The key to the success of any company is building the right team at the right time, but the process of finding, recruiting and selecting the group who will be 'on the bus' through the journey can be one of the least planned out and executed activities in a start-up, often leaving companies having to rein in headcount, or reduce burn and critical gaps in their team at a later stage. In this session you will learn the principles of recruitment and selection as well as practical approaches for early stage companies including critical tips and pitfalls to avoid along with a set of lessons learned from years of supporting start-up companies.
Part of the MaRS Best Practices Series - with speaker Margo Crawford, President & CEO, Business Sherpa
More, including session video: http://www.marsdd.com/events/details.html?uuid=df2648aa-c50c-4c4b-9a61-66101151c9bd
2. Entrepreneur’s Toolkit: www.marsdd.com/entrepreneurs-toolkit.html
HR Workbook 1: Building an A-Team
HR Workbook 2: Compensation
HR Workbook 3: HR at Work
Creating an HR plan: Butteriss on human resources
Building HR processes, policies and procedures
Compensating employees
Hiring your friends: Is it such a good idea?
Video: Human Capital: Building high performance teams
Video: Human Resources Management
Margo Crawfordbusiness sherpa
3. business sherpa group
trusted. capable. results-driven
Start-Up Recruiting
Building Your A-team
Margo Crawfordbusiness sherpa
4. Introduction
GOAL
Share practical realities of building an
A-team in a start-up environment
Tips, tools and lessons learned
Margo Crawfordbusiness sherpa
5. Introduction
September 10th 12:00 – 1:00 PM (Room CR2)
focus on recruitment and selection when
building start up teams
September 17th 12:00 – 1:00 PM (Room CR2)
compensation and rewards strategies/tools
September 24th 12:00 – 1:00 PM (Room CR2)
unique look at sales recruitment and sales
compensation plans
Margo Crawfordbusiness sherpa
6. Background
Business Sherpa
Virtual VP of HR supporting start-ups, early-stage
companies and social venture enterprises
25+ years of HR experience (10+ years in start-ups)
HR Professional of the Year Ottawa 2006
Co-founder of Meriton Networks (optical networking
start-up) from formation to sale 8 years later
Supporting start-ups in Toronto and Ottawa over past
2.5 years as Business Sherpa
Margo Crawfordbusiness sherpa
7. Unique Issues of a Start-up
Founders
May be in leadership roles whether they should be or
not!
Founders are the foundation with biases & preferences
– some good some bad
Money
You have it ….then you are running out of it
Over-filling the ranks will consume your cash quickly
Margo Crawfordbusiness sherpa
8. Unique Issues of a Start-up
Geographic Challenges
Where you form may not be where your ‘talent’ lives
Customers will impact who and where you recruit for
some roles
Market Timing
Don’t get multiple shots at hitting the market window
at the right time – anticipating vs. reacting even more
critical
Miss-hiring and losing time can be a devastating blow
vs. an annoying inconvenience
Margo Crawfordbusiness sherpa
9. Building a Team – Recruitment 101
Your best shot at getting it right
Plan well
Search creatively
Choose wisely
Margo Crawfordbusiness sherpa
10. Financial
Technical
Customer
Milestones
Milestones
Milestones
Milestones
Recruitment
Early Seed Proof of Formation
CEO
PLM
CFO
CTO
(P/T?)
Customer Funding Concept
BD
Lead
HR
(P/T?)
BD/
Series A
Sales
V.1
Customer Product
R&D Sr. R&D
Trials
Year 1
Ready
Marcomms
Company
Launch V.1 GA
Strategic
SE’s
Product
R&D
Revenue
QA Int./Jr.
Strategic
Admin.
Support
Sales
Customer
(Hunter)
Sales Series B
Year 2
V.2
(F/T)
VP
CFO
Sales
Repeat Product
Aim
Sales
+ Margin
New Revenue
Sales
Accounts
VP
(Farmer)
V.2 GA Year 3
Marketing
Product
Yearly
Accountant COO?
Repeat Revenue
Sales Growth
HR
(F/T?)
Sales
Support
Hire
V.1
New Sustaining
Accounts Series C
Year 4
Planning around key milestones = precision hiring
Repeat Quarterly
Support
Customer
Sales Revenue V.2
Growth Sustaining
New
Accounts Year 5
Margo Crawfordbusiness sherpa
IPO/M&A
11. Ready Aim Hire
Key Observations About Recruitment Milestones
HR Admin.
CEO CFO Accountant COO?
