| Inc. magazine
Aug 6, 2010

How to Attract Talent to Your Start-Up

 

How to Attract Talent to Your Start-up: What to Look For

"There are certain kinds of people who thrive in an environment with the risk profile and anarchy of a start-up," says Sloan. "Start-ups demand great working relationships. There can be no issues."

This means the cultural fit is equally as important as what's on a person's resume. Zwilling recommends looking for people who are results-oriented, people who can tell you what exactly they've done in their careers. As you probably know already, responsibility gets pretty evenly distributed in a start-up with a small staff. You need to know that people can produce when given that responsibility.

"I hear a lot of people talk about what their job description is, but I'm looking for results," Zwilling says.

He also recommends looking for someone who is "attracted to the promise of a big win." The road may be rough at first, but someone who's ready to see your business through and can tell you why it's worth it to them is someone you want on your team.

If your business requires long or odd hours, look for someone whose other commitments aren't going to prevent them from contributing. And, most importantly, you should steer clear of people who list being tired of the corporate world as one of their main reasons for applying. That doesn't automatically mean they're ready for the start-up world, either.

Preempting these issues is key, so Sloan suggests putting all potential employees through a training session. He says,  "The test period will reveal what the dynamics really are."

Dig Deeper: The New Rules of Hiring


How to Attract Talent to Your Start-up: What to Offer

As a start-up, you might not be able to offer top talent all the benefits and employee perks that a big corporation can, but what you can offer is the promise of purpose and independence.

According to Sloan: "People get involved in a start-up for three reasons. One, they like creating, being part of something new. Two, they want to participate in the upside. Three, they want to live a meaningful life, and the closer you are to the success or failure of a business, the more meaning and purpose you feel."

Without a corporate ladder to scale, employees at start-ups can also start out with higher job titles, which can be a big incentive for driven individuals.

No matter how driven a person is, though, he or she will still want to be reassured that the company will be around a few years from now. Sloan suggests being open about your financial situation, discussing your business plan and demonstrating knowledge about your place in the industry. You don't want your new hire to face any surprises during the first few weeks.

In addition to promising purpose and more important roles, many start-ups have another secret weapon to help them secure top talent: a casual and fun working environment. If you've got one, don't be afraid to show it off. Meebo puts all its new hires through a three-hour work simulation, in which new hires not only get to demonstrate their skills, but they get to see how the office operates day-to-day.

"If we get them in the door, we have a fighting chance," says Perrault. "When we do the debrief, every single person says, 'It's so easy to see the enthusiasm of your employees, and it's infectious.'"

Dig Deeper: 10 Employee Perks We Love


How to Attract Talent to Your Start-up: Always Be on the Lookout

Don't lose recruiting momentum just because you've filled all current positions. "Even if you don't have an opening right now, eventually you'll have an opening, and you need to get people interested, so by the time you're ready, they'll want to join you," Perrault explains. "If you're not recruiting all the time, you're not doing it right."

Sloan suggests keeping a running list of all the people you meet or hear of who impress you. He calls it a "Superstar list." "It's good to always keep track of outstanding people," he says, "because you never know how or where you can plug them in."

Even when you're not actively recruiting, you can still engage talented people in non-traditional forums. Meebo posts JavaScript puzzles on its site, and every once in a while, when someone does particularly well, Perrault's team may contact that person to discuss job opportunities at Meebo.

"It's so clear to everyone here that recruiting is not just an HR job. Everybody here understands recruiting is the lifeblood of our organization," Perrault says, "and that makes for a richer and stronger recruiting process."

Dig Deeper: Never Read Another Resume
 PREV  1 | 2 


Issie Lapowsky is a reporter at Inc. magazine. She has covered lifestyle and entertainment for the New York Daily News, and her work has been published in BlackBook magazine and The Brooklyn Rail. She lives in Brooklyn, New York.