You’ve finally done it! Your genius idea has a company name behind it, and you’re finally in the startup phase of your budding business. Now all you need is a team of intelligent, innovative, and eager individuals who will turn your success dreams into lucrative realities. Hiring new talent is an inevitable and critical part of starting your own business, and it’s an exciting indication that your original idea has finally found its footing— now it just needs the manpower.
Unfortunately, many employers underestimate the hiring process and make the mistake of hiring the wrong kind of people. Attracting promising candidates is more complicated than reviewing resumes and conducting interviews. In fact, there are many factors that may deter candidates from considering your open position.
There are so many different elements to consider before finalizing your recruitment process. In order to comfortably ensure that your startup is hiring the right type of employees, keep these tips at the forefront of your mind.
Know what and who you’re looking for
You want smart, driven people, but what else? While it’s true that some people will seem to have resumes perfectly carved out to fit your job’s specific needs, you’ll quickly find that the majority of candidates will have scattered work histories and experiences. Don’t let this imperfect alignment scare you!
Instead, look for a valuable combination of skills and passions. If a candidate’s resume clearly shows how hard of a worker they are, how quickly they learn, or how impressively they’re able to handle adversity, all three are reason enough to pursue an in-person or phone interview.
Make an ongoing list of the qualities you find more important for the specific role you’re hiring for. Always consider flexibility, creativity, and problem-solving skills, as those are the ones that may differentiate a standard applicant from the right candidate. At the end of the day, startup employees often shoulder multiple responsibilities. It’s your duty to determine exactly what that looks like.
Embrace digital trends and social media
Our modern world is inundated with social media that connects us to our friends, family, colleagues, and even future employers. As the employer yourself, you should use social media platforms to your advantage.
People want to work for companies that keep up with the latest tech trends as it demonstrates the modernity of your company and culture.
Pro-tip: Part of embracing the digital age means utilizing public social media profiles for more in-depth candidate research. For any potential hire, be sure to do a standard pre-employment identity check in addition to reviewing their public social media accounts and feeds. You’ll get a better sense of their lifestyle and personality— two important things that you may not be able to catch a feel for in an interview.
Build based on your brand
One of the most crucial aspects of your business’ startup phase is establishing your brand and sticking to it. Brand-building itself is one of the more difficult facets to starting a business, so make sure you spend plenty of time deciding who you are as a company, what you’re bringing to the table, and why people should want to work with you.
A Glassdoor survey found that an astounding 69% of potential applicants are more likely to apply for a job if the employer actively manages its brand. This could be by responding to reviews, updating the company profile, and sharing details on the company’s culture and work environment. Keep this in mind before posting your job listing in order to attract invested and genuinely interested potential hires.
Write accurate job descriptions
In order to attract the right talent, you need to accurately describe what your ideal candidate looks like. Write a job description that perfectly outlines the type of person you’re looking for, the skillset required, and details about your company culture and work environment to give candidates a full idea of what to expect should they accept a job offer.
Congratulations are in order— you’re just steps away from reaching the next level in your business model. A startup business is an exciting venture and with the right talent supporting your mission, your budding business will transform into a wild success right before your eyes!
