For a long time, recruiting in SaaS was viewed primarily as an execution function – open roles came in, candidates went out, and speed was the main measure of success. That mindset is changing.

As SaaS businesses mature and markets become more competitive, go-to-market (GTM) recruiting is increasingly recognised as a strategic role that directly influences revenue, growth, and long-term success.

Let’s Dive In!

GTM Teams Sit at the Centre of Revenue Growth

In SaaS, GTM teams are responsible for how a product is sold, marketed, adopted, and retained.

Sales, Marketing, RevOps, and Customer Success don’t just support growth – they are the growth engine.

Hiring the wrong people into these roles has an immediate and measurable impact:

•Slower pipeline generation

•Missed revenue targets

•Longer ramp times

•Higher attrition

As a result, hiring GTM talent is no longer just about filling roles quickly – it’s about protecting revenue outcomes.

The Cost of GTM Mis-Hires Is Too High to Ignore

A poor hire in a revenue role is significantly more expensive than in many other functions.

Beyond salary and recruitment costs, mis-hires lead to:

•Lost pipeline and opportunity cost

•Strain on managers and teams

•Delayed growth plans

This has pushed SaaS leaders to treat GTM hiring with greater discipline and strategic oversight – elevating the role of GTM recruiters in the process.

GTM Recruiting Requires Commercial Understanding

Effective GTM recruiting goes beyond assessing CVs.

Today’s GTM recruiters are expected to understand:

•How the business generates revenue

•Who the customer is and why they buy

•What success looks like in each GTM role

•How sales motions differ across segments

This commercial understanding allows recruiters to hire for context, not just capability – a critical shift in modern SaaS hiring.

GTM Recruiting Requires Commercial Understanding

Effective GTM recruiting goes beyond assessing CVs.

Today’s GTM recruiters are expected to understand:

•How the business generates revenue

•Who the customer is and why they buy

•What success looks like in each GTM role

•How sales motions differ across segments

This commercial understanding allows recruiters to hire for context, not just capability – a critical shift in modern SaaS hiring.

Market Insight Is Now a Competitive Advantage

GTM recruiters often have the clearest view of the external market.

They see:

•Candidate availability and movement

•Compensation expectations

•Shifts in motivation and role preference

•Emerging GTM skill sets

SaaS companies that leverage this insight make more informed decisions about hiring plans, org design, and timing.

Candidate Experience Reflects GTM Maturity

Top GTM candidates pay close attention to how they are hired.

A well-run hiring process signals:

•Strong leadership

•Clear decision-making

•Operational maturity

GTM recruiters increasingly own the candidate experience as part of employer brand and revenue credibility.

GTM Recruiting Scales With the Business

As SaaS companies grow, GTM recruiting evolves:

•Early-stage: adaptability and learning ability matter most

•Scale-up: repeatable profiles and process discipline become critical

•Later-stage: leadership, optimisation, and retention take priority

Recruiters who understand this evolution help businesses scale more smoothly and sustainably.