(P/T?) Support HR
CFO (F/T)
Recruitment (P/T?) (F/T?)
R&D Sr. R&D VP
Milestones CTO QA Int./Jr. Marketing
Lead R&D Customer
BD/ Marcomms VP Sales Sales
Sales Support
PLM SE’s Sales (Farmer) Support
Sales (Hunter)
Identify Pillar Hires
Key to success, but timing may differ depending on budget, sector,
market, technology, customers, etc.
Creatively Fill Gaps
Functions must get done, even if you can’t hire
Consider all options advisors; part-time/virtual support; contract out;
technology licensing
VP-level Not Necessarily First Hire
Consider what must get done – do you need a ‘doer’ or a ‘builder’?
Margo Crawfordbusiness sherpa
12. Ready Aim Hire
Key Observations – Recruitment Milestones
HR Admin.
CEO CFO Accountant COO?
(P/T?) Support HR
CFO (F/T)
Recruitment (P/T?) (F/T?)
R&D Sr. R&D VP
Milestones CTO QA Int./Jr. Marketing
Lead R&D Customer
BD/ Marcomms VP Sales Sales
Sales Support
PLM SE’s Sales (Farmer) Support
Sales (Hunter)
Building Up Headcount – Easy Solution
Very tempting to over-hire early in order to accelerate timelines
Can seriously affect the burn rate; or consume future key headcount
Be Prepared to Swap Out
Reality of limited time/funds/people
Think strategically
Consider Timing
Recruitment can take from 1 – 3 months; plan accordingly
Margo Crawfordbusiness sherpa
13. Ready Aim Hire
Establish Key Recruitment Funnels
Initially based on your pillar hires
Based on key hires over time
Continue to Fill The Hopper
When sourcing candidates, keep all funnels in mind – fill the hopper as
good candidates uncovered
Development Sales Product Marketing
Mgmt.
Margo Crawfordbusiness sherpa
14. Ready Aim Hire
Finding Talent – time & $$$
High Cost
Process
Executive Search
Head Hunters Spending more $$$ does
not necessarily reduce
time nor improve results.
Internal HR
Employee Referral
Program
Job Board
Social Networking Employee Trusted Individual
Low Cost Recommendations Word of Mouth Endorsement
Process
Low Credibility High Credibility
Sourcing Sourcing
Margo Crawfordbusiness sherpa
15. Ready Aim Hire
Resources To Help
Internal HR Team
Full time may not be affordable
Virtual HR being widely adopted for start-ups – can provide tremendous
value in supporting effective recruitment at a fraction of the cost of
head hunters
Networking
Tremendous networks to support companies: team; MaRS; Board;
advisors; investors; former colleagues; schools
Margo Crawfordbusiness sherpa
16. Ready Aim Hire
Recruiters
DO NOT handoff your recruitment – requires time and management
Expensive 20% - 25% of starting salary – use selectively
Keep focused on roles that are most challenging
Manage tightly and demand results – or change
Use limited recruiters at once – can be very overwhelming otherwise
Select firms that have specialized in your sector
Terms: contingency only and no exclusivity
Executive Search
Use only as needed and for most senior level roles
Typical terms 30 – 35% of starting salary and usually a retainer involved
Used very strategically and NOT as the first tool in the tool kit
Margo Crawfordbusiness sherpa
17. Ready Aim Hire
Typical Approach:
Website (maybe?)
