ICYMI: How to Flood Your Talent Pipeline (10 May)
Ever wanted to hear top-tier advice from startup founders and thought leaders? More specifically, on the issue of securing a healthy talent pipeline? Glints has got you covered.
Just last month, Glints partnered with Collision 8 and a group of leading startup owners, entrepreneurs, and professionals to bring a couple of cozy, informative panel sessions. What were these sessions about, you ask? Mostly problems encountered by every and any entrepreneur, HR manager, or startup owner – hiring and filling up the talent pipeline.
Held on 10 May, Glints’ first panel event – How to Flood Your Talent Pipeline with the Best Candidates – featured an impressive panel of experts, including John Tan, the co-founder of Saturday Kids, Thomas Gorissen, a startup advisor, Adeline Sim, HRNetGroup’s Executive Director, and Seedly’s CEO, Kenneth Lou.
A lot of sharing went on about manpower tactics, engaging talent, and going beyond the normal job ads method – that is, posting and praying. Hiring is now more than tradition – it’s all-encompassing. Our experienced speakers were able to impart valuable insights and advice on going above and beyond for hiring.
“Build a strong team so you don’t carry the weight yourself,” Kenneth highlighted at the very beginning. “My first startup failed because I was trying to tie everything together alone.” His failure led to Seedly’s emergence and success. If his advice doesn’t hold water, what will?
Hiring doesn’t just happen in the office or through formal job postings, revealed through the intimate panel session. Employers sometimes hire in the most unexpected situations – not just in the interview room! Take note if you want to beef up your talent pipeline.
John was candid about his experience: he met his first ever hire “at a concert.” But the hire didn’t happen right there through the blaring music, if that’s what you were thinking. It would’ve been a pretty difficult interview, otherwise! “We reconnected after two years,” John said. “The people you hire come from the most random places.”
Adeline, HRNetGroup’s Executive Director, went on to add, “The people you hire are people you might have come across before in other areas of your life. Get into the lives of people you meet so you can see their performance.”
Other crucial questions were raised, including what hiring methods didn’t actually work, and how people could identify excellent candidates. Thomas Gorissen, a seasoned startup advisor, had lots to say about tackling the hiring problem: “Posting online and waiting doesn’t work very well. The people that hire well leverage their networks. Hiring shouldn’t be fully corporate.”
We’re inclined to agree. Hiring methods are evolving because the talent pool is evolving as well. Millennials are looking for so much more than just stability and money, and these panelists know it.
“Making money doesn’t count as a mission,” John points out. “You need something of a higher order – and having a unique culture will attract certain types of people.”
And speaking of unique cultures – did you know: HRNetGroup organises daily group exercise activities in the morning. It might give you flashbacks of early morning PE lessons in school, but it does wonders for strengthening the unity of the group.
“It’s scheduled, and people know who they can meet there and talk with,” Adeline said. “In community, there is power.” Wise words! Maybe the exercise is worth it, after all.
By the time the Q&A session came around, event attendees were eager to seek answers to their own problems, including being strapped by cashflow when you’re intending to make a new hire. If you don’t have the resources, then what are you going to do when you come across a really great candidate?
John was frank and upfront about it as he answered, “If you can’t afford a person, just maintain the relationship. You never know when you’ll be able to hire them.”
Kenneth provided a daring alternative – finding people who don’t care about the money but instead juicy experience. “You need to really look for the hungry people – look for people fresh out of college.” Small wallet, big dream? Sounds like a solution.
Other tough questions were raised, including the use of the gig economy and especially how to turn things around for a company with a less-than-stellar reputation. Bad Glassdoor reviews, low company ratings, you name it. But our experts weighed in on a company’s worst nightmare and how to rectify it with sound advice.
“Use feedback loops,” Thomas suggested, “People are going to have issues and there needs to be more than enough incentive for them to write back and tell you how you’re doing. Figure out how your customers are reacting to your products.” You know, like how people are giving SMRT a consistent stream of feedback.
“At the end of the day,” Adeline added, bringing up a more personal approach to this problem, “there’s only so much that reviews can do. It’s how you engage your candidates. Be personal with who you want to hire.”
“Fix it from the top, or fix it from the ground up,” said John. And if there’s really bad press about your company’s reputation, “Look the candidate in the eye and be frank about it.”
The panel event closed off with a friendly networking session, but not before our panelists imparted their best pieces of advice just before taking questions from the floor regarding filling the talent pipeline.
“Fire fast. If it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work,” Thomas said, getting straight to the point.
“Be honest with expectations and don’t dress things up,” Adeline offered wisely. “If you have certain expectations, say so to prevent preconceived ideas.”
Kenneth shared insight on effective leadership and growth methods: “Groom leaders. Ultimately, your time is a limited resource. Grow them into thought leaders in the space.”
“Have a clear mission and a strong culture,” John reiterated. “With these two things, you can go very far with hiring.”
By the end of the panel and networking session, our featured speakers shared lots of solid advice and suggestions as experts in their respective fields. In this day and age, when millennials are beginning to make up a third of the workforce, hiring methods need to evolve and adapt. Instead of being stuck in the past and hoping old hiring methods will stand the test of time, why not try shaping up?
Find a new way to break into the market and attract your candidates. If there’s anything this panel session taught us, it’s that you can’t use old tactics on a new generation.
If you’d like to secure the best candidates for your pipeline today, then click here to get started with Glints!
