How to Hire the Best for Your Startup

A good team is a cornerstone of a successful startup, and hiring new team members is a major concern for all founders: it’s time consuming, costly and most importantly instrumental in defining your startup’s culture and identity.

Here are some tips we’ve gathered to help you hire the best:

1. Find the right time to hire — don’t just fill out roles!

Don’t rush into it without ensuring that you need to hire for certain positions. New team members should have impact. Filling out roles for the sake of checking off a list of positions which your startup might not need is pointless and costly. Choose wisely — you’re hiring to build your company and remember that the first few hires will define the tone for the future.

2. Invest enough time & effort into the process

The hiring process is time-consuming (yes, even if you use recruiters) so make sure you allocate a significant amount of time for all its stages: screening, conducting interviews etc. If there’s anything you don’t want to regret, it’s making the wrong hiring decision because you didn’t invest enough time and effort into it. Don’t forget that it’s an investment, and a highly valuable one at that!

3. Hire for potential, not just past experience

Consider potential and not just evidence of past experience when evaluating candidates. Stop focusing too much on resumes; instead ask candidates to demonstrate their skills or aptitude by completing assignments.This will allow you to test for real, transferable skills and high potential. Get to know your candidates, engage in conversations with them and hire those with a strong interest or passion for your mission and a positive attitude!

4. Focus on hiring for ‘values fit’

Focusing on ‘values fit’ means hiring candidates who share your startup’s values and sense of purpose while ensuring diverse perspectives, backgrounds and skill-sets. You can achieve this is by promoting your startup’s vision and values in the job description to attract the right applicants or by getting referrals from your team members who understand and shape those values.

5. Hire your fans

Hire fans of your startup! If they share your values and have the right skills, it’s an added bonus. They will take ownership within the company and therefore work harder than anyone else. If they don’t necessarily have the skills you’re looking for, it might be worthwhile to invest in training them — rest assured that they will do what they can to help you succeed.

Sources:

Six Tips On How To Hire The Right Person For Your Startup, Chris Rickborn

How To Hack Hiring, for Startups, Crystal Huang

What To Look For: Hiring For A Startup, Mashable

7 Keys to Hiring Your Start-up’s First Employee, Nathaniel Koloc

9 Ways to Recruit the Best Talent for Your Startup, Aytekin Tank

7 Tips For Hiring The Best Startup Talent, David Chait

The End of Culture Fit, Lars Schmidt