Marcus Richards
Hiring employees for your startup is one of the most important decisions you’ll make. It’s a decision with long-term implications, so it’s crucial that you do it right from the start.
Not all employees are equally suited to startups and their unique demands—and some will be better than others at helping your company grow and thrive over time.
So how do you know if someone is really the right fit? Here are some qualities we’ve found in successful CV examples that are helpful in identifying great candidates for a startup.
Ability to think outside the box
When approaching the recruitment process, you should ask yourself, “Am I hiring someone who can think on their own?”. A good startup employee must have the ability to think outside of the box.
This means that they have a mentality that allows them to find solutions when problems arise, rather than relying on what has already been done in the past.
To put it simply: if they can’t, then they won’t be valuable. They’ll just be a cog in your machine. But if they can, then you’re getting someone who will help make your company better.
If you want your team to be as efficient and productive as possible, it’s important to look for employees who are creative thinkers and always willing to take risks—especially when you’re working with an early-stage startup
Adaptability and resilience
Adaptability and resilience are two qualities that you definitely need to look for if you want to attract the best employees for your startup. Startups are constantly changing and evolving, so you need people who can adapt quickly, keep up with the change and not get left behind.
Resiliency is about bouncing back from failure or setback. It’s about handling problems as they arise without letting them get under your skin too much or affect your overall attitude. It’s also about being able to learn from mistakes so that when similar ones happen in the future, they don’t have the same impact.
Analytical skills
Analytical skills are not just essential for data-driven companies. This skill set can be used to collect and analyze data but also make sound decisions and solve problems. It’s important to look for employees who possess the ability to break down complex problems into smaller pieces—and then solve each piece independently of the others
Your employees should have a strong understanding of how small decisions affect larger ones. They need to see the big picture and understand how their work fits into it, rather than just focusing on what needs to be done right now.
Collaborative abilities
Collaboration is important for all startups, no matter the industry. It allows companies to work together when they need to, and it also helps employees share their knowledge. The best way to ensure that your employees are able to collaborate effectively is by making sure they have the right qualities in place.
Your employees should be willing to share ideas and listen to suggestions. They shouldn’t hold grudges against other employees just because they don’t agree with them on everything—you want someone who will be open-minded enough to accept new perspectives into the process.
Empathy
Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of others. It’s a quality you’ll want in your growing team, because it allows them to see things from their colleagues’ perspectives and help create a mutually beneficial team culture.
This quality is also important when hiring people who will be interacting with customers or clients. If a salesperson isn’t able to put themselves in their customers’ shoes, they may not be able to handle customer complaints or objections effectively and could end up losing deals that would’ve been profitable for the company.
Humility
A humble person is someone who is self-aware, sensitive to others’ needs and respectful. They are receptive to criticism and feedback from others, even if they don’t agree with it. They also listen well.
Humility is an important quality because it helps you build a good team that works together effectively and collaborates well. Humility doesn’t mean you don’t have confidence or aren’t driven. It means that you’re not egotistical or narcissistic because of your success—and aren’t threatened by others’ success either.
Passion
Passion is perhaps the most important quality to look for when hiring. Passion is what drives people to do whatever it takes to make their dreams a reality, and it’s also what makes them great employees.
When you see someone who has passion for what they’re doing, it’s like an extra boost of energy that keeps them going through the tough times. Ensuring your hires have passion for the job makes sure you employees will be happy in the long-term!
The most important thing to remember when hiring is that you should always be looking for the right fit. That doesn’t mean hiring a clone of yourself, but rather someone who will bring their own unique talents and knowledge to the table and help your team succeed!
