Best Golden Rules for Talent Selection in Startups

Talent has become one of the pillars in any organisation to achieve success in an increasingly competitive environment. But if we talk about startups, this argument makes even more sense.

What Aspects Characterise a Startup?

These are emerging companies with excellent growth potential, which generally have a high technological component and start from an innovative idea.

This means that startups tend to be in constant transformation by their very nature, which is why they need a dynamic, flexible team willing to face new challenges constantly. What aspects do you think should guide the selection processes in this type of organisation?

Transparency

For startups, one of their primary audiences is investors since their growth and consolidation in the market depend primarily on their financing. And to gain the trust of your potential allies (Venture Capital, Business Angels, Private Equity, or financial entities), it is essential to demonstrate that the selection of talent is carried out professionally and transparently, without falling into what we could call “cronyism.”

This aspect is also essential for attracting new employees because we cannot forget that talent attracts talent. For all of the above, outsourcing the selection, at least for the critical positions of the project, is the best option to guarantee transparency and generate trust in all the startups’ audiences.

Specialisation

Startup founders can sometimes get carried away with their desire for control and deep understanding of business needs and take on recruiting talent as their chore. The truth is that it is always preferable that a selection specialist is in charge of carrying out the process, someone with knowledge of the market and the needs in terms of knowledge and skills, as well as the experience and ability to interpret references and information of the candidate properly.

Minimise Risks

If the selection of professionals making a right or wrong decision can impact any company, when we refer to startups, depending on the stage in which it is and the position that we are going to cover, it can be crucial.

Must also consider that the selection processes are based on people, and these, in addition to being valued for their skills and knowledge, also go through different moments throughout their lives. 

Finding motivated candidates both personally and with the project can be a differentiating factor in the success of startups, and having the right advice is essential to identify these aspects.