10 hiring tips for startups

Be role specific

Hiring is the most important decision at startup stage. Here are some hiring tips for startups

1. Hire for a specific role and not because you are impressed by the person.

2. Don’t think of the role, write it down along with the skills and experience you’d need the person to have in order to perform well in the role.


Give comprehensive picture of the company


3. Create a clear and interesting script about your company, nature of business, future potential and how that role fits in. Use any recognition, commendation that came your way in the script.

Remember in case of startup jobs, both interviewer and aspirant are evaluating each other. You need to come across as a worthy employer.

4. If you are not sure you can assess abilities, there is no harm asking a known senior or ex-boss to sit through the interview with you.

Learn during the process, he may not come everytime.


Right information

5. Give a clear picture of your current state, strengths and limitations.

Assess the same about the candidate. Right information is key to decision making.

6. Working for startups requires abilities like initiative, selfdiscipline, cost consciousness, multitasking, resourcefulness and risk taking more than subject matter expertise.


Don't be defensive


7. Do not get defensive about your startup status. All big enterprises started out as one. Everyone works for the future; make sure you are able to define bright future loudly.

8. Ask for references and do not limit to two. Take five references, talk to all, get a feel.

Take enough time


9. Hiring is the most important decision at startup stage. Give it your enough time, prepare, read stuff and meet many candidates. Do not delegate hiring.

10. Do not hesitate to headhunt the right guy, no matter how big a company she works for currently. You’ll be surprised how bored good professionals can get working in working big companies.

Your job can give them the freshness they want. Worst she can do is say “no”. There is a high probability that she’ll refer some one else who fits in.

Master the Art of Interviewing

Although your resume is the key to landing an interview, it is essentially the interview that will get you the job. Many job seekers assume that they can rely on their resume and experience to impress potential employers and often make the mistake of not fully preparing for an interview. It is important to take every avenue of opportunity to sell yourself to potential employers, especially in the interview, since this is the most crucial component to your job search.

An interview is the time to let your personality shine and to demonstrate to employers that you would be a valuable asset to their organization. It is essential to do your research before interviewing to learn successful techniques to increase your chances of receiving a job offer. Listed below are some tips on how to effectively handle the interview process:
Do Your Research - It’s important to be confident and prepared. The first step you should take in your job search is to conduct research on companies of interest before applying to a job or showing up for an interview. By understanding and showing interest in the company, you can customize your pitch, demonstrate the value you will bring to the organization and confidently convince employers that you are the right candidate.


Practice, Practice, Practice - Prepare for an interview by running through commonly asked interview questions. Understand that interviewing is a skill and as with any skill, practice makes perfect!


Dress Professionally - When you are on an interview, you are marketing yourself as the best candidate for the job, so it’s important to dress professionally. Appropriate attire and good personal hygiene demonstrates that you are not only willing to take that extra step to look your best but also do your best.


Make a Positive First Impression - First impressions are critical. Arrive early, give a firm handshake and make eye contact throughout the interview. It is important to be confident, but most importantly, be yourself!


Go Beyond the Canned Response - Behavioral interviewing is an ever-growing interview technique. Rather than merely telling the interviewer what you would do in a situation, demonstrate your knowledge, skills, and abilities by giving specific examples from past work experiences. Use this as an opportunity to emphasize the value you would bring to the company by citing a situation where you effectively used your skill set to overcome a difficult situation.


Ask Questions - Express interest and willingness to learn about the company by asking questions and listening to details about the organization. Remember, that you are not the only one being interviewed – you are also trying to determine if the company and position are right for you. This portion of the interview is your chance to shine. Not having any questions for the interviewer can show that you are uninterested and unprepared.


Follow Up - Reinforce to the employer that you bring value to their organization by developing a well-written thank you note. A thank you note is an easy and surefire way to show your appreciation, reiterate you are the best candidate and demonstrate your initiative and follow-through. It is also appropriate to make a follow up call, unless instructed otherwise by the employer.
Prove You Are the Right Candidate for the Job
Regardless of the position you are interviewing for, it is equally important to impress potential employers with your interviewing style and technique. Before your next interview, be sure to brush up on your interviewing skills and remember to be calm and confident to prove you are the best candidate for the position.

