For a small business startup it is vital to employ a team of experienced and adept employees. This is important for companies of all sizes, but particularly so for small business start ups because employees on small teams must take on larger responsibilities. Who you hire has a direct impact on company growth, stature and startup success. Here's how to find and attract top talent.
Firstly, make sure your company has an excellent reputation by building a strong employer brand; this will not only attract top talent but will also allow potential candidates to evaluate whether they would be a good fit within your start up. Define exactly what qualities you require in your future employee for your startup to succeed. You will need to evaluate things such as: what you need them to do specifically,what attributes and kind of personality a top performer would have and how you will quantify and qualify these skills in your candidates. Follow this up by writing interesting and well-thought out job descriptions with that reflect your company ethos and future goals as well as detail clearly what type of employee you seek.
Next you should follow the Rule of 100. Recruiting is a numbers game. You may need to be in contact with many people before you find the exact fit. Some experts say that to get one hire, you have to touch 100 people. Candidate touch is defined as communication with potential candidates via phone, email, social media sites, face-to-face meetings and more. Take the time to meet and greet as many potential candidates as possible online and in person.
Offer competitive compensation to attract top talent to you. Make sure to include perks such as bonuses to incentivize your staff. Make sure you align these perks with employee objectives. According to some experts cash is king, however in order to attract and keep top talent you also need to offer solid, basic packages. These should include employee benefits, such as health-insurance, to remain competitive.
Use your networks and social networks to cast a wide net and interact with a wide range of people. Statistics confirm that social media usage continues to increase. Most successful companies now use social networks to find top talent. Open positions and startup updates posted on social media platforms can gain a lot of traction for your small business and attract a lot of views from passive and active candidates. Furthermore, if set up correctly candidates can apply or respond in a very short amount of time when compared to traditional recruiting methods. By looking at a candidate's profile on social networks, such as their work experience, portfolio and more, you can quickly establish whether you feel they would be a good fit and are truly the top talent you seek. Favourite platforms for startups seeking to hire candidates are Linkedin, Twitter and Facebook.
Last but not least, move quickly when you find the right person as they might get snapped up if you do not jump on the opportunity. Reach out to them with a competitive offer and ensure you continue to offer them incentives so that you not only hire but also retain your top talent!
