Startups that experience rapid growth are using best-in-class recruitment strategies to fight for talent. They know they want the finest even if they have to duke it out with the likes of Google or Amazon. But how does a small fish go toe to toe (or should I say, fin to fin) with a killer whale? They effectively answer one question: why should I work for you and not Google?
What’s so great about you?
Before you jump ahead and start listing off your company perks, think about yourself as the founder. The company is an entity, sure, but it’s your entity. Who you are has a major impact on your organization’s brand and culture. Plus, you’re the boss – whoever you hire has to ultimately report to you. Do you inspire passion? Are you relatable? Are you authentic? People want to work for the real deal, so if you’re trying to figure out how to grow your business, you have to start with yourself.
What’s so great about your company?
Now we can get to talking about your startup, but keep the beer fridge to the side for now. Here, we want to dive into the meat of the pitch. What does your company do, and why would a candidate buy in? Hiring for growth involves aligning your company mission with the intrinsic motivations of potential hires. There may always be a debate on whether people will choose money over passion – but you probably want those who’d choose passion to be on your side.
Read More: Finding the “why” of your company
Google has slides, what do you have?
Now we can talk about the beer – but also health benefits, work-life balance and development programs. It’s imporant to blend information about the fun stuff, like games and offsite activities, with the critical stuff, like vision care and dental health. Flexibility is key as well. Let candidates know they can work from home around an appointment, take off a bit early for an important function, or take a mental health day if things get intense. Make sure you show your potential hires that you’re willing to invest in them if they invest in you. Simple things like paying for courses, sending them to conferences, or having regular coaching sessions do a lot for your company appeal.
Although you may not have a massive budget, slides, and state-of-the-art campus, if you can answer these three questions well, you can still go up against the big guns. It may not be easy, but you’ll have a fighting chance – and top talent is definitely worth fighting for.