The full version of this article was first published at: Hiring & Firing: How to Mold a Team to Move Your Startup Forward
When you’re launching a new business, building the right team is arguably more important than having that initial “light bulb” moment in the first place. Coming up with a killer concept is one thing, but having a team in place that boasts the knowledge, determination and overall drive to see it through to fruition is entirely another. Putting together a great team involves far more than just throwing together a quick ad and posting it to Craigslist or your local job board, so here’s how we recommend you go about reeling in the right hires – and keeping them on board. Have clarity in your job postings When it comes to creating an effective “help wanted” posting, less is not always more. Be expressive and articulate exactly what skill sets and qualifications you’re looking for, and be very clear about any extras you want sent your way, whether they be writing or graphic design samples, marketing plans or programming projects. If you want to get a sense of an applicant’s creative side in addition to an impression of how well they follow directions, consider dishing out a vague challenge, such as “Send us a love note,” or “impress us.” An area where you don’t want to be vague is in sharing your communications preferences with applicants. If you want to communicate exclusively via email, say so – otherwise, be prepared to be bombarded by phone, at the office and even through social media. Job-seekers are a resourceful bunch, and they’ll…
Read More: Hiring & Firing: How to Mold a Team to Move Your Startup Forward