Hiring a chief marketing officer (CMO) can be one of the most important decisions you make as a CEO. The right CMO can build a world-class marketing team that will not only help you acquire more customers, but also strongly enhance the perception and brand value of your company.

However, despite its importance, the CMO role is often misunderstood. CEOs, particularly first-time founders, often end up hiring the wrong person. Here’s a checklist of traits you should look out for in a great CMO, with sample interview questions to facilitate your decision-making process.

1. Strategic mindset

Too many founders and CEOs confuse strategy with goals. Having a goal for your company doesn’t mean you have a strategy. Your strategy is how you drive your mission. Great CMOs get this. They are able to see where the industry is going, what competitors are doing, and what the market wants. More important, a great CMO understands the synergy between each marketing component, e.g., product, brand, content, communications, social media, pricing, distribution, growth, and user acquisition.

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