Getting more women into tech and startups is always a topic of discussion on the tech blogs these days.  But I didn't realize how big of a topic this was until I was asked to moderate Tech In Motion's "Women in Tech" panel at Microsoft's NERD center Tuesday night (before you jump down my throat for not realizing how big of a topic it is...I know it is. But in my career so far, I've worked at four companies, all with a good balance of men and women and 3/4 of my managers have been women).  Over 700 people RSVP'd and 350 showed up for an event that had no free food or free beer (two big draws for networking events).  That was eye opening.

If you’re at a startup with 10 or fewer employees and you aren't an engineer or a designer, you better be able to build an audience and get customers.

What Makes a Good Marketer

Hiring marketing people is tough because there’s a wide range of personality types and skill sets that might make someone good. I know former engineers and investment bankers who are now great marketers. I’ve seen MBA grads struggle, and people with 0 experience crush it. But while there is no perfect mold for what makes a great marketer (and as Noah Kagan likes to point out, “most marketers suck”) there are a few things that they all have in common.  Here are the things to look for when making your first marketing hire.