A 7 point checklist for hiring for your startup. This list should always complement the functional screening you have at your organization.
- Why are you hiring? – You must be sure why you need to hire right now for your business. While you ask yourself this question, make sure your answer to the question revolves around specific tasks that you need help with. For example, “I need someone to help establish a powerful social presence.” Or, “I need someone to help me put in place the necessary partnership required.” In doing so, you shift your focus for hiring for particular function or designation instead focus on potential candidates on their competency to help you achieve your why.
- Finalize your budget – It’s advisable to keep market standards as your budget when hiring for any role. But, if you’ve bootstrapped and still haven’t raised funds, there might be a chance of a more stringent hiring budget. This reduces your potential pool of candidates with the required expertise and experience, but don’t worry not all hope is lost. There are many talented candidates with immense potential looking for one opportunity to prove their worth whom you can target.
- Look for people who want to work with you, who feel confident about your abilities and who share your dream. Avoid people who want to work because you have a premium address, or because they feel they can learn by working with you (look for self-learners) or because you have got funded etc. These people will be there to share the pleasures but ditch at the first sign of pain.
- Look for people whose aspirations match yours. Aspirations are like shoes. Too big a shoe is loose and uncomfortable, too small, it pinches and is unwearable.
- People who can pull your venture & team forward rather than those who will drag you back. Avoid those, who need to be motivated to deliver. You don’t need people who will themselves become problems rather than solutions. Do they have the drive like you to make things work or will they get bogged down by the seemingly insurmountable everyday problems?
- Experience or Attitude?- Go for attitude. You can always teach skills as long as you have the right attitude and basic capabilities. Experience is a double-edged sword. Experienced professionals can get you off the block faster. At the same time, too much experience may block new ideas. They may end up doing the same things which they did in their previous jobs.
- Culture fit – what sort of organisation do you want to build? free-flowing & fun-loving, highly disciplined professional, fast-moving & flexible, process-driven & strict. If you are clear on this, make sure you evaluate every prospective employee for this. A culture misfit can give you more headaches than anything else and can be disruptive.
What are the things you keep in mind when hiring for your startup? Let us know.
Reference: Talentmoon blogs
