Startups ain’t a one man show, build your own army of top talents

Most startups only have a small workforce, and so it is important to hire people perfect for the job.
Before, hiring employees was focused mainly on an applicant’s intellectual capability. This includes assessing his educational attainment, school achievements and awards not to mention his past working experiences. However, this way of hiring is seen as an inaccurate indicator in choosing the “best” from a pool of top talents as today’s business world evolves into various business types and structures. Businessmen have come to realize that a person’s intellect is not enough to keep a company in good shape. Further, the capabilities of a person to work well with others cannot be accurately measured solely through written examinations thus, a thorough process is needed.

Recruitment Process

Being on a tight budget, it is most likely for startups not to have a human resource department. This means added baggage for managers as they are the ones who are involved in the recruitment process as well.

Here are 5 tips for a good recruitment process:

(1) Conduct a job analysis. Identify job specification and job description

First, it is important to determine job specifications so as to match it with the characteristics of the desired employee. Job analysis is a detailed examination of the tasks that make up a job and the conditions under which they may be performed. It also includes the requirements in terms of aptitude, attitude, knowledge, skills and physical condition. After conducting a job analysis, job specifications and a job description can then be constructed.

(2) Set recruiting goals

As mentioned, it is common for startups to put the recruitment process in the hands of the managers or to the owners themselves. With that, it is important to set goals in order to have one specific “employee” in mind. Who do we want to hire? What specific qualities and skills do we need? What do we expect from the applicant? How can he contribute to the company’s progress?

(3) Selection devices

Now that you have set a common goal, it is now time to make use of selection devices. Most businesses make use of recruitment software to streamline their selection process. Selection devices include written tests, skills tests and behavioral assessments, background investigations, and physical examinations although devices vary, depending on the specifications needed for the job. All of this information can be well documented and kept organized with the help of applicant tracking systems. An interview can be considered one of the most critical component of the entire selection process. It is because it allows you to collect the necessary information that cannot be gathered in a typical written exam. It also allows you to have a preliminary overview of an applicant’s skills and personality.

(4) Performance Simulation Test / Job Preview

Performance simulation tests can be considered as one of the selection devices but then over the years, its accuracy has been proven. Dr. Charles Handler (President and founder of Rocket- Hire, a vendor neutral consultancy dedicated to creating and driving innovation in talent assessment), associates simulations as “miniature replicas of the job”. He also identifies the advantages of having simulations. For one, he mentions that simulations pave the way for reduced bias (on the manager’s part) due to realism or an applicant’s performance can be observed in real time. Simulation further allows the applicant to contemplate on whether the job is the perfect fit for him.

(5) Update selection devices

Your company’s needs changes over time and so, job specifications change as well. It is important to update selection devices regularly so as not to stick with an “old- fashioned way” of hiring and thus, a job mismatch.

Reflections of a good recruitment process:

(1) “Good” company culture

Hiring or the recruitment process reflects a company’s culture. It is highly important to establish a company culture. Investopedia defines company culture as the beliefs and behaviors that determine how a company’s employees and management interact and handle outside business transactions. In a nutshell, a “good” company culture can be closely associated with the phrase: workplace in harmony.

One of the factors that affect the establishment of a company’s culture is having a good communication in the workplace. It is important to take note that in maintaining good communication among officemates is only possible if each of them has a pleasing personality and is flexible enough to maintain a good working relationship to anyone.

(2) Flexibility

Here, flexibility means hiring a “Jack- of- all trades” type of person. Hiring someone who may belong to other departments is good for a startup especially those in a tight budget although, this does not mean harassing the newly- hired employee and bombarding him with a very long to- do list. This simply means having a “handy man” who is able to do various types of tasks.

(3) Less turnover percentage

In an analysis published by the Center for American Progress, they found out that it costs about one- fifth of a worker’s salary to replace a new worker. It may not be a big loss for giants, but it is for startups. Each year, one- sixth of US workers are fired or otherwise let- go involuntarily. Although firing an employee is beneficial for the company’s productivity in the long- run, it is important to emphasize its short- term effect, which is the turnover cost. This will not just hurt you financially but it will also give you an additional headache as you will search for another person who will fill the vacant slot.
As a whole, it can be easily said that good recruitment can be directly linked to productivity but it must also be noted that job satisfaction is also a factor in keeping a “good” employee. Job satisfaction is like a point where the desires of the owner and the worker meet thus, a harmonious working relationship.

Success of startups can be achieved through good and consistent productivity. So the question here is how can good and consistent productivity be achieved? You see, it is just like a linked chain of factors which include good company culture and harmonious relationship within the workforce. In the end, these two factors can only be realized when your company has a good recruitment process.

So here’s A last piece of advice, “Choose wisely.”