have successful interviews. Great! But do you have a plan for your consultant when they start?
Before you even start to interview potential HubSpot Consultants you need to ensure that they have the best route for success in your agency. This is where an in-depth induction plan is needed. You first need to figure out;
What training will they need? Is there anyone in your business who can assist?
What opportunities for professional development will be available? E.g., becoming a head consultant managing a team
What are your plans for the next year regarding the business and consultant? Promotions, training, etc.
Without any direction for the consultant to follow, it can lead to dissatisfaction and the possibility of leaving the agency. So, ensure you have everything in place before hiring your HubSpot Consultant.
How we can help
If you’ve never hired a HubSpot Consultant for your agency or had bad experiences with your latest interviews, the thought of going through the hiring process can feel daunting. But it doesn’t have to be.
Steadman Hub is the UK’s first HubSpot recruitment agency specifically focused on finding the best HubSpot talent. We are here to assist with your recruitment journey and bring the best HubSpot Consultant onto your team. Read more about what we can do for our clients here: Services | Steadman Hub
We screen every candidate in depth and ensure that they match the required skills and cultural fit for your agency. We’ll work with you every step of the way for a seamless recruitment process and be here to offer any advice you need.
Ready to hire a HubSpot Consultant? Get in touch with your enquiry today.
