ne of the biggest debates in the world of business is whether an idea is more important than its execution. Many believe that great ideas are needed to stand out in a market and succeed, while many others believe it's the execution that brings an idea to life and helps its success. No matter what side you’re on, it’s fair to say that they both play a crucial role in the success of a business. And without the right team of employees, coming up with an amazing idea and successfully executing it can prove to be extremely difficult.
A strong startup is made up of employees who are passionate, determined and well-rounded. So how exactly do you recruit the right people for your startup?
When your main goal is survival, it's likely that you don’t have the financial resources to provide your employees with fancy work perks. That’s why you need to build a company with a strong long-term vision that will make potential hires want to be a part of something special. Whether it's by having a mission statement on your company’s website or by mentioning your goals in the job description, it’s important to communicate your vision to potential employees in order to attract applicants that have the right skills to help you grow as a business.
When you hire an employee for your startup, you expect them to contribute to the business’ success with ideas and skills that help the business grow. However, many companies end up wasting their team’s talents by assigning them boring tasks and projects. Give your employees challenging, stimulating projects or set them ambitious goals to keep them motivated and productive.
Now more than ever, startups (and large companies) are making use of remote working and it seems like a lot of businesses have chosen to work this way permanently. Earlier this year, Twitter announced that their employees could work from home ‘forever’ if they wanted to. Aside from the obvious benefits such as cost savings from not having to rent office space, hiring remote employees opens up a much wider pool of talent available to you. And, with the abundance of video-conferencing services, working remotely can make you feel like you’re in the same room as the rest of your team!
It’s natural to want a team of perfect employees for your startup. It gives you a better chance of success, right? Unfortunately, that’s not the case because the perfect candidate doesn’t exist. Many employers waste a lot of their time and effort searching for someone who meets a list of demanding requirements, that they overlook numerous suitable candidates. When recruiting, consider which of your requirements are actually necessary and which are desirable and make a decision based on the candidate’s drive and willingness to learn new skills.
The last thing any founder wants is to spend months looking for a new hire, only for them to be back to square one. By writing an accurate and transparent job description you can ensure a high rate of employee retention and attract more applicants. A strong job description is made up of:
● An overview of the startup and its vision
● Day-to-day responsibilities of the employee
● Skills and experience needed for the role
● Benefits or perks offered to the employee
Be honest about what the employee’s responsibilities will be and any benefits you may offer to them as this will set realistic expectations of the role and reduce the chances of them leaving after a short period of time.
Building a team for your startup can be a difficult process at first, but once you have a reliable recruitment process in place and have grown your network in the business world, recruiting the right people becomes much easier. Make sure to take your time to choose your team well, as a strong team can drive great ideas, execution and growth for your startup!