Bring Talent to Your Team this New Year....

One of the most basic elements of teamwork is this: Be good at what you do.

Teams need talent. The more of it you bring to the group, the more you can contribute. Build your skills, and, in a very real sense, you are building the team.

You can't have a high-powered team with low-talent people. And sometimes the weakest link in the chain sets the limit on what the group as a whole can achieve.

So keep stretching. Polish your skills and perfect your moves. Master the fundamentals of your job.

Strive for continuous improvement—the Japanese call it kaizen—so the team never stops growing. Keep getting better at your craft, and you can do more to help the team chalk up higher scores. Any time you level off in your learning, the potential of the overall group flattens out a little more. And teamwork always takes a hit whenever people start to lose their touch.

Also keep this in mind—unless you're competent, people really can't afford to count on you. You're best positioned to build a high trust level in the group when you bring talent. Individual ability.

Give teammates good reasons to believe in you. Keep getting better at what you do.

Have the Best Team and a New Year 2010!!!
Abhinav....

Existence of Recruitment Team in your Organization & their role..

Existence of Recruitment Team in your Organization


Introduction
What do you think is the actual role and responsibility of “Recruitment Team” in company? I my previous write-up titled “Roles for HR Professionals in New Economy, I have mentioned about various roles and responsibilities that a “Recruitment Team” can take-up. The key and main role of the Recruitment Team of any organization is “Sourcing” but even if they are not doing that and just working as a mediator between Various Departments and Recruitment Consultancy Firms/Agency … don’t you think they are not justifying their very existence in the system? Lets go in detail and find the solution.


Different resources available for sourcing
The following are the various resources available for corporate houses and organizations to get profiles for their requirements:


1) Advertisement

2) Employee References

3) Job Portals

4) Campus Hiring (including, hiring through different private institutes)

5) Recruitment Consultancies/Firms

6) Resumes‚posted on the website of the company

7) Direct Drop-ins


The last two are ill-managed resources. If managed properly‚these two resources can be very useful and effective. Among the above-mentioned sources “Recruitment Consultancies/firms” is the only source where you cannot, directly get in touch with the “prospective employees”.


I am not against “Recruitment Consultancies”‚I am in favour of them and I want to use them in a better manner. I want to use this resource for “Headhunting”. This gives rise to two more questions? What are different resources available with Consultancy Firms‚for sourcing and what is difference between Sourcing and Headhunting?


Different Resources available with “Recruitment Consultancy Firms” for sourcing Recruitment Consultancy Firms also use all the above-mentioned resources except “Campus Hiring” and “Employee Reference”. (Let me know if there is any other resource available to them). Then, why is it that you cannot tap the talent and they can? Probably, you are not aware of the market? Probably, you are not aware of the business?


What the “Recruitment Team” is actually doing?


First question, if the recruitment team of your company is the final authority to “Select” or “Reject” a candidate? In most of the cases‚your answer will be NOPE, they are not the final authority. That right has been vested on “The Departmental or The Functional Head”. If those Department and Functional heads selects anyone on their own‚without informing you‚you cannot do anything.


Now the second question‚you cannot take any decision (on selection or rejection)‚you cannot even source (just getting people from recruitment consultancy firms)‚then what are you doing in the company? Are you working as mediator or coordinator between “Consultancies” and “Functional Departments”? In such scenarios‚how can you justify the very existence to this “department” in the organization? I am not against “Recruitment Department”‚my question is if they are not doing the very basic and key function of their department-”Sourcing” , then what they are doing?


As soon as they get the requirement from any department or any division they just call their (their selected, short listed or favorite) consultants and place the requirement. I have seen‚in some cases they are not even able to explain to the consultants‚the Job Description‚Job Specifications and roles for the profile that they are looking for. It is an irony.



Solution and Conclusion
It is not my verdict and it is not my decision. It is your company and it is for you to pay. But, I suggest to “Corporate Heads” and “HR-Heads”‚either use your all resources minus recruitment firms‚efficiently or outsource your total “Recruitment Process” to an external agency. This will save a lot of Administrative and Operational Cost. What do you say?

Thanks to: Sanjeev Sharma for his contribution