Trusted as a recruitment partner to some of the most prestigious companies, we have recently engaged in exclusive conversations to recruit sales people for Linked Finance, an exciting Fintech start up based in the heart of Dublin city centre.

Let us take away some of the stress of securing a new job. We have all you need to know to support your application. We have an in depth understanding of these roles and our client. Upon getting in contact with us we will tell you all about the role, the company, the culture, your career path, as well as discussing salary expectations and remuneration.

 So what’s on offer and what exactly are we looking for?

We have a number of Graduate Sales jobs, perfect for recent graduates or those with 1-2 years sales experience. These roles will suit ambitious, bright, communicative, driven individuals. Those who are strong influencers will excel in this role.

So do you fit the bill? Are you ready to begin your career in a fast paced, results driven environment? Call us now and tell us why sales is for you and how you will prove your value in this exciting new role!

Jamie Goulding is our client’s recruitment advisor. Call him now on 01 6618740 or email you CV to jamie@executiveconnections.ie and he will get the ball rolling for you. We look forward to supporting and advising you through your application, mentoring you through each step of the process.

We have also developed the video below, giving you more information on the kind of candidates we want to speak to. Take a look and get in touch today!

The post Graduate Sales Jobs – Fintech – LinkedFinance appeared first on Executive Connections.

There is undoubtedly a huge amount of roles out there for skilled Software Account Executives and Account Managers, BUT, the very best Account Executives and Account Managers are all looking for roles in the same select few companies (and we all know which companies they are!). I have met hundreds of these candidates – they know they are good and I do too.  While it is my job to dig for information if candidates don’t articulate it right away – this should not be the case when faced with a hiring manager in a progressive tech company. This information should be on the tip of your tongue, prepared and ready to impress your potential employer from the off.

With this in mind I have laid out below the key information you should have ready for your next tech sales interview.

Sale Type

This will be very important depending on the type of role you are interviewing for. If you are interviewing for a role with a new business focus be sure to be able to tell the employer what percentage of your current role is new business acquisition. Also be able to explain your process, step by step, for bringing a new client to the business. Similarly for roles with a focus on Account Management, be able to explain how you retain and grow business.

Sales Cycle

You should be able to explain how long a deal will take from first contact to close. Highlight shortest, longest and average sales cycle. Employers want to see how transactional / complex your sales are. This can be very important to potential employers depending on their business model.

 Deal Size

Similarly to sales cycle, know your average deal size as well as your smallest and largest deal. Also, if small deals are used to “land and expand”, make potential employers aware of this and give concrete examples of times where you have achieved this with success. Deal size can be a big factor for potential employers especially for companies with large deals; only highly skilled Account Execs can close out the largest deals!

Annual Target & Performance in Relation to Target

This is massively important – if you don’t know this, don’t bother showing up! Being able to ream off this information does two things. Firstly, it shows how good you are at your job but it also shows potential employers how commercially aware you are. Secondly, being able to explain variance in figures in relation to target (good or bad) shows you know exactly how the sales process works and will instill confidence in those interviewing you.

Target Market

Again this is important, possibly not a deal breaker but still a “need to know”. If you are a skilled software sales professional, the size of the companies you target can be important. Some employers may want people who have sold to a particular size organisation in a particular territory. Given the demand for software sales professionals this may not stop someone with good experience securing a new job, but at enterprise level it can be slightly more important.

Target Verticals

For employers who target particular industries, this can be a key influencer and can be the difference between getting a job offer ahead of another candidate.  There are a number of reasons behind this, you may already have an established network of contacts in this industry, you will be able to talk the talk with senior stakeholders, and with your strong industry knowledge you will be aware of the latest market trends, making you able to spot red flags in the sales process early.

Decision Makers

The final element relates to people you engage with during the sales process.  Who do you speak to when closing out deals? This shows at what level and what division of a business you can build credibility. For certain employers, depending on their technology, it may be important that you can establish strong relationships with senior technical staff such as CTOs. Other employers may want you to be able CMOs and VPs of Sales. Also the ability to talk numbers with a CFO can be instrumental in closing out a deal as they are often in control of the purse strings and ultimately sign off on large deals.

If you are thinking about a move and would like to chat about any of the points above or are thinking about a new job opportunity in the Sales & Marketing space feel free to get in touch with me. View my live opportunities here or call me on 01 – 6618740 or email jamie@executiveconnections.ie. 

The post Preparing for a Tech Sales Interview? You need to have this information ready… appeared first on Executive Connections.