Job
Descriptio
n POST Job Boards
Paper
Engage
Recruiters
Margo Crawfordbusiness sherpa
18. Ready Aim Hire
Typical Result:
Job
Onslaught
Descriptio
n of
responses
Engage
Recruiters
Margo Crawfordbusiness sherpa
19. Ready Aim Hire
Signs of ineffective Recruitment:
Looking at resumes sporadically – as they come in OR as you can get to
them
Interviewing candidates weeks apart
In a continual state of wanting to see who else might be out there
Changing requirements while recruiting
Interviewing on the fly
Preparation for an interview is re-reading the resume
Reality of start-up environment
There are many pressures and fires to be put out – recruitment will not
remain the highest priority throughout the recruitment process
Resources are thin – so support to manage the process is often not there
Conditions constantly changing
Margo Crawfordbusiness sherpa
20. Ready Aim Hire
Keys to Effective Recruitment in a Start-Up:
1. Process
2. Description
3. Choice
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21. Ready Aim Hire
Process
Tight recruitment process will save time and improve results
Create a project plan for each recruitment effort
Have all resources work to this plan and key decision points
Stage 1 – create a recruitment funnel
Job postings – on targeted sites
Recruiters – internal and external as appropriate
Strategic search – source from networks
Stage 2 – develop long list
High quality match resumes only
Do not screen ad hoc – review large sets of resumes at once
Do not allow recruiters to feed resumes in a trickle
Margo Crawfordbusiness sherpa
22. Ready Aim Hire
Stage 3 – identify short list:
Best matches
Aim for 6 – 8 - do not start interviewing until you have this
Stage 4 – 1st round interviews:
Make interviews structured and consistent
Interview with others – efficient; easier to assess candidate (can
have several interviewer groups)
Prepare questions – connect to job description
Stage 5 – 2nd round interviews/testing:
Introduce a ‘testing’ component – e.g. do a presentation for you
Aim for 3 top candidates
Stage 6 – references and offer:
Get permission for references (think about who should conduct
references) Margo Crawfordbusiness sherpa
23. Ready Aim Hire
Sample Recruitment Plan:
Margo Crawfordbusiness sherpa
24. Ready Aim Hire
Description
Becomes an essential filter for automated and
manual search mechanisms
A guidepost to keep selection on track
Job
Descriptio
n
A vanilla job description will
produce vanilla results.
Margo Crawfordbusiness sherpa
25. Ready Aim Hire
Features of Excellent Job Postings for Start-Ups
Clearly articulates ‘table steaks’ skills
Paints a real picture of the ideal candidate
Sells the opportunity through role, technology, industry, etc.
Has a deadline to match recruitment plan
Margo Crawfordbusiness sherpa
26. Ready Aim Hire
Reaching Out – advertising your GREAT opportunity
Job Boards – 2 types
Those that cost a lot and reach millions of candidates
Those that cost little and reach targeted audiences
User groups
Business/professional networks
Professional associations
Alumni associations
Etc.
Print ads – don’t!!! Useless for start ups for $$$
Web site – may or may not be an option (stealth vs. launched)
Word of mouth – ALWAYS – use advisors, board, investors,
colleagues
Social Networking
Margo Crawfordbusiness sherpa
27. Ready Aim Hire
Social Networking has completely changed the game…..
Previously company phone lists were a protected asset
Now – access to everyone
Problem is the clutter has multiplied
One network can access millions
Everyone is a ‘friend’ and can recommend a candidate – with no way of
validating the quality of the reference
SO how do you
find and reach
your stars? Margo Crawfordbusiness sherpa
28. Ready Aim Hire
Best Professional Networking Tool
Pro’s
Access to millions of professionals in all industries, professions
and geographies
Career focused
Provides access to contacts useful beyond recruitment
Con’s
Access to millions of professionals in all industries, professions
and geographies
Unreliable filtering of quality candidates
Adoption just picking up in Canada – network is still light
Margo Crawfordbusiness sherpa
29. Ready Aim Hire
Tips on effectively using Linked In
Post opportunities – about $150/posting
Take every opportunity to build network in all geographies and
industries
Use search capabilities
Reach out to candidates – customized and personal
Leverage common contacts, or marquee roles/industries/
technology
When searching – look at what other funnels you can fill
Update company’s profile – update key events
Margo Crawfordbusiness sherpa
30. Ready Aim Hire
Choice
Biggest failure in recruiting is to have one to choose from
THIS IS NOT A CHOICE!!
Never stop at the front end of the process (filling the funnel)
until a candidate is hired
Do not be left in a default position
AIM TO HAVE A CHOICE
OF 3
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31. Ready Aim Hire
Choosing is the biggest challenge of all!!
Who YOU like the best may not be best for the company
Interview – a balance of asking and selling – hard to know what you are
seeing
Comparing candidates over a protracted process is difficult to do
Interviews easily drift off course
Interviewing is mentally exhausting
A tendency to like or dislike; be cynical or wanting to make candidates
feel comfortable can take away from the evaluation process
A highly faulty process!!! Be aware of this and plan accordingly.
Margo Crawfordbusiness sherpa
32. Ready Aim Hire
Mitigating the Risks:
Prepare questions based on the job description – ask questions that tell
you something
2nd round of interviews can be very telling
1st Interview: 2nd Interview:
Company – asking Company – selling
Candidate - selling Candidate - asking
Interview several candidates over a couple of days – keep it very tight
Know your biases and plan around this
Interview with someone else – so you can mentally rest and evaluate
during