Editor’s note (2026):
This article was originally published in 2022, when hiring conversations in MedTech were still largely centred on job advertising and recruitment tactics.
Since then, the market has shifted. Many of the challenges leaders face today don’t stem from how roles are advertised — but from when hiring decisions are made, how roles are scoped, and what information is missing before a search begins.
This updated perspective reframes the original strategies through a search-led, executive-level lens, reflecting how high-impact MedTech hiring now happens in practice.
10 Hiring Decisions That Matter More Than Job Ads in MedTech
1. Clarify the role before the market ever sees it
Most hiring friction starts here.
Roles fail when scope, success metrics, and decision authority aren’t clear internally. Before engaging the market, leaders need alignment on what problem the hire solves, not just a title or territory.
Search-led hiring begins with role clarity — not advertising.
2. Understand the real talent market, not the visible one
The best MedTech professionals are rarely active applicants.
Relying on job ads limits visibility to those already looking. Strategic hiring requires understanding:
who is already performing similar roles
what would motivate movement
what expectations exist around risk, reward, and timing
Without this context, hiring decisions are made in partial darkness.
3. Employer brand matters — but context matters more
A strong employer story helps, but it doesn’t replace market reality.
Compensation, reporting lines, territory design, and growth trajectory all influence engagement far more than polished messaging. Brand should support a search — not compensate for misalignment.
4. Stop confusing speed with progress
Fast processes don’t always lead to better outcomes.
When hiring becomes urgent, compromise follows:
reduced assessment
rushed offers
limited choice
Search-led hiring focuses on starting earlier, not moving faster once pressure hits.
5. Passive candidates need engagement, not persuasion
High-performing professionals don’t respond to pitches — they respond to relevance.
Effective engagement is about:
informed conversations
credible context
timing aligned to personal and commercial drivers
This requires preparation, not volume outreach.
6. Shortlists should reflect the market — not convenience
A strong shortlist isn’t “who applied”.
It’s a representation of what’s actually available when searched properly. That often means fewer CVs, deeper insight, and clearer trade-offs — especially in leadership and specialist roles.
7. Assessment should reduce risk, not just confirm competence
Technical capability is only part of the equation.
Search-led assessment looks at:
decision-making style
stakeholder navigation
adaptability in changing markets
leadership impact over time
This is where many traditional recruitment processes fall short.
8. Interviews are decision checkpoints — not discovery sessions
By the time interviews begin, uncertainty should already be reduced.
If interviews are being used to “figure things out”, the search started too late or without enough context. Well-run searches use interviews to validate, not explore fundamentals.
9. Offers should reflect market reality, not internal precedent
Many offers fail because they’re built in isolation.
Market-informed hiring considers:
competitive benchmarks
candidate risk profiles
non-financial drivers
long-term retention, not just acceptance
Negotiation is smoother when expectations are shaped early.
10. Retention starts before day one
The best hires leave when expectations diverge from reality.
Search-led hiring reduces this risk by ensuring:
role clarity
cultural alignment
realistic onboarding expectations
When hiring decisions are made with context, retention becomes a by-product — not a separate initiative.
Hiring outcomes are shaped long before interviews begin.
If you’re planning a hire, revisiting a role, or trying to understand why a previous search stalled, a short, structured conversation can often surface what’s missing before time and momentum are lost.
Share what you’re looking for, and we’ll work together with you to help you hire better.
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