account executive recruitment
your next account executive, in good hands.
We combine our data, our sector experts and our AI algorithms to identify the headhunter most relevant to your role, from your first AE to your head of sales.
- no setup fees, pay on hire
- guaranteed replacement
- hire signed in under 26 days
they hire their salespeople with muzzo
how it works
you only pay if you hire
01
you describe the role
Using the form above: the role, your company, your sales cycle. The rest is scoped in your first conversation with the Muzzo team.
02
our data chooses the headhunters
Our AI picks those who have hired the most account executives, from more than 2,500 selected headhunters.
03
you meet the best profiles
Approached and qualified by headhunters who are B2B sales experts. You choose who you meet.
04
you hire, then you pay
Not before. If your new hire leaves within 3 months, we restart the search at no cost.
they hired with muzzo
Muzzo's strength is the diversity of its recruiters: there is always someone listening to our needs.
With Muzzo, I get the reactivity of a marketplace and the quality of a search firm.
let's talk about your role
Antoine and the Muzzo team help you scope your role and choose the right headhunters. Describe your role in the form: we'll call you back to discuss it.
Antoine GigomasCEO and co-founder of Muzzo
one last question?
You set the fee for each role, between 5 and 30%. You only pay it once the person is hired. No fixed fees, no deposit. If you don't hire, you pay nothing. The Muzzo team helps you choose the right amount.
You have a double guarantee. If your new hire leaves within 3 months, we restart the search at no cost. If we don't find a replacement within 4 months, we refund 50% of the fees. On average, 94% of new hires are still in post after 3 months.
Click “get started” and describe your role in two steps. The Muzzo team gets back to you to refine the need. Then the headhunters who hire the most account executives get to work. Launching is free, with no exclusivity.
SaaS headhunters are ready to start
A hire signed in under 26 days. You only pay when you hire.
the reality
an account executive is judged on quota attainment, not on their pitch
an AE who hits quota isn't browsing job ads
They are collecting their commission and preparing for the next quarter end. A SaaS headhunter knows when to reach them: once their commissions are paid.
no two sales cycles are alike
Closing SMBs fast and running a long enterprise deal with a buying committee are two different jobs. The headhunter starts from your deal size and your cycle, not from the title.
a bad hire shows after one quarter
And that quarter means contracts you don't sign. The headhunter checks quota history, deal size and references before introducing anyone.
the roles
the account executive profiles our headhunters go after for you
From SMB closing to enterprise accounts, each role goes to a headhunter who has already hired that profile, often for software companies.
account executive
They take qualified meetings, run the demo, negotiate and sign. They carry a quarterly revenue quota.
already hired via muzzo
full cycle account executive
They prospect and close on their own, with no meeting-setting team behind them. The profile for sales teams that are starting out.
already hired via muzzo
sales executive
The same job under another name, more common in international groups. We look at the cycle they ran, not the title.
already hired via muzzo
sales engineer (ingénieur commercial)
The account executive of French software vendors and IT services firms. They sell technical offers to IT or business leadership.
already hired via muzzo
key account manager
They sign and grow a handful of large accounts, with several decision makers to convince. The cycles are long, and so are the contracts.
already hired via muzzo
account manager
They grow existing clients: renewals, upsells. They take over from the account executive once the contract is won.
already hired via muzzo
inside sales
They sell remotely, on short cycles and a high volume of accounts. Often the way into an account executive role.
already hired via muzzo
head of sales and sales team lead
They hire, coach and own the forecast of the account executive team. We look for someone who closed deals themselves before managing.
already hired via muzzo
the method
a headhunter who specialises in sales, not one firm for everything
We have tracked every headhunter since November 2020, on three criteria: how many hires they make, the quality of their profiles, their speed.
you describe the role
You fill in the form, then we talk it through: the target, the average deal size, the base and the commission. You set the fee, between 5 and 30%.
we choose the headhunters
From more than 2,500 selected headhunters, we keep those who hire the most account executives.
you meet the right profiles
The headhunters approach and check every profile, quota history included. You receive few CVs, but profiles that match.
you only pay if you hire
Nothing to pay upfront. No fixed fees, no deposit.
hiring an account executive: what you need to know
why use a headhunter for account executive recruitment?
An account executive who hits quota is paid on commission and does not look at job ads. So account executive recruitment runs on direct approach: a B2B SaaS headhunter calls them with a clear product, territory and commission plan.
The headhunter also knows what makes an AE move: product quality, deal size, SDR support, a realistic quota. They tell you quickly whether your offer is in line with the market.
SMB, mid-market or enterprise account executive: which profile?
An SMB account executive closes many small deals on cycles of a few weeks. A mid-market AE sells to mid-sized companies with several stakeholders. An enterprise AE runs long cycles, facing buying committees, tenders and legal teams.
These three jobs are not interchangeable. In the brief, state the average deal size, cycle length and type of customer: that is what decides the profile to look for. Getting it wrong is costly: an AE used to short cycles can stall on an enterprise deal that takes months.
how to check an account executive's results
The headhunter asks for quota attainment over several quarters, average deal size and the share of deals sourced through their own prospecting. They read those numbers in context: beating quota on an established product and nearing it in an emerging market are not the same story.
Where possible, they cross-check with former managers, with the person's consent. You meet few AEs, but AEs whose numbers hold up.
hiring an account executive who sells in English or internationally
Many software vendors sell across Europe from France. The AE then has to sell in English, sometimes in German or Spanish, and know each country's buying habits. The headhunter tests the language in the interview, in the language of the sale, and asks for examples of deals closed outside France.
Think about the contract too. An AE leaving a competitor may have a non-compete clause. Under French law, it is only valid if it protects the company's legitimate interests, is limited in time and place, covers a specific activity and includes financial compensation. The headhunter checks it before introducing the profile.
how much does it cost to hire an account executive with Muzzo?
Most agencies charge a percentage of the new hire's gross annual salary, sometimes with a deposit when the search starts. With Muzzo, you set the fee, between 5 and 30%, and you only pay it on hire. No deposit, no fixed fees, and getting started is free, with no exclusivity.
If the new hire leaves within 3 months, we restart the search at no cost. If no replacement is found within 4 months, we refund 50% of the fee. On average, a Muzzo hire is signed in 26 days, from brief to signature.
your questions about hiring an account executive
The account executive runs the sales cycle through to signature: demo, negotiation, closing. The business developer opens the door upstream. If you have meetings but they don't turn into contracts, you need an account executive.
The headhunter asks for quota history over several quarters, the size of contracts signed and the length of cycles. They cross-check it with references from former managers. You meet profiles whose numbers hold up.
On average, a Muzzo hire takes 26 days, across all roles, over the last 12 months. For an account executive, you also need to factor in the commission calendar: the headhunter takes it into account to set the start date. The Muzzo team gives you an estimate from your first conversation.
Yes. We choose the headhunters according to the language, the market and the size of your clients. An account executive selling in English to large European accounts isn't found in the same networks as an SMB closer in France.