There’s no denying that technology is the engine driving the growth of the digital economy. In fact, many would agree that we are in the midst of a tech-driven revolution rather than an evolution. The challenge for founders of emerging companies is how to leverage technology to gain a competitive edge. For most startups, finding and retaining talent takes priority over all other operational activities. At this stage, it’s important to identify the right people with the right skill sets and experiences who will also be willing to join your team. There are numerous challenges facing startups when it comes to hiring new employees — whether they be internal team members or new external hires. It’s not easy finding individuals who have a passion for innovation and supporting new ideas while also balancing analytical thinking and systems thinking.

Grow Your Own Talent

The first step in building your team is to find and develop the right internal talent. Startups should hire people who have a passion for innovation, a willingness to learn, and a desire to disrupt the status quo. Additionally, you want to find individuals who have the capacity to solve problems and think both analytically and systems-wise. While it may seem logical to hire experienced engineers or designers, the reality is you want to hire people who bring a fresh perspective to the table and can help you innovate. This also allows for greater flexibility when hiring people who are new to the industry as they may not be as restricted by previous experiences or skill sets.

Hiring Interns

Hiring interns is a great way to keep costs down and get new talent in the door. Interns are typically eager to learn new skills, network and build their portfolios. When hiring interns, you want to find individuals who are eager to learn, have a passion for your company, and are willing to commit to a certain number of hours per week. Make sure, though, that interns are getting real experience and not just busy work. This will allow them to develop skills and gain an understanding of what it’s like to work in your industry. It will also help them decide whether they’d like to pursue a career in your business.

Finding Programmers

Finding programmers is one of the biggest challenges facing startups today, and the tech talent shortage is only making this challenge more apparent. It’s important to remember that not all programmers are created equal. Finding the right programmers will depend on your company and hiring needs. For example, if you’re hiring for a software engineering position, you want to find individuals with experience in designing, developing, and testing software. It’s also important to keep in mind that hiring programmers with experience in your industry will allow you to save time and money in the long run as they will likely have an understanding of current best practices and be able to hit the ground running.

Finding Developers

Finding developers can be a challenge because there is a great deal of variation in programming languages. Therefore, it’s important to know what your engineering staff will be working with so you can hire the right people for the job. Some of the most common programming languages include C, C++, COBOL, C#, Java, JavaScript, Python, and Ruby. It’s also important to take into consideration the type of project your startup is working on. If you’re building a new product or starting a new engineering project, you may want to consider hiring developers with experience in the very latest technologies. Finding people who are up-to-date with the latest technology developments allow your engineers to focus on building your company’s product and not the underlying technology. Additionally, Stack Overflow has a useful employer branding solution that is great for driving awareness to a development cohort. It's also important to consider the role of a tech recruiting firm in finding and sourcing specialized talent.

Finding Designers

Finding designers can be easy if you have a certain skill set in mind. However, it’s important to remember that designers come in all shapes and sizes. If you are specifically looking for someone who specializes in print design, then your search will be relatively simple. But if you are open to hiring designers with various skill sets and education, you may have more luck finding the right designer to fit your needs. There are an enormous amount of resources when it comes to finding top UX and UI talent. However, one of the fastest ways to source talent quickly is to consider leveraging a qualified UX recruiting firm. Finding designers also means taking into consideration the level of experience they have. More seasoned designers will have a broader skill set, allowing them to take a wider view of your company’s design needs. Newer designers, on the other hand, may not be able to assist with larger-scale problems and may only be useful for smaller design tasks.

Finding Testers

Finding testers can be a challenge, especially if you don’t know where to look for potential candidates. There are a few ways you can find testers. You can reach out to friends, colleagues, and contacts in the industry and ask if they know anybody who may be a good fit for your team. You can also post a job listing online to see if anybody responds. As with most positions, the best way to find talented testers is to describe the skills and experience you are looking for and then browse the various testing job boards. You can also look at industry conferences and events to find potential candidates. The more specific you can be in your search, the better.

In Closing

Building a team is no easy feat. Finding the right talent to join your team is a challenge that every startup faces. Before you begin the process of finding new hires, it’s important to evaluate your company’s culture and hiring needs. Once you have this information, it will be easier to find the right candidates. When hiring new employees, keep in mind that everybody makes mistakes. It’s important to hire people who are willing to learn from their mistakes and who understand that failure is a necessary part of innovation.