Executive Search Blog
Our executive search blog offers expert insights into a range of recruitment and business topics.
Interested in sharing your thoughts? Become a contributor.
Why Your Existing US GTM Strategy Won’t Work in EMEA
Discover why US-based SaaS GTM strategies often fail in EMEA—and learn how to adapt your approach across sales, marketing, hiring, pricing, and compliance to succeed in diverse European, Middle Eastern, and African markets.
Is AI Killing Your Brand Reputation and Candidate Experience?
Is your use of AI in recruitment damaging your brand reputation and candidate experience? Learn how to strike the right balance.
The Answer to the AI Headache in Hiring
Deepfakes and fake job applications are slowing down recruitment. What’s the answer? People-driven Recruitment Partners.
Artificial intelligence contributes to everything from content creation to customer service, so it's no surprise that it has also made its way into the job application process. While this has opened doors for efficiency and innovation, it has also brought a growing challenge for companies looking to scale. Fake job applications, AI-written CVs, and even deepfake interviewees are now a common occurrence.
5 Steps to Strategic Leadership and GTM Recruitment Planning
Hiring the right people at the right time requires more than just filling roles; it demands alignment with the company’s long-term goals. A clear strategy helps you identify future talent needs and growth plans and stay competitive in attracting top performers.
A Recruiter's View on Standing Out
As a professional in B2B SaaS sales, it's easy to get caught up in metrics, job titles, and surface-level wins, however for recruiters and hiring managers it's not just about the numbers, it's how you talk about the numbers, how you explain your journey, and how you approach conversations.
Why Making the Right Hires Matters More Than Ever
Leaner teams, higher output, and a hiring landscape where making the right hire isn't just important, it's business critical. Leaner teams, higher output, and a hiring landscape where making the right hire isn't just important, it's business critical.
Improve Your Retention By Increasing This One Thing
Appreciation: recognition and enjoyment of the good qualities of someone or something. (Collins dictionary)
EMEA Regional Differences in GTM Hiring
Expanding into the EMEA region offers exciting growth opportunities for SaaS companies but presents some complex hiring challenges, especially when building out Go-To-Market (GTM) teams. Each country within EMEA has its own cultural nuances, market maturity, regulatory frameworks, and talent expectations.
Return to the Office: Practices vs. Policy
While companies worldwide are striving to find the perfect balance between hybrid, remote, and in-office models, there is no clear winner when it comes to productivity. According to McKinsey, all working models, whether fully remote, hybrid, or in-person, report similar levels of engagement, intent to stay, and overall satisfaction. The key lies not in rigid policies but in companies' practices to foster connectivity, innovation, and growth.
SaaS GTM Trends
For SaaS founders, sales leaders, and hiring managers, staying ahead of these trends is crucial for winning new customers and attracting and retaining top talent in an increasingly competitive market.
What’s shaping the future of SaaS GTM recruitment in 2025?
Overcoming The DACH Talent Shortage
The SaaS industry continues to experience significant growth worldwide, and the DACH region has continued to be an attractive market for expansion. However, the ongoing talent shortage is a significant hurdle facing businesses looking to establish themselves in the region.
Aligning Business Strategy with Company Culture
By prioritising cultural alignment in all business relationships, companies can build a cohesive, high-performing ecosystem where strategy is executed effectively, employee engagement thrives, and external partnerships amplify success rather than hinder it.
How to Sell Your SaaS Company to Top Sales Candidates
The SaaS sector is one of the most competitive industries for attracting and retaining top sales talent. With countless companies competing for the same high performers, differentiating your company and making it the preferred choice is critical. Here’s how to effectively position your SaaS company to sales candidates and secure the best talent for your team.
Expert Predictions for 2025 EMEA Hiring
Insights from Oakstone Divisional Directors Tristan Heywood and Steve Farr.
After several challenging years for SaaS, the EMEA region is gradually recovering, presenting new opportunities and hurdles for businesses looking to expand their GTM (Go-to-Market) teams. Drawing insights from industry leaders at Oakstone International, let's explore what lies ahead for hiring in EMEA.
The Benefits of a Specialised GTM Recruitment Partner
Go-to-market (GTM) strategies are the key to business success. From software companies to those innovating in artificial intelligence (AI), having a precise GTM approach can mean the difference between rapid growth and stagnation. But what exactly is GTM, and why is recruiting the right GTM talent essential for technology companies?
Generative AI: Record-Breaking Investments in 2024
Generative AI continues to captivate venture capitalists worldwide, setting new records for funding and innovation in 2024. The sector is thriving from the U.S. to Europe, fuelled by record-breaking investments, cutting-edge talent, and strategic government support. The scale of funding highlights generative AI's transformative potential, promising to reshape industries and drive global technological progress.
A Roadmap to Success: How to Set Goals for 2025
As the new year unfolds, individuals and businesses stand at the crossroads of possibilities, ready to embark on a journey of growth and achievement. Goal setting is a powerful tool that helps map journeys, providing direction, motivation, and a sense of accountability.
LinkedIn Global Hiring Trends
The last 4 years have been a rollercoaster from hiring surges to mass redundancies, remote working to return to office and back again. The unpredictable talent trends in sectors such as technology have proven challenging for everyone in the industry to navigate.
Making sense of current talent trends can help us predict future trends, including desirable skills, ways to attract talent and ways to boost retention.
LinkedIn recently published the findings of their 2024 Global Talent Trends. The data comes from LinkedIn's Economic Graph, the LinkedIn Executive Confidence Index survey, and the global community of more than 1 billion members on the LinkedIn platform.
The Future of SaaS: 2025 Key Trends
Despite mass layoffs in 2023, SaaS continues to evolve at pace, and businesses that can anticipate and adapt to these shifts will maintain their competitive edge. Here's a look at the trends we see shaping the future of SaaS and influencing strategic hiring decisions.
How Low-Performing Individuals Impact the Productivity of A-Players
Every leader aims to build a team that consistently delivers exceptional results, especially in highly competitive sectors like SaaS and sales. However, balancing diverse talents within the team can be challenging. High-performing individuals, or "A-players," often carry the heaviest load, innovating, problem-solving, and setting the standard for success.