Introduction
Start-ups must be rigorous in hiring the right people. One misstep and the whole company can come crashing down. In a tight-knit company with a limited budget and resources, even a small employee plays a significant role in defining the future of the start-up. So, hiring the wrong team or person could ultimately have a devastating effect.
Creating a fantastic team is just as important to startup success as creating a fantastic product and a strong customer base. Unfortunately, most start-ups follow in the footsteps of multinational companies and adopt their practices which are a stark contrast to the culture of start-ups. And hiring and retaining talented people is a tough field to compete in, with so many companies to join and better benefits. Also, most companies are choosing to hire remote developers as they are just as competent and put in the required work.Â
But, with the right guidance and strategy, entrepreneurs can have their pick of candidates from a vast pool of applicants.
Here are 5 tips for mission-driven startups to find qualified candidates:
Outline your company values and check whether the potential candidates are aligned with them
The success of any company depends on its core values and how it chooses to integrate them with its everyday goals. They are not a marketing gimmick to attract customers, rather the definition of what the company stands for and its mission.
Define what you want your company to be, the atmosphere you want to create in your office, and the ultimate mission or vision you want to reach. Once you are clear about what you want and what you can offer, hire someone who can not only fall in line with your ideas but also help you achieve your set goals. People who are as enthusiastic about the plan as yourself can aid in moving your company’s mission forward.
Use Structured interview Process
A structured interview consists of a set of standardized questions and follows clear guidelines to minimize the room for errors. Asking the same questionnaire in the same order allows employers to collect the necessary information from the applicants in a uniform manner. This format is also more reliable as interviewers can compare all the responses and shortlist the ones that suit the company’s culture.
Structured interviews are very efficient and effectively help businesses that are experiencing rapid growth. These interviews are an excellent way to screen the applicants and help small businesses find the best candidates fit for the role. Google has successfully implemented this in their interview process and paved the way for others to follow. As these interviews are more common and prevalent today, HRs and other recruiting managers must train themselves to effectively conduct and evaluate these interviews. Especially in these tough times, a structured interview could be a major help for any remote software development company.
Quality over quantity
We can all agree that quality is hands down more important than quality. While hiring, it is more efficient to cast a wider net to attract more applicants. However, the number of interviewees goes down as the interviews move forward. And there is no dearth of applicants who ghost the companies at any stage of the interview. Moreover, the traditional method of hiring from job boards, postings, recruiters, etc has been losing its efficiency as there are so many companies competing to hire from a limited pool of talent. And when choosing to hire developers for startups, you should be more vigilant and focused.
While you may receive thousands of resumes, there is only one person who is the right fit. So have a consistent and thorough screening process to hire the right developer who is technically competent and culturally right fit for the company.
Choose freelancers as well as In-house developers
Most modern start-ups are hiring freelancers along with permanent employees based on the position and the prominence of the role in the overall vision of the company. This is beneficial on so many levels and a talented freelancer could bring more to the table than a mediocre developer who works full-time.
A start-up in its early stages focuses on many tasks to accomplish. This makes a permanent employee filling only a specific position more of a burden rather than a benefit. And, if you require someone for a day’s work, such as designing the logo or company website or occasional help with the website graphics, then someone in-house is not a feasible plan. This is where freelancers come in and effectively do the work according to your needs. It makes more sense to outsource for the positions that do not play a larger role in the company.
Moreover, freelancers work with a wide range of clients, starting from multinational conglomerates to budding entrepreneurs. So, their experience is an added benefit as they can bring more value to your company. The best choice would be to hire remote developers on a contract basis to meet your requirements.
Find the right places to hire
When planning to hire, use every resource at hand instead of solely relying on giant career sites. These sites, though boast a large clientele, are not really the best places to start when hiring for start-ups. They offer stiff competition and often you are left with great talent that is not fit for your company. So, narrow down your search and go for niche career sites. Approach the employees directly on platforms such as LinkedIn. Or, once you reach decent traffic on your website, you can have a dedicated careers page detailing the positions and the deliverables. Whatever you do, do not limit your search. The demand for remote hiring is at an all-time high with ‘hire remote developers’ and ‘hire remote developers India’ topping the search list.
However, the best possible solution would be to tie up with a software development outsourcing company that can bring you exactly what you are looking for.
Conclusion
Start-ups rely heavily on the developers they hire. No matter how experienced the founders are and how well they manage the reins, the responsibilities fall on the shoulders of the developers who actually have to shape the idea into reality. This is why it is really important to hire the right people who can effectively oversee the tasks on their own and help the start-up grow. More and more people are turning to and preferring to hire remote developers as they realize the potential of remote work.
Take your time and put in the work to find a committed group of people who will help you build the company from the ground up.
Author Bio:
Vedasree is a content writer who spends her time learning new things and having fun while doing it. When she is not writing, you can find her in a quiet corner with her head buried in a book!