Start-ups can’t afford to hire the wrong person. A big corporation can absorb mistakes better and maybe make things work out, but start-ups don’t have this luxury. They also aren’t likely to have an HR department. So the hiring strategy is a little different. Here are four things your start-up should do to get the right talent.

Scout

You need to do this all year. When you have a pressing need and when you don’t. When you have money and when you don’t. If you lose a key member, you need to have worked up some sort of go-to.

Balance Cash and People

Start-ups are often short on people or cash, sometimes both. It’s normal to ramp up when you win some new business, but you have to be prepared before you win that business. Employee referrals are often really helpful, but you don’t have to provide a hiring bonus.

Think Culture

It’s really important the person you hire gets along well with others in your office. Things can get toxic quickly in a start-up, and productivity will take a hit if you’re not careful. Be collaborative in the process.

Use Technology Correctly

Video interviews and Skype are great timesavers. Use them to weed out candidates. As mentioned earlier, it’s important that the person really gels with your team, so don’t substitute one-on-ones for video conferencing, but don’t be afraid to start the process with tech.

Part of the fun of being a start-up is that you get to enjoy all the wonders and pitfalls of being a small company. You have to take risks, but you also have less margin for error. But you can create a dynamic office filled with people who love showing up in the morning. Pay attention to the details.

About NextGen

NextGen is the brainchild of longtime telecom professionals with nearly 50 years of experience and millions of dollars in Telecom Recruiting Services. We focus on establishing long term relationships with our clients and candidates so we can recruit the best and the brightest in the telecom industry. This ‘quality over quantity’ approach is at the heart of everything we do and has resulted in successful job placements at Fortune 1000 firms worldwide.