It’s a common assumption in startups these days: In order to
find good talent, you have to look toward Silicon Valley or New York, even if
you’re based in mid-America. The thought goes that if you want to grow faster,
you need “experienced” startup talent from a larger market.
But this approach may not work for all companies. The high
saturation of Silicon Valley businesses — all looking for the same talent — can
make it nearly impossible to convince top workers to leave the area.
Other businesses might avoid this tactic for personality
reasons, especially those with cultures that don’t mesh with the Silicon Valley
mold. Northern Nevada natives built my company, with a ranch-raised central
team based in humility, ingenuity, integrity, and accountability — not exactly
the style major firms tend to crank out.
Bristlecone Holdings team members
The Bristlecone Holdings team members – source: Glassdoor
As a result of these issues, the best way to find talent for
your business’s particular needs may just be looking close to home.
Recruiting from home has benefits for more than just your
company. Local investments like these can have a strong positive impact on the
community as well. Companies like Amazon, Clear Capital, and Zappos all became
wildly successful flagship startups in secondary markets, and their cities
benefited from that.
When handled with care, a locally focused approach to
recruitment could be the best approach to making your company — and the
neighborhood around it — the best it can be.
A Guide to Startup Recruiting at Home
Convincing local talent to take a risk on a startup can be
challenging, but it’s not impossible. If you add in a few of these strategies,
you can quickly become one of the best places to work in your market.
1. Build a strong employer brand
Use a company hashtag, and encourage employees to contribute
to the company conversation online. Leverage not only your own social feeds,
but also those of engaged and willing employees. This will serve as a window
into your company and attract top talent.
One company that does this well is Buffer. The social sharing
tool company has become well-known as a great place to work, mostly because
employees blog and post about their great experiences on the job. As your
employer brand grows, candidates will begin to trust you more and more.
2. Prioritize your employees
Your team members are your best asset, so treat them like
that from day one. With only 13 percent of all employees worldwide feeling
engaged in their work, there’s a lot still to be done in this regard.
There are a lot of ways to prioritize your employees, from
flexible working hours to onsite breakfast to providing a membership to local
gyms. One of the best strategies, though, is equity. Startups, especially in
small markets, are likely to attract intrapreneurs — employees who get as much
enjoyment from risk-taking and innovation as the founders do. Offering equity
will not only attract like-minded people, but the ownership will also help them
take those risks.’
3. Focus on work environment
Provide an office that is full of challenge, but also
undeniably fun. A positive work environment can lead to employees who are 20
percent more productive and 90 percent more likely to stay with the company.
Strengthen personal bonds with each employee as much as possible — fostered
through the lens of mutual connection to your community — and help them see the
bigger purpose you all have for coming to work.
A focus on positivity in the office can both attract
potential employees and make vocal advocates out of your existing team. Engaged
employees will not only work harder, but they will also become your biggest
brand ambassadors. Provide an environment (as well as a product) they can be
proud of.
Happy employees
photo credit: Nestle / Flickr
4. Groom talent
When possible, hire leaders who already have some
collaboration with your company. They can be partners in business or in
community involvement. This strategy allows you to have a better understanding
about how the new hire will fit into your company.
Most of the time, if you get the right cultural fit, you can
train employees in needed skill sets. A worker with a poor cultural fit, on the
other hand, can lead to turnover — often costing businesses as much as 60
percent of that person’s salary in losses. Work alongside these leaders to get
a feel for their work ethic and general ethos, and if they fit into your
company, find them a spot fast!
5. Develop a strategy for assessing and evaluating candidates
Because you aren’t pulling from the Silicon Valley farm of
candidates, you’ll need a more sophisticated HR system for screening any
potential new hires. Search for clues toward a candidate’s potential with the
company — not just education or direct experience.
My company integrates data-based decision-making into HR
decisions as well. Candidates go through a series of self-assessments and
interviews, which allow us to determine the right jobs and culture fits for
them. This helps us weave in new team members who match with the core team
already in place.
6. Be politically active
Help mold local and state legislation that will impact
entrepreneurs, startups, and their employees. This not only helps the
ecosystem, but it also increases your company’s visibility as a champion for
business and employees.
Maintaining the effort to recruit locally requires some heavy
lifting, but competing for top talent in big markets isn’t easy, either. If
you’re building in a secondary market, consider looking close to home for your
talent. You’ll be surprised at the rewards of hiring homegrown employees.
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