30 Mar 2021
At some point your start-up will take on its first significant round of funding, you’re suddenly going to have the money to grow the team and the pressure to do it quickly. We have asked several founders to give us their views on getting the hiring right.
Don’t cut corners
Speedy recruitment processes are vital, but don’t sacrifice rigour; write great job descriptions and keep an eye on bias in the narrative. Keep the list of requirements short and focus on values and culture. Take time to test (this is especially true with engineering hires).
Consider the candidate experience
A well-run, respectful recruitment process is crucial. Feedback, punctuality and a slick, joined up three stage process. Ensure the interviews complement each other and don’t cover the same ground; always treat the unsuccessful candidates with the same care as the ones you want.
Give it the time it deserves
Hiring the right people takes time and founders’ time is precious, so make it someone’s job. At first that may mean a third-party recruiter with whom you need to build a trusting partnership and eventually an in-house recruiter to make hires directly and manage the relationship with external recruiters.
Implement an employee referral scheme
Good people know good people and attract good people.
Honesty is the best policy
If someone has never worked in a small business before they need to be under no illusions as to the lack of resource and infrastructure around them. Be frank about salary constraints and the lack of ancillary benefits.
Hire for tomorrow
Consider the role you want the person to fill in 2 years and hire for that day. A home-grown leadership team, for example, drives a consistent company culture.
Hire the whole candidate
Involve prospective candidates’ life outside of work in your process. Performance at work is inextricably linked to the right work/life blend and people’s families will be stakeholders in the decision-making process; create recruitment processes & working practices that respect home life.
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