Hiring for a link builder can be a unique challenge because you need to figure out the unique skills set needed for this particular role - pure SEO knowledge just won't cut it.
Eric Ward has a good article on SEL about what to look for in a link builder, A Portrait of the Perfect Link Builder.
Interestingly, SEO isn't really what he's talking about. Eric describes all the soft skills required to be successful at link building.
While you may be searching for the ultimate candidate that has all of the listed characteristics, plus an SEO background, my recommendation is to look for SEO aptitude, but focus on the soft skills and characteristics that Eric describes. The soft skills, passion and the other characteristics identified are far more difficult to teach than SEO.
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Last week our boss told us to hire some 5 support (ppc coordinator, link builder, affiliate management guy) and junior SEO guys.
So your suggestions were great
Posted by: Sa Adam | June 26, 2007 at 05:47 AM
Hey Jessica, great blog you have there. As the Coporate world is now waking up to the realities of search, you ar ein a great spot as a blogger...
As it "feels" like ANY link building (or link baiting) is SPAM, I think that the best way to build links is the Holy Grail, build the best damn site about a topic so folks will have no choice but to place a link as it is an AUTHORITY site, so it falls within the realm of programmers and writers, in my opinion...
Posted by: colonel alexpiner | June 29, 2007 at 06:05 PM