By Tian DuBelko
For many founders, hiring the first non-founding employee is the biggest decision they’ll make early on. Think about it, your first employee not only affects your company culture going forward, but they also burn up your likely modest budget. Attracting the top tech talent- the best software engineers, DevOps, data scientists, etc, is vital to your company’s long-term success. But how do you do that as a young startup?
As the old adage goes, “If you build it, they will come.” In entrepreneur terms, if you make your business where people want to work, ala Google, it won’t be long before talented techies come knocking on your door.
Here are some ways that founders can attract the top tech talent:
1. Focus on culture
Building a positive workplace culture from day 1 is the first step to creating a fun and engaging work environment. When employees are happy to come to work, they are more productive and motivated. Also, a workplace that offers personal and professional growth, along with the potential for a bigger role within your organization, is very attractive to ambitious tech talent whose values align with yours.
Recommended: How Tech Founders Can Cultivate A Strong Workplace Culture
2. Stand out from your competitors
Since fresh startups generally lack the name-recognition and resources of already established companies, they need to find some other way to differentiate their brand. Sometimes it’s as easy as getting the word out. Hosting networking events, interacting with your local community, and having a strong LinkedIn presence- these are all ways to generate excitement and get your company noticed.
3. Grow your employer brand
Tech giants like Google and Amazon rarely have to post job openings, since all the top talent flocks to them. Why? Because these companies have good reputations as places to work and provide value to their employees rather than only taking value from them. The more you build your brand, the more talent you will attract over time. Advertising helps, but organic word-of-mouth will help create a genuine buzz for your brand.
4. Look to universities
Some of the most talented and brightest techies are found in fresh college graduates. Due to their current skill sets and clean work background, college grads can be good additions to your startup team. Whether it’s internships or regular employment, it can be a very worthwhile investment to maintain good relationships with top universities to recruit from them. Career fairs also are a great place to look for tech talent.
5. Show how candidates will make an impact
Nobody goes to work with the intention of being just another cog in the machine. That’s why for many ambitious techies, the prospect of working at a startup is more appealing than working at a large company with many levels of bureaucracy. Show job candidates that the problems they solve and the products they build have real and lasting impacts on people’s lives. That resonates deeply.
Recommended: 3 Ways to Make Your New Team Member Feel Right At Home
6. Ask current employees for referrals
The importance of fostering a positive word-of-mouth about your company and your team can’t be stated enough. If you can create a referral program that excites your employees, then the referrals will come flooding in, and you will have many qualified and pre-recommended candidates to choose from.
7. Hire Talented People
No matter what strategies you opt for, your company is defined by the people that run it. It’s important to screen potential candidates for shared values and goals so that you find the right fit for your company. Eventually, people will want to join not only for your company culture but also to work with the high-skilled tech talent that already works here. Great talent attracts other great talents, especially in tech.
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