Ok, so at this point we’re probably all tired of hearing about Brexit and speculating its impending implications. The future of Canary Wharf in particular has been plunged into uncertainty, with the international banks still nursing a major migraine following last week’s referendum result. One thing is for sure however… we here in Ireland need to make the best of this bad bargain.

While all is yet to be confirmed, many of our friends across the pond have already begun to make plans around relocating some of their major functions. London’s Financial Services industry, like many others in Europe has always laid on the foundations of a flexible and free flowing travel band across the European continent. Removing this element was always going to be detrimental to its future.

Word on the street has it that big banks are most interested in three major financial hubs across Europe, Paris, Frankfurt and most importantly for us DUBLIN! The jobs market in Financial Services in Ireland has been nicely buoyant for the last 12-18 months. Many of the leading international banks are already at home here in well established, large operations. Following on from last week, Dublin could find itself home to more and more job opportunities and much sooner than we once thought. As a result of this we need to plan ahead where possible. Remember, the early bird catches the worm!

You may not be currently looking for a new job, but we are all candidates in this fast moving market. Not opening yourself to checking out new opportunities in your industry could be a huge setback in your career development plan. Now is the time to start thinking about what you want in your next step.

Below are some key tips to getting yourself and your profile in ship shape before our new neighbours arrive.

Planning

• What do you want? What is your next step? What is most important to you in your job and what do you want for sure in your next one?
• Be specific and realistic. We would all like a car allowance for a Ferrari and space to park it in but there are some more basic factors that are to be considered. Maybe its location, work / life balance, clearer reporting lines or a more collaborative environment. Write these down and discuss them with your recruiter later
• What companies are you interested in? Take a look at the international banks in London and which ones are most likely to move to Dublin – what do you know about them? Who do you know that works for them and can they give you more insight? Try and be as informed as possible.

Action

• LinkedIn is a good place to start and will help you gain more insight into how your market is performing and what movements your peers have been making of late.
• Update your profile fully, list your skills and experience, make sure you have a photograph and your employers are listed.
• Network – get out there and connect with the thought leaders in your space. Who is sharing the content you’re interested in?
• Do a full review of your CV and update it in detail. Don’t worry about the length of your CV, your recruiter will assist you with trimming and formatting where necessary.

Proactivity 

• Keep your finger on the pulse of your industry, your peers and competitors. Combine this with your recruiter’s inside knowledge and expertise and you’ll be ahead of the game as new opportunities reach our shores.
• I always remind candidate to be protective of your profile. You are individual in both your skillset and requirements. Bulk applying directly to employers is not the right approach to maximising from Brexit. Meet with your recruiter, plan your approach with them, leverage off their industry knowledge and direct insight into their clients plans for growth and you’ll be ready to hit the ground running when the right opportunities arise for you.

Executive Connections have specialised in Banking and Finance recruitment for over 25 years in Ireland and internationally. We have long standing relationships with many of the companies who will be affected by Brexit and our expert teams can assist you with all of the above, in preparation for a wealth of opportunity that this monumental event may produce.

Click here to view a list of current opportunities I am working on or contact me to discuss you next career move. Call me today on 01-6618740.

The post Benefit from Brexit- CVs at the ready! appeared first on Executive Connections.

At Executive Connections our Corporate Social Responsibility strategy is a crucial component of our DNA and something that each member of our team is very passionate about.  Using the collective expertise of all our employees, our overall aim since our company was founded in 1991 is to make a positive impact on society.

In recent months, we are thrilled to have partnered with Business in the Community Ireland who are Ireland’s only membership network dedicated to corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability.

As part of their EPIC Secure Work Programme, Executive Connections hosted an Interview Preparation and Presentation Workshop which was facilitated by Ciara Merriman (Executive Connections Recruitment Consultant) and Fiona O’Sullivan (Executive Connections, Head of People, Learning and Development).  The event was hosted at Business in the Community offices on O’Connell St, Dublin 1.  In an effort to help secure employment, the workshop covered a comprehensive overview of job seeking best practice and techniques to best prepare them for their search. Building a network, communicating their key skills effectively and selling and presenting at an interview were all included.

The event was a great success and all participants found the practical tips shared on the day to be of great value.

Speaking about the workshop Ciara said:

“I was delighted to be a part of the EPIC programme. To be able to share my knowledge in this area and help others was a pleasure. The group were great to work with; they are educated, with lots of great personalities and plenty of work experiences,   I have no doubt that when they secure roles, they will add so much value to a workplace. I look forward to hearing about their progress following the programme.”

We would like to thank BITCI for giving us the opportunity to deliver the workshop and look forward to working with them in the future.

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