The Power of People

Humans are your best resource. Here’s how to hire them the right way.

You've always known that one of the biggest hurdles for any business is finding "the right talent".

The talent crunch affects everyone – from Microsoft to the neighbourhood Mom-and-pop store – and your start-up is no exception.

For start-ups, the greatest challenges in attracting talent are:

• no brand name/no reputation for the business

• new setup, so an unknown environment

• simple workplace

• minimal or no support systems and processes

• modest salaries and limited perks.

It doesn't mean start-ups can't recruit good talent. It means the task is a bit harder, but the challenge must and can be overcome. There's enough advice out there but we'll focus on some key how-to's of hiring.

How to find the best recruitment medium?

Compared with hunting for the right people through campus interviews and expensive ads, be present where job-seeking talent abounds and do it for less.

The job search is predominantly and justifiably online. Posting openings on job portals, blogs, through your social network and on your websiteis cheaper than other media. It also provides more space than print to describe requirements and engage interested people. Digital environments make it easier for employers to find people and vice versa and helps employers receive and process resumes faster.

There's also a growing trend towards online social networking when it comes to offering and finding jobs. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter lead the way.

Other options include participating in job fairs and using employee referrals, which are as good as placement consultants but by far more cost-effective.

How to motivate talent to come on board?

Faster growth opportunities, independence in decision-making andaccess to management are the usual expectations of a job seeker within a start-up company. In addition, being involved in multiple tasks and learning new skills is a key selling point of any position at a start-up.

Add to these your commitment and passion, and you have the potential to impress aspirants enough to sign on. Make them feel they're part of your dream and even better, back up the dreamy stuff with tangible rewards. You may not have stock options to offer but you can give out performance-linked incentives and share profits – people tend to try harder when aware thatthe company's fortunes are being linked with their own.

How to best use the recruitment budget?

Try before you buy – try out people and give them a chance to try you out before settling into a long-term commitment.

Hiring a crew of full-time and permanent employees can be a financial and operational risk for any start-up. Interns, temporary workers, freelancers and part-timers can be as effective as full-time pros.

Other than not being on the payroll, such workers are no different than regular employees. They receive the same training, do the same work and create the same value for the organizationfor smaller financial benefits, helping you save more money for hiring the people you really, really want on board.

Lastly, keep your eyes open all the time. You may find your sough-after talent in a coffee shop. Talent is around you. You need the eyes and the means to spot it.

Here are a couple of links and articles that talk more about attracting and keeping talent:

http://whittakerassociates.com/the-next-generation-attracting-and-keeping-talent/

http://www.heymanassociates.com/Spotlight/billspeach1.htm