The GTM Hiring Market Isn't Slow. It's Selective

There’s a lot of conflicting commentary about the tech hiring market right now.

Some candidates feel there are fewer opportunities. Companies, meanwhile, are still struggling to hire genuinely strong commercial talent.

Both can be true.

The GTM hiring market hasn't stopped. But companies have become significantly more selective about who they hire.

Companies Want Evidence, Not Potential Alone

During periods of aggressive growth, businesses could afford to hire ahead of demand and take chances on candidates making bigger career jumps.

Today, there's more scrutiny.

For sales hires especially, companies increasingly want to understand:

• What quota did you carry?
• What percentage did you achieve?
• How much pipeline did you generate yourself?
• What was your average deal size?
• Who did you sell to?
• How long were your sales cycles?

Simply having the right job title or working for a recognisable SaaS company isn't enough.

Specialist Experience Is Becoming More Valuable

We're also seeing businesses become increasingly specific about the profiles they'll consider.

Enterprise businesses want proven enterprise sellers.

Companies expanding into the Nordics want candidates with genuine Nordic networks.

Cybersecurity companies often favour candidates who already understand security buyers.

Early-stage businesses want people who can demonstrate they've built pipeline rather than inherited it.

That creates a more challenging market for candidates trying to make a significant change in sector, deal size or seniority.

Strong Candidates Still Have Leverage

The other side of the market is very different.

Candidates who can demonstrate consistent performance, strong domain knowledge and genuine new-business capability remain difficult to hire.

When companies find them, processes can move quickly.

This is particularly true for roles directly connected to revenue: Account Executives, senior salespeople, sales leadership and commercially minded technical hires.

What Does This Mean for Candidates?

Don't respond to a more selective market by applying to more jobs.

Get more specific.

Understand where your experience gives you an advantage and make that obvious on your CV, LinkedIn profile and during interviews.

Your numbers matter. Your market knowledge matters. And your ability to explain exactly how you've created commercial impact matters.

And For Hiring Companies?

Be selective—but understand what genuinely matters.

A candidate doesn't need to tick every box to become an exceptional hire.

Define the three or four things someone genuinely needs to succeed, assess those properly and move quickly when you find them.

At GroTech Search, we're seeing plenty of hiring activity across European SaaS, AI and technology businesses.

But the market has changed.

Hiring isn't disappearing. The bar is simply getting higher.

For candidates and companies alike, understanding that distinction is important.