Managing a startup can be a challenge. There are so many things that one has to think of that often some of the most important things get overlooked. Staffing, for instance, is one of the most overlooked areas when it comes to new startup businesses. Most people feel contented hiring their friends and family. More often than not, this is the wrong thing to do. Hiring a new employee should be viewed as one of the most important decisions you are going to take. Startups are usually very small and each new person added to the team is usually like a member to the family. So be extra careful about who you hire. Each employee has an impact on the success of your organization and the smaller your business is, the more impact they will have on its success.
Here’s what to consider when taking up staffing issues or hiring new people:
Consider Your Staffing Needs
While you may know exactly what you need in terms of human resource in your business, you will be surprised at how wrong you can be. Evaluate your needs and make a staffing plan. Do not understaff and at all costs, avoid overstaffing. You do not want someone unnecessarily leeching on your already constrained resources.
Institute Staffing Policies Carefully
Open book tests seem to be the easiest testing measures. However, there are better things you can do. Start off with creating a detailed and specific job description for your staffing needs. However, keep this information only to yourself. This way, not only will you be able to prevent unqualified candidates from getting through, you will also avoid presenting the candidates with a cheat sheet to power through the interviews. Lt the candidates tell you what they can do for you instead of telling them what you want from them.
Maintain Clarity
A lot of people easily get confused between experience and skills. The fact is that experience and skills are very different. An experienced person may not necessarily have the skills to perform the job in the right manner. On the other hand, a skilled person may not have the right experience that the job demands. So you need to be sure whether you want experience or skills or both. Then interview the candidates accordingly.
