So, you’ve got your startup off the ground. Investment is coming in and you’re finally moving operations out of your living room! It’s time to scale up and start hiring the right people. The hiring process is the single most important consideration when it comes to scaling up.
Employees are important at every level of business, but especially in the early days. You need people who believe in your vision. You need the very best and you need passion.
It’s not an easy task, particularly when you’re still a small fish in a giant pond. What you need are a few tricks to stand out from the crowd. You need to create demand. Foster an environment that attracts the very best. Then learn how to spot them when they come along. Finally, learn how to keep them.
Thanks to Richard.Asia for the image
Let them Come to You
An important aspect of creating a strong workforce is cultivating desire. Create an environment that makes people want to work for you. As a startup, the best way to do that is by making a name for yourself. Plan a campaign that will get you featured in the right places. If you’re a tech startup, target the tech magazines and blogs. Infiltrate the areas that the most qualified and passionate people frequent.
Define the Perfect Employee Criteria
For each job role that you require filling, write down the perfect criteria. Describe the best person for that job. What are their skills and personality? What are their likes and dislikes? It might make the hiring process more difficult, but now you know exactly what you’re looking for. Don’t hire until you find that person. If you need a new coder, search for the person that researches coding while eating breakfast. Search for the person who builds websites at the weekend for fun.
Network
Now that you know what you’re looking for, get out there and network. Speak to people, find out who’s the best and target them. You can do this online by following people on Twitter or connecting on LinkedIn.
Master your Job Adverts
If you still haven’t found the perfect candidate, it’s time for the job adverts. But, you need to stand out of the crowd. The very best people are looking for more than a simple job description. The best and most ambitious want to change the world. They want their work to mean something. These are the people you want on board. Use the job description to explain how this job will help fulfil their dreams and serve a higher purpose. This will weed out the best applicants.
Offer Incentives
Once you’ve got the best candidates through the door and into the interview, it’s time to convince them. Give them the space to grow and develop. The biggest incentive of all is allowing them to be part of the dream. Let them into the vision so they can build it with you. Of course, there are also monetary incentives. Offer a fair wage, an employee assistance program and healthcare.
There you have it. A quick and simple guide to finding and hiring the very best talent for your startup. The strongest entrepreneurs know how to do this and now you do to.
