Mae Hunter – Redefining GTM Recruitment with Precision and Purpose
Go-To-Market recruitment is one of the toughest challenges in today’s business landscape. Competition for top sales, marketing, and product leaders is fierce, and the cost of a wrong hire can cripple growth. Mae Hunter, founder of The Hunting Ground and host of Debugging the Patriarchy, is rewriting the rules of GTM hiring with an approach that blends speed, precision, and a relentless focus on cultural alignment.
Professional Profile & Background
With 12 years in recruitment and a track record spanning tech’s most competitive niches, Hunter has evolved from a rising star in general tech hiring to a specialized GTM powerhouse. After earning accolades including Top Biller and the Innovation Award, she chose to channel her skills into the revenue-driving functions that determine whether startups sink or scale.
Her transition into GTM was a natural progression. “I wanted to be in the heartbeat of business growth,” she explains. “When you place a sales or product leader, you don’t just change a career — you change a company’s trajectory.”
Track Record & Achievements
Her achievements speak for themselves:
- Consistent 2–4 week average placement cycle
- 100% 12-month candidate retention for the last three years
- A portfolio spanning startups, scale-ups, and global tech firms
- 45+ verified client testimonials, with candidates praising her as “approachable, results-focused, and the most dedicated recruiter we’ve met.”
- She also created The Hunting Ground, a professional network that connects sales talent worldwide, and uses her platform to spotlight neurodiversity in recruitment — a subject often overlooked in GTM hiring.
Industry Expertise & Methodology
Hunter is known for her “no desperate, no bull” style — cutting through noise and focusing on results. “Founders don’t need a pile of CVs, they need the right hire, at the right time, who will drive measurable growth,” she says.
Her methodology is part data, part intuition, and part relationship-building. She uses AI tools for sourcing, but insists the key is her ability to read between the lines: “The CV tells you what they’ve done. The conversation tells you who they are.”
Market Impact & Thought Leadership
Hunter’s influence extends beyond recruitment. Her podcast tackles systemic issues in tech, from gender gaps to neurodiversity, sparking industry-wide conversations. She has been featured on panels about DEIN and is widely cited for her insights on GTM hiring trends.
She has also predicted shifts that proved accurate — from the rise of AI product leaders to the increasing demand for CROs with both sales and product backgrounds. “The GTM leader of tomorrow isn’t just a revenue driver,” she explains. “They’re a culture builder, a strategist, and a brand ambassador rolled into one.”
Client Success Stories
One AI startup credits Hunter with assembling its founding GTM team, enabling a successful Series A. Another SaaS company attributes its record-breaking revenue year to a Hunter-placed VP of Marketing. “She just gets it,” one founder noted. “She knows the DNA of high-impact hires.”
Future Outlook & Vision
Hunter sees the future of recruitment as hybrid — tech-enabled but deeply human. “The industry is moving fast, but what will never change is the power of relationships,” she says. Her vision includes scaling The Hunting Ground into a global hub for GTM professionals and continuing to push for systemic change in tech hiring practices.
Professional Recognition
Peers and clients alike recognize Hunter as a thought leader and changemaker. With multiple industry awards and a reputation as a trusted advisor, she has positioned herself as a leading voice at the intersection of recruitment, DEIN, and business growth.
