New Markets Need More Than New Hires
Expanding into a new market creates opportunity, but simply replicating the team and approach that worked at home doesn't guarantee success somewhere new.
Customer expectations, talent markets, compensation, competition and routes to market can all differ. Your first hires may also need to operate with greater independence, build local relationships and establish your brand long before the wider infrastructure is in place.
That's why international hiring should start with the market and the growth plan, not simply a list of vacancies. Who do you need first? What must they build? How much local experience matters? And what support will they have from the existing business?
With teams covering the UK & Europe, North America and APAC, Certus combines local market knowledge with an understanding of the wider business you're building — helping you make the right early hires and create the foundations for sustainable growth.
Your First Hire Sets the Direction
The first person you hire in a new market often carries far more responsibility than their job title suggests.
They need to open doors, build local knowledge, represent your brand and create the foundations for the team that follows.
Getting that first hire right can shape the success of everything that comes next.
Who to Hire First
There is no universal first hire for a new market. The right choice depends on how established your GTM model already is, how much needs to be built locally and how quickly you intend to scale.
If your sales motion is proven and transferable, an experienced individual contributor may be able to start building revenue immediately. If the market needs greater localisation, strategy or team building, a Sales Leader, Country Manager or Fractional Leader may be the better starting point.
The key is understanding what that first person actually needs to accomplish. Are they there to validate the opportunity, win the first customers, build the local GTM motion, establish partnerships, hire a team — or some combination of these?
We help you define that requirement before going to market, ensuring your first hire creates the foundations for what comes next rather than simply filling the first available seat.
Expansion Is More Than Hiring
Finding the right people is only part of entering a new market.
Understanding local salaries, talent availability, candidate expectations, working practices and the practicalities of establishing a local presence can be just as important.
With teams covering UK & Europe, North America and APAC, we can share the local knowledge, connections and insight that help you make informed decisions before — and as — you build.
Local Knowledge. Practical Support.
Building in a new market brings questions that go well beyond who to hire. What should you pay? Where is the talent located? What do candidates expect? How competitive is the market? And what does establishing a local presence actually involve?
Our teams are embedded in the markets they support, giving you access to practical insight before and throughout your expansion.
We can help with salary and compensation benchmarking, talent availability and market mapping, candidate expectations and local hiring practices. And where you need support beyond recruitment, we can use our local networks to help with practical considerations such as locations, office and workspace providers, and relevant local introductions.
Whether you're entering UK & Europe, North America or APAC, the aim is simple: help you understand the market before making expensive decisions — and give your new team the best possible foundations for success.
From First Hire to Local Team
Your first hire gets you into the market. The next challenge is building around them without scaling ahead of demand.
We help businesses add capability at the right pace, from the first local hire through to leadership, specialist functions and complete regional teams.
One Partner. Three Global Regions.
International growth is easier when you don't have to start again with a different recruitment partner every time you enter a new market.
Certus provides joined-up support across UK & Europe, North America and APAC, combining local market knowledge with one understanding of your business, culture and growth plans.
Whether you're making a first exploratory hire, establishing a regional presence or building a complete team, we can support each stage of the journey — while maintaining a consistent approach to assessment, candidate experience and your employer brand across markets.
That means your hiring can adapt locally without losing the consistency of the business you're building globally.
