Marketing Tech Talent Acquisition | Stephen van der Heijden from OfferZen

Ernesto Quezada: Pathmonk is the intelligent tool for website lead generation with increasing online competition. Over 98% of website visitors don’t convert. The ability to successfully show your value proposition and support visitors in their buying journey separates you from the competition online. Pathmonk qualifies and converts leads on your website by figuring out where they are in the buying journey and influencing them in key decision moments. With relevant micro-experiences like case studies, intro videos, and much more, stay relevant to your visitors and increase conversions by 50%. Add them to your website in seconds. Let the AI do all the work and get access to 50% more qualified leads while you keep doing marketing and sales as usual. Check us out at pathmonk.com. Welcome to today’s episode. Let’s talk about today’s guest. We have Stephen, VP of growth at OfferZen. How are you doing today, Stephen?

Stephen van der Heijden: Hey, how’s it going?

Ernesto: Great, great. Thanks so much for asking.

Stephen: Awesome.

Ernesto: Well, Stephen, I’m sure our listeners are tuning in, wondering what OfferZen is all about. So, let’s kick it off with that. In your own words, can you tell us a little bit more?

Stephen: Yeah, no problem. We’re a talent marketplace specifically focused on software developers. We help software developers get jobs at cool companies or help companies hire software developers. We focus on full-time employment, helping companies build their dev teams, primarily for English-speaking software developers in the time zones of Europe and Africa. So, we’re connecting opportunity with potential.

Ernesto: Okay, awesome. Great to hear that. So, don’t want to assume, but would that be the key problem you guys like to solve for clients?

Stephen: For clients, access to talent is a pretty difficult thing, especially in the tech and software developer world. Finding the right talent at the right price, in the right region—whether they want to work remotely or in a city—is quite difficult. Supply is scarce, and figuring out which talent is the right fit for you can take a lot of time and effort. Many companies can’t compete with the Microsofts of the world for price, so we help them access talent that’s actively looking and ready to start.

Ernesto: Definitely important. Is there a certain vertical segment that you guys focus on?

Stephen: Yeah, since we place professional software developers with companies—mainly in full-time roles and not in freelance or short-term contracting—we help tech product businesses and service businesses offering development as a service. These companies often need developers on demand, especially when they land a big contract. We also see a lot of traditional businesses starting to take digital seriously, building up dev teams, and we’re seeing growth from that sector too.

Ernesto: Okay, awesome. And for our listeners who are tuned in, how can they usually find out about OfferZen? Is there a top client acquisition channel for you guys?

Stephen: It’s interesting. As a marketplace, our top-performing but hardest-to-measure channel is the cross-platform network effect. On the supply side, we’ve built a strong brand with developers, distributing 100,000 t-shirts, producing documentaries, and much more. Developers know us, and when a company needs developers, the first person they ask is their own developers. That’s where we come in. Of course, we also use SEO, inbound strategies, performance marketing, and outbound, but the brand trust we’ve built is key.

Ernesto: Definitely important. Awesome. Thanks for sharing that with us. So, for our listeners, they can always check you guys out at offerzen.com. What role does the website play in client acquisition?

Stephen: The website plays a huge role in building brand trust. In the dev industry, it’s a trust game—companies need to believe we understand developers and can find them. The website also needs to quickly prove that we have the talent they need. It’s about showing the goods fast and building that credibility.

Ernesto: Great to hear. So, are there any tools, tips, or methods you’d recommend to our listeners for website lead generation?

Stephen: One thing we’ve learned is the importance of having clear windows on your storefront, meaning people need to see and use the product as soon as possible. Getting users to start interacting with the product quickly is key. In our case, that’s browsing software developers, so reducing the time and effort it takes for users to find value is crucial for conversion.

Ernesto: Awesome, great knowledge for our listeners. Let’s switch gears a little and talk about you as a leader. As the VP of growth at OfferZen, what are some key tasks you focus on day-to-day?

Stephen: I’d say diagnosing and confirming bottlenecks is one of the most important things. I spend a lot of time analyzing data, looking for bottlenecks or opportunities. The second focus is ensuring alignment across teams, making sure everyone is focused on the right metrics and actions that will ultimately drive revenue.

Ernesto: Great to hear. So, when you do have some free time, how do you stay up to date with marketing news, trends, and strategies? Is there a preferred channel you like to go with?

Stephen: I follow a lot of great people on LinkedIn and Twitter, and while I’m not a fan of social media, it can be useful. I also listen to Lenny’s podcast, which features amazing guests like Jason Lemkin and others. For more macro-level insights, I enjoy the All-In podcast. And Reforge is a great resource for growth courses and community.

Ernesto: Interesting! Thanks for sharing that with our listeners. Now, let’s move on to our rapid-fire question round. Stephen, are you ready?

Stephen: Sure!

Ernesto: First off, Stephen, what’s the last book you read?

Stephen: The last book I read was The Sales Acceleration Formula. It’s about getting marketing and sales to work together to generate leads. It’s a great book—simple but effective.

Ernesto: Definitely a great book! Next, if there were no boundaries in technology, what’s the one thing you’d want to fix in your role as a marketer?

Stephen: A direct connection from my brain to content creation! I often have ideas for great content but don’t always have the time or capacity to create it. If I could just send my thoughts directly to the Internet, that would be amazing.

Ernesto: I think we all share that wish! Is there one repetitive task you’d like to automate?

Stephen: Meetings! As much as I love them, they take up time that could be spent creating. If we could find a way to align and connect as humans without so many meetings, that would be ideal.

Ernesto: Sounds like a good plan! Lastly, what’s one piece of advice you’d give yourself if you were restarting your journey as a marketer?

Stephen: My advice would be to always focus on adding value first. Marketing can sometimes feel like it’s all about extracting value, but building trust by genuinely adding value pays off in the long run. That’s how you build real community and trust, which are harder to erode than quick, fly-by-night growth tactics.

Ernesto: Great advice, Stephen. Thanks for sharing that! As we wrap up, if someone forgets everything from today’s interview, what’s the one thing they should remember about OfferZen?

Stephen: OfferZen helps companies find the right developers fast. We take the process seriously—so much so that we offer a money-back guarantee if the hire doesn’t work out. We know the cost of a bad hire, and we’re here to help companies find the best tech talent.

Ernesto: Perfect! Thanks again for joining us today, Stephen. To our listeners, thank you for tuning in, and I look forward to our next episode of Pathmonk Presents. Thanks a lot, Stephen.

Stephen: Thanks, Ernesto!