How to attract top FMCG talent in a competitive market

1. Start with a clear picture of the job

Candidates decide quickly whether a role is worth a conversation, and a vague advert gives them little to go on. Before you start looking, be able to say what you sell and to whom, whether the role is new business, account management or both, which territory it covers and how much travel is involved, how performance is measured, and what the first year should deliver.

Separate what is essential from what is only preferred. A shortlist is quickest when the must-haves are agreed at the start.

2. Show the whole package

Sales and commercial candidates compare packages line by line. Set out the basic salary, commission or bonus, car or van, pension and other benefits. If part of the package depends on targets, explain how the targets are set.

3. Be honest about the territory and the travel

A territory that looks reasonable on a map can mean a lot of daily driving. Say what the patch is, which customers sit in it and how much time away from home the role involves. People accept a demanding territory when they know about it at the start. They leave when they find out later.

4. Move quickly once you find someone good

Good FMCG people are often in demand, and delays lose them. Keep the number of interview stages sensible, agree the dates before you begin, and give feedback within a few days. Silence after an interview is a quick way to lose a good candidate's interest.

5. Show where the role leads

Most strong candidates ask what comes next. Explain how the role could grow, who they would report to and what the people above them have gone on to do. A clear path counts for a lot when you are asking someone to leave a job that is going well.

6. Reach people who are not applying

Many of the strongest candidates never respond to adverts. Approaching them directly, and in confidence, is often the only way to put your opportunity in front of them. That means knowing who is performing in the market, which takes a network built over time.

For senior roles, confidentiality matters even more. The person may not be ready to leave, and you may be replacing someone.

7. Let candidates meet the team

People join teams as much as companies. Let them meet the person they would report to, and be straightforward about the culture and the management style they would work in.

How Bell Recruitment can help

Bell Recruitment has recruited for FMCG businesses since 1999. Once we have agreed the job description, the search begins within 24 hours. We go to our network across food, drink and FMCG, approach people directly and in confidence, assess every candidate before you meet them, and give you a shortlist of the strongest matches.

You can read about the steps in our FMCG recruitment process for employers, or see how executive search and recruitment differ.