A startup is only as great as its people. Regardless of the business idea, plan or even funding, hiring the wrong people greatly reduces the chances of success for your startup.

Nonetheless, hiring can be quite an overwhelming process and you are faced with tough questions about choosing the right candidate or finding employees that fit your company culture. While there isn’t any silver bullet when it comes to hiring right, there are best practices that greatly increase your chances of choosing the right team members.

Here are 5 important hiring best practices for startups that make the process easier from start to finish.

‍

Create a recruitment guide‍

It is crucial to ensure there is an agreement between all the major team leads and internal stakeholders regarding what kind of talent is needed. Pinpoint all the capacities that need to be filled by people-resources as well as what proficiencies are needed. With this guiding your hire metrics, you will be adequately prepared to create a proper job specification listing.

This may seem obvious but the job listing should clearly state what is required for the role and the responsibilities attached. Many startups don’t take the aforementioned recommendation seriously and end up putting out ambiguous job vacancy listings that not only make recruitment tougher, but scares off potentially good candidates. Clarity is key before and during the hiring process.

Additionally, have a set list of basic pre-qualifications to follow. These are standard qualifications that you require every employee at your startup to have. Once these are outlined, it gets easier to filter candidates and avoid getting distracted by “fancy” skills or experience in their resumes.

Build your Brand Awareness and Reputation‍

Being a startup means you’re relatively unknown to pretty much everyone. To get around this hindrance when hiring, take some time to establish your company brand. Basically, put everything in place that will lend credence to why anyone should join your startup.

For example, your website should look professional and have the mission/vision statement and other details about the product you’re putting out. You can also take advantage of Linkedin to share new job openings as well as content that reflect your brand values.

These days, many professionals are not swayed by potential pay alone. They want to know if the company corresponds with their personal values, goals and aspirations.

What does your company stand for?  Are you a people oriented company? What are the pillars of your corporate culture?

Show potential hires why they should work with you by answering these questions in a blog post or a Linkedin post. You can also share employee testimonials on third-party hiring sites to build even more brand culture awareness. Naturally, all the brand advertising should be backed up by solid work policies. More candidates are now running background checks on companies before joining so ensure you pass the test.

‍

Be Flexible in your hiring search

This is a 3 part suggestion:

1. Expand your search beyond only full-time hires. Extend your recruitment search to contractual and freelance workers. This kind of dynamic recruitment will be cost effective for your startup while filling the needed capacities. Full-time workers can be hired for effort-intensive roles while freelancers or contractors can take up roles that have more leeway.
2. don’t restrict your hiring search to where you are geographically based. The global market is full of skilled persons that can fill the roles you are searching for. It would be a grievous misstep to not take advantage of the rapidly growing remote-work industry. There are Freelance marketplaces and communities online where you can find professionals to join your startup team.
3. Diversify your recruitment process. Inclusivity and diversity are not just buzzwords. Incorporating these two concepts into your hiring search will lead you into a world of talent that would have otherwise flown under your radar.
   

To sum up, it is always good practice to principally hire based on skill, talent and experience rather than location, full-time availability or bias. In addition, ensure the job specifications are as inclusive and unbiased as possible. It will help expand your hiring pool and improve the overall recruitment experience.

‍

Be open to using non-traditional hiring methods‍

As a startup, your resources are likely limited so it stands to reason to find ways to efficiently utilize them. Traditional recruitment methods such as using recruiters can be expensive (in effort, time and money). Thus, going for unconventional or new-age hiring strategies can be a better choice.

Utilize social media platforms like Twitter, Linkedin and Instagram to post job opening ads. You can contact freelance communities or sites to let them know your startup is hiring and what kind of roles are open.  

Although it is not an unconventional recruitment strategy, hiring through referrals can yield great results. Just ensure the referral comes from a trustworthy source that has proven to be accountable in the past. Furthermore, candidates gotten from referrals should be put through the same interview-to-onboarding process as those gotten through other sources.  

Set up a solid onboarding process‍

So you’ve selected the best candidates and sent out the offer letter, but it should not stop there. The onboarding process has to be carried out with the same or even more effort and seriousness as the recruitment process. Whether it’s a remote, on-site, full-time, freelance or contractual role, always have an onboarding strategy ready.

Without a working strategy for onboarding, you may find that you’ll need to start the recruitment process from scratch because you weren't able to retain the new employees.

Companies that implement step-by-step onboarding procedures for new hires to familiarize them with their roles, key performance indicators (KPIs), the company social culture and business culture, function better overall than those that don’t.

A solid onboarding process is key to directing new hire efforts in the right way and to the right place. It is one of the fundamental factors that will help avoid mediocre turnover and boost your startup workforce.
‍

In a nutshell...

Hiring is undoubtedly one of the most crucial parts of getting your startup to work. The employment industry has changed significantly in the past couple of years. Fortunately the changes have been startup-friendly. If you intend to build a strong team, it is advisable to pay attention to how the employee ecosystem currently functions and tailor your hiring practices to get the best out of it.

The recruitment process can seem daunting particularly as you are a startup founder, co-founder or manager. However, if you put the startup hiring practices we have shared, it should considerably ease the burden. Please note that these hiring strategies are not set in stone, they can be adjusted to fit your startup needs and the kind of work culture you want to implement.

‍

‍

FAQs

What are some effective strategies for building a strong employer brand on a limited budget?

Building a strong employer brand on a limited budget requires creativity and leveraging cost-effective channels. Startups can showcase their unique culture and values through engaging social media content, employee testimonials, and participating in relevant online communities. Partnering with local universities or organisations for recruitment events can also raise awareness and attract talent. Furthermore, startups can leverage their founders' or employees' networks and encourage employee referrals, a powerful and cost-effective way to attract like-minded individuals.

‍

How can startups streamline the hiring process without compromising candidate experience?

To streamline the hiring process without compromising candidate experience, startups can implement a few key strategies. First, they should clearly define each role’s essential skills and qualifications, allowing them to identify and prioritise the most promising candidates quickly. Secondly, leveraging technology such as video interviews or online assessments can help streamline the initial screening process while providing candidates with a positive experience. Additionally, startups should strive for transparency and clear communication throughout the process, setting realistic expectations and providing timely updates to candidates. By focusing on efficiency while maintaining a human touch, startups can create a seamless and enjoyable experience for candidates.

‍

What common pitfalls should startups avoid when creating job descriptions and setting expectations for candidates?

When creating job descriptions and setting expectations for candidates, startups should avoid using vague or generic language that doesn't accurately reflect the role's responsibilities and requirements. Instead, they should use clear and specific language that outlines the key duties and qualifications needed for the position. It's also important to avoid using biased language that could discourage candidates from diverse backgrounds from applying. To ensure that job descriptions are compelling, startups can solicit feedback from current employees and use data on industry trends and best practices to inform their hiring strategies.