Company overview: Reservation Software
Our client is a U.S.-based SaaS company specializing in reservation management software for RVs, vans, and outdoor camping grounds. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, the company serves more than 5,000 sites across North America and Europe. In early 2023, they launched operations in Australia, aiming to tap into the region’s growing road-trip tourism and outdoor hospitality markets.
The challenge: Hiring in a new market
To spearhead commercial efforts inAustralia, the client needed a Business Development Representative (BDR)to lead B2B sales initiatives, focusing on partnerships with RV parks,camping sites, and regional travel associations.
The ideal candidate would have:
- 1–3 years of experience in B2B or tourism-related sales
- Strong communication skills and client-facing experience
- A proactive, hunter sales mentality
- Fluent English and knowledge of Australia's business landscape
Key challenges:
- Talent scarcity: Our research showed fewer than 250 LinkedIn profiles in Australia with similar job titles and relevant experience.
- Above-budget expectations: Candidate salary expectations averaged AUD $65,000–75,000, compared to the client’s target of AUD $55,000.
- Brand visibility: As a new market entrant, the client had limited employer brand awareness in the region
Our strategy
Prometeo Talent launched a data-informed recruitment campaign, blending market research with targeted sourcing:
Market insights:
- Entry-level BDR salaries in Tier 1 cities (Sydney, Melbourne): AUD $65–75k base + variable
- Entry-level tourism SaaS jobs: fewer than 100 openings across major job boards
- 3 key universities were identified with high-ranking business programs: University of Melbourne, UNSW, and QUT
Sourcing channels:
- LinkedIn Recruiter: 160 qualified outreach messages sent
- Facebook & Slack groups: Tourism Startups Australia, Sales Professionals Sydney
- University Career Centers: Targeted job postings and outreach at 3 institutions
We also helped refine the client’s value proposition by emphasizing:
- Remote work with flexible hours
- Opportunity to lead market development
- Reporting directly to the global sales leadership
Our process
Working alongside the client, we established a structured process to screen and qualify candidates quickly and consistently:
- CV review: 90 candidates reviewed → 35 shortlisted for initial outreach
- Phone screenings: 21 calls completed by recruiter
- Hiring manager interviews: 6 candidates advanced
- Task assessment: 3 finalists completed a tailored B2B pitch simulation
- Final interview with CEO: 2 candidates presented
- Offer accepted: 1 candidate hired by October 12, 2023 (time to hire — 42 days)
Time to hire: 5.5 weeks from brief to signed contract
Candidate pool engaged: ~200 profiles across all channels
The result
The hired candidate, sourced via LinkedIn,had 2 years of experience in a travel SaaS startup and had recently graduatedfrom a top-tier business school. Their deep understanding of the localtourism market and strong interpersonal skills made them a perfect match.
After 60 days in the role, they had alreadyclosed 3 B2B partnerships and built a pipeline of 25+ prospects—astrong start for a new market operation.
Key takeaways and insights
- Smart sourcing beats broad posting: Targeted outreach to high-potential juniors and university channels was more effective than public job ads.
- Salary flexibility and growth narrative helped overcome initial compensation mismatch.
- Process clarity (task-based assessment + executive buy-in) improved candidate engagement and offer acceptance rate.
Prometeo Talent demonstrated the ability to navigate a foreign market, localize recruitment efforts, and deliver top talent under tight constraints—strengthening the client’s launch capabilities in Australia.
