Team development is everything in the beginning. If a startup doesn’t staff wisely, the ship can quickly flounder. But finding a great hire is no easy task in a saturated job market, especially when the perfect candidate might not be looking for a job. Despite a vast sea of online job boards, tools, and applicant tracking systems, hiring remains a struggle.
Think of a superhero movie. The mission is just too daunting for the protagonist alone. The hero will search through their directory of fellow superheroes, rebels, and those with complementary skill sets. As the team is assembled, it becomes clear that some recruits are already engrossed with other work, see too much risk in the proposed job, or have unsettled business with one of the team’s members.
Something that a successful protagonist never does is settle.
The team is going to assist in developing a vision, reaching goals, and even setting limits. That’s why it is so important to reach for the best. In the early stages, a startup will likely begin with active recruitment — the process of attracting prospects that often are not seeking work. If the vision of the startup is strong, shows promise, and inspires the prospect, they might be unable to resist the temptation of an intoxicating new career journey.
“When you’re a startup, you’re not going to be able to compete from a compensation perspective with Amazon and Google, or the other big banks. So you can’t lead with that package,” said Craig Markovitz, an entrepreneur and assistant teaching professor of entrepreneurship at Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School of Business. “What you can offer people is an opportunity to really make a contribution to see the results of their labor and commitment — and that’s really the kind of person that you want.”
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