How To Find The Right Talent For Your Startup

Picture this: you have a great business idea and you’re ready to put it into reality with your brand new startup. However, before you can do so, you have to first hire the right talents to bring this possibility to life. So how can you do this? Read our guide on how to find the right talent for your startup!

1. Find out exactly who you need

Before we go through some tips as to how to find the right talent, you first need to find out exactly who it is you need for your startup to be successful. One method is to consider positions from the top-down: for example, although you may choose to take on the CEO position for your startup, you will also want to fill other high-level leadership roles that can manage more specific areas of your business, such as the CFO (Chief Financial Officer), CTO (Chief Technical Officer) and COO (Chief Operations Officer), among others. Positions like this help to strengthen your business structure, and more importantly, allows you to delegate tasks and make your workload more manageable.

In addition to determining what positions you need filled in, it’s also important to consider the qualities you want in your team. Ideally, you want to hire people who have a genuine interest in your business, have the necessary skills and expertise for their role, and can work well with others. You can also consider hiring a diverse team so you and your team will be exposed to different points of view and talents.

2. Cast a wide net when hiring

After you know what you’re looking for, it’s time to reach out to candidates. There are many different ways to source talent, and you should take advantage of online and offline methods to increase your chances of finding the right candidate. This can include using career sites, job boards, recruitment agencies, referrals, social media and local networking events.

In addition, when you reach out to candidates, you should make the position you’re advertising appealing. Don’t just list your requirements and/or preferred qualifications; instead, introduce the vision for your business and set yourself apart. Make people want to apply and join your company!

You can also consider hiring remotely to open up the job market even more. With technology such as Zoom and Slack making remote working easier, and especially during the pandemic, it’s less likely that you’ll lose out on talented candidates. If you’ve hired some remote candidates, read our guide on tips to hold a successful online meeting.

3. Keep communication channels open

If you receive any emails or questions from prospective candidates, try to reply to them to give a positive impression. An report from the Talent Board finds that although most companies have a system in place that sends automated email responses to candidates after they have applied for a job, only 40% of recruiters respond, meaning that “nearly half of candidates never got an application status update, or were told why the employer asked for information on gender, race, and ethnicity. Nor did the employer offer the option to save their application for a later date”. This can alienate the candidate and make them feel as though you don’t value them, which can cause you to lose out on great talents.

Even if you ultimately find a candidate unsuitable for a particular position, but they have potential, it’s also good practice to keep communications open with them if suitable positions become available later on in the future. By forming these relationships, candidates will be more likely to keep your business on the front of their minds.

4. Build your reputation as an employer of choice

Part of what makes any company appealing is its culture, mission and values. By portraying your business as welcoming, dynamic and progressive, it will attract and encourage employees to apply for a position with you. To help with this, you can post pictures of the office space on social media pages, or host virtual events that prospective employees can attend to find out more about the company. This can attract and help you identify the candidates that feel most connected to your business.

Conclusion

Turning your startup into a success requires a strong team, and in order to do this, you need to attract and identify the right people. Before you hire, it’s important to make note of the positions and qualities of candidates you’re recruiting. After this, you can begin the hiring process. Make use of online and offline resources to attract the most number of candidates, and consider hiring remotely to further expand the job market. Even if you don’t ultimately end up hiring all candidates, you should keep communication channels open to build relationships and find matches for roles later down the line. You should also try to build your reputation as an employer of choice by showcasing the benefits of working at your company, such as a positive culture.

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