For startups: How to create an effective recruitment framework for your hiring needs

Scaling is always one of the top priorities of any startup, whether they’re based in Singapore or anywhere else in the world. And while startup founders have much on their plate, recruitment (even for interns) is something that takes precedence – especially if you’re trying to make the jump from Series B to C! So, just how can you effectively scale without burning out? The answer to this is having a solid recruitment framework put into place.

Before we get into the recruitment framework itself, however, we need to look at some of the problems employers and startup founders often face when hiring.

Too fast, too furious: the dangers of hiring before you’re ready to commit

We know, we know – you don’t want to let this candidate slip from your fingertips. But jumping the gun is an instinctive, reactionary thing – which means you probably won’t think too much about your decision before making it.

It could be that you want desperately to put your tech team together and scale into the next stage, or that you’re a feeling a little kiasu about letting your competitors snatch this talent away. But patience is a virtue. Hiring too slow is a bump in the road, but hiring too fast can burn up your resources before you realise what’s happening.

The recruitment framework you need: personas, personas, personas!

So just how do you stop yourself from going trigger-happy when you hire? An effective recruitment framework will keep you focused and well-paced as you search for your candidates.

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Much like how a digital marketing professional creates marketing personas for themselves, you need recruiting personas as part of your recruitment framework to help you along the chaotic hiring process. Figure out things like the ideal candidate’s age range, personality traits, and the desired skills you simply can’t do without. That way, you’re able to easily look at a pool of candidates and eliminate the ones that don’t make the cut.

Once you figure out your dream candidate’s skill set and values and hammer out that awesome job description, it’s time to work out an interview plan. Ask focused questions that relate to these skills and traits instead of asking your interviewees the standard, “So where do you see yourself in five years?” Been there, done that – it’s time to zoom in on the things you really want in your next great hire. Just as applicants need to think up thoughtful questions for their interview, you need to do the same.

If you know exactly what you’re looking for in a candidate, you’ll know who you shouldn’t hire! It’s that simple.

Recruitment’s key ingredient: setting realistic candidate expectations

So, now you have your shiny new recruitment framework. What’s next? The other half of a successful recruitment run is knowing how to set realistic candidate expectations.

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What does that even mean? It means making things as crystal clear as possible to your soon-to-be new hires, including the type of work you expect them to produce within the first 6 months of working with you to the first year of work at your startup. This is important so your potential hires don’t feel like they’re walking into new territory blindfolded. They need to know what they’re saying yes to.

It also goes without saying that the candidate experience during the recruitment process needs to be nothing short of awesome and memorable, too. Treat your potential hires the way you treat your customers – or even better, how you yourself want to be treated! Whether it’s a simple interview or onboarding them on day one, you need to bring your A game when it comes to the candidate/employee experience. It’s all part of the big employer branding game.

So there you have it: the main ingredients of your ideal recruitment framework, and knowing that there’s a need for a great candidate experience. As long as you know the kind of person you want on your team, hiring shouldn’t be a fast and thoughtless decision (speed kills!).

If you’re looking for an efficient and time-saving way to secure your next star candidate, click here to access our platform and schedule a free consultation with the team. We’re always here to help, especially when it comes to digging up the best talent there is out there.