9 Tips for Recruiting Top Startup Talent
Keeping up with best practices for attracting and retaining in-demand candidates is essentially a never-ending process for every founder. Hiring the right people can not only make-or-break a startup, but they're also a vital asset for ensuring long-lasting success.
To better safeguard your company's future, check out these helpful tips for securing your startup's talent for years to come.
How important is recruiting? Critical!
As reported by Forbes Magazine, hiring the wrong team ranks as the third most common reason startups fail. Unlike giant corporations, startups simply can't afford operational mistakes or major strategic misfires. With limited budgets and asperations of growth, there's just too much at stake to risk a bad hire.
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Writing catchy job ads that grab attention
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The first step in recruiting the perfect match for your startup begins with the creation of a great job ad.
Job ad essentials:● Title
● Job Description
● Company Description
● Describing the Offer
● Job Requirements.
1. Keep the job title clear and simple
Trying to be too creative with a job title can lead to confusion and disinterest. Although a title like "Digital Jedi" may sound fun, the truth is it just doesn't tell the candidate what they need to know. If it's a PHP developer you need, just say that. You can always save the more creative wording for other parts of the job ad.
2. Keep the job ad at a reasonable length.
A good rule of thumb is to keep your job ad (at maximum) a standard one-page length. When job ads are too short, it can send an insufficient message to a possible candidate. Also, when a job ad is too long, it can become tedious and overwhelming.
3. Clearly explain what you expect from the candidate
Stating, You will be responsible for client relationships, sounds very vague. A better way of stating this could look something like; You will be in daily touch via email or phone with our German client, for which we develop a CRM system. Always include the technologies or tools your company uses. This is especially important when hiring developers.
4. Include pay
For 95% of candidates, knowing their future salary is the most important part of a job. If you have other perks, make sure to include them with the salary for an irresistible job offer.
5. Don't go wild with requirements
If a candidate feels overwhelmed or confused by too many job requirements, there's a strong chance they won't apply. List only the most required skills with a short explanation of each.For example:
Some generic cliches to avoid are team player, flexible, communication skills, etc. In general, the number of requirements should be lower than the number of benefits.
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6. Clearly identify what makes your startup great
What value does your startup bring to the world? How is your company more innovative than the competition? These days, candidates want to work for companies that are game-changers. When drafting your job ad, always include attractive details that illustrate the elements that make your startup worth working for.
7. Show off the benefits of startup culture
On average, 25% of candidates look for a new job because they require a better company culture. When writing your ad, make it clear that you're offering more than just a job; you're offering a relationship. Show them the unique and fun aspects of your startup. The more specific, the more attractive your offer will be for candidates. Create a neat and visually appealing company profile. For example, you could create a personable introductory video to introduce yourself and your company culture or upload some fun photos of your team in the office.
8. Be dynamic
If you are looking for a candidate that's 'cool' to fit in with your forward-thinking startup culture, it's important to demonstrate to them that you are also 'cool and forward-thinking' yourself. CVs and cover letters were fine 15 years ago (but times have changed). Show them that you're up to with the times by asking for their LinkedIn profile. To save everyone's time, before the personal interview, consider asking the candidate to complete a sample task. This way, you both know beforehand if the position will be a good fit for their particular skill set.
9. Be truthful
Never be dishonest, discriminate, or offer false promises. This is a surefire way to damage your company's credibility in the startup community. If you want to keep your employees happy for years to come, never deceive them, especially before you’ve hired them.
Take your job ad to the next level
Research shows that investing a bit of money to advertise your job ad brings higher-quality candidates to your position. At StartupJobs, jobs promoted with our HotJobs options receive, on average, three times more views and double the number of applications. Also, if you choose our PPC campaign package, you’ll see an increase in results of 600% by having your job offer promoted on social media sites like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter.
StartupJobs is here to help!
You're looking for the best and most promising young talent out there. So why post your job offer on any old website with only a job list and search box?
At StartupJobs, we're your partner—standing by your side throughout the recruitment process every step of the way. For us, it’s not just about finding candidates. It’s about finding the perfect person for the job!
Have a question, or want to learn more? Don't hesitate to reach out to tereza@startupjobs.com today!
Author: Matyas Vejskal