Common Recruitment Mistakes Startups Make

If you run a startup business, then choosing the team that will help you to build and develop your vision is arguably the most crucial part of your development. Hiring the right people will be the difference between whether your company thrives or dives - so it’s important that you get it right.

Here are 3 common recruitment mistakes startups make. 

Hiring within rigid job descriptions

When you’re planning the structure of your team it can be easy to focus on the specific job roles you need to fill - rather than the talent you’re hoping to acquire. Hiring to rigid job descriptions is a common mistake that can often see startups turning away high-quality candidates.

Write your job descriptions with flexibility. Write down the specific candidate criteria that is non-negotiable, then list your desirable qualities. 

However, when CVs start to come through - be open-minded.

Perhaps you’ll find a candidate who doesn’t have some of the desirable skills but has additional experience which could truly help your startup to flourish. You can always upskill your team members through training or courses once you’ve hired them, but interesting work experience or a fantastic attitude are truly priceless attributes for any candidate.  

Putting company culture second 

As with any business, your company culture should be a top priority. You want a team that works together seamlessly, challenges each other healthily and has a collective drive to grow the business. 

Consequently, when hiring for startups, personality is every bit as important as skillset. Try not to be blind-sided by someone’s impressive CV - if they don’t have a personality that will fit in with your existing team, they might not be for you.

Sticking to traditional interview methods 

One thing that many businesses forget is that you can interview in whichever way works for you - and this doesn’t always necessarily need to be a straight-up question and answer format. If you’re looking for a candidate that’s creative and can think on their feet - then make sure your interview includes tasks that encourage this. 

Of course, interview questions are a great way of finding out someone’s background, but what better way to see how someone works under pressure than to set them a challenge?

If you’re looking for a designer - get them to design. If you want a writer, then get them to write. If you want a leader, run a group interview and set team building tasks to see who stands up to the challenge. 

Interview in a way that will let your candidate’s desired skills naturally flourish and you’ll have a much better idea of what your new hire is truly capable of. 

Avoid these 3 common recruitment mistakes startups make to build a high-quality and effective team that will help your business to succeed. 

Recruitment solutions for startups 

Here at Rhinorecruitment.com, we are working with startups of all shapes and sizes across various industries, providing tailor-made recruitment campaigns to ensure they are equipped with the best talent. 

Contact us today for more details!