When it comes to establishing a company, one of the key priorities is hiring the right personnel. With statistics indicating that 20% of businesses fail within the first two years, and 25% of those failures attributable to poor teamwork, efficient and meticulous management of the recruitment process is critical. To facilitate this, at Works we have prepared a comprehensive guide detailing the optimal methodology for sourcing and hiring new staff for a business.
Consider the Company’s Culture
When seeking to hire a developer for a startup, it is crucial to recognise that employees may be asked to take on duties that extend beyond their primary job description. This is particularly true during the nascent phase of a company, when resources are limited and time is of the essence. For this reason, it is imperative that new employees comprehend the scope of their responsibilities and what steps they need to take in order to thrive in the position.
It is vital to establish prospective employees’ clear understanding of their obligations, including any specifications pertaining to work hours and output expectations. It is ill-advised to imply that a typical nine-to-five schedule suffices, only to later demand additional work hours for project completion. Such inconsistencies are likely to breed discontent and dissatisfaction.
Research suggests that 25% of startup failures are due to inadequacies in the core team. Thus, if your company is looking to hire initial engineers, it is crucial to ensure that all relevant parties, including subordinates, supervisors, and any overseers (when applicable), interact with and assess the applicant through online video chat software such as Zoom or Skype. Doing so provides invaluable insight into the candidate’s personality and interpersonal skills.
Broaden Your Quest for the Next Exceptional Programmer
Being situated in a leading technology hub like Silicon Valley may offer access to exceptional talent. Nonetheless, if this is not the case, it is advisable to expand your hiring scope and examine a broader geographic radius. Although it is possible to find an outstanding candidate willing to relocate, one’s chances of securing top-tier talent increase substantially by considering applications from all corners of the world.
Employing a remote development team yields several advantages. Onboarding new developers is often a swift and efficient process, requiring as little as fourteen days to finalize. This enables businesses to capitalize on opportunities quickly and without incurring the expenses associated with leasing a physical workspace and associated overheads. The benefits of such arrangements are particularly noteworthy for start-ups and small businesses with limited budgets, with operations possibly based out of a home or garage to minimize expenditure. Additionally, this negates the necessity of incurring costly debts to enlist programmers.
Acknowledge Your Role
The job description must comprehensively enumerate the skills and knowledge necessary for the role at hand, whilst also acknowledging the adaptive approach required when working for a start-up. Overstating the potentialities of the job carries the risk of deterring potential candidates; therefore, it is advisable to strike a balance and not misrepresent the role to applicants. Additionally, it is essential to consider the candidates’ specific areas of interest: while some developers might thrive in roles that entail long hours of solitary coding, others may find roles in providing technical support and contributing to product development to be more suited to their preferences.
To explore more about the significance of technical debt at startups, refer to our previously published article.
The importance of establishing the role’s expectations from the outset cannot be overstated, as bringing on someone who is not a good match for the position poses a significant threat to both the organization’s progress and morale, and is also a wasteful allocation of resources.
Avert Freelance Platforms
While freelancers can offer considerable value to the software development sector, they are not typically suited as long-term personnel in a startup setting. Should you require resources for a specific venture or temporary reinforcement, we can provide assistance. Although freelance arenas can be useful in discovering personnel for particular functions, certain job boards may resemble Mos Eisley Spaceport from Star Wars.
Hiring a freelancer for a web development project entails significant risk factors, such as accepting lower rates that often correspond with a substandard final product, failing to live up to promises made, and resulting in an insufficient end result. However, when you hire a web developer for a startup, you can reduce some of these risks, as the probability of receiving an overused site employed by numerous other organizations is minimal.
While it is feasible to locate exceptionally competent freelance professionals, it is essential to keep in mind that they are not staff members of your organization. These freelancers might be involved in other projects concurrently, or looking for alternative prospects, making it unfeasible to anticipate they can deliver scalable solutions for your company.
Seek Assistance from a Technical Recruiter
When attempting to locate the best technical specialists, not all recruitment agencies offer the same competence. Many of us have inevitably experienced situations where someone gets in touch or sends a LinkedIn message asserting that they have viewed our profile and believe that we have the fitting experience for a position, only to realize that the recommendation is flawed. This typically results from their inadequate awareness, as they have only looked up a term, leading to an erroneous output.
It is reasonable to comprehend why certain employers find it challenging to keep pace with the rapidly changing requisites of IT roles; appointing individuals with skills in catering, sales, administration or hospitality is insufficient to fulfill these requirements. If a business opts for a general recruitment broker, they may end up expending time reviewing resumes that do not match the vacancy they are trying to fill.
Comprehending Remote Work is Crucial
As a result of the continuing Covid-19 outbreak, an increasing number of people are required to work remotely from their homes. Nonetheless, this does not signify that they are inherently skilled in this area, as remote work during a worldwide crisis carries a plethora of limitations and considerations that are not inherently part of the typical remote working procedure. If you plan to employ a remote worker, it is critical to guarantee that they possess a complete understanding of the duties and responsibilities that remote work constitutes.
Guidance for Discovering an Adequate Software Developer to Join Your Startup
Greetings, We would like to introduce ourselves as Works, a staffing firm committed to sourcing skilled technical professionals who work remotely and fulfill the requirements of businesses such as yours. Our global network of accomplished programmers has been carefully curated to guarantee that only the finest candidates are suggested to you. You can rely on us to provide resumes that conform to the prerequisites of the role if you are looking for the perfect match for your remote position. Please do not hesitate to contact us if this is precisely what you have been seeking. We are eager to receive your message.
Warm regards, Works Team
