In order to identify and recruit the right talent, clients should be ready to articulate their key goals around e-commerce and determine how they align with the larger business goals. For example, how big is the e-commerce business expected to get? What are the multi-channel strategies (e.g., order online, return in stores; development of comprehensive CRM strategies to maximize customer loyalty and value)? What is the time frame for getting there? How much of an investment will it take to reach these goals? These strategy points are vital because the candidate who can build a business from scratch typically is very different from one able to triple an existing $50 million enterprise. An alternative candidate would be required to scale a $300 million business into a $1 billion enterprise. Building from scratch versus optimizing an existing business, or building large-scale, competitive capabilities requires very distinct skills and demands different talent.

Identifying these long-term objectives and strategies is one of the most important challenges for a company embarking on a talent search. For example, it’s becoming increasingly common for a company to consciously hire someone who is “too big” for its existing business with the knowledge that it is hiring a leader capable of handling its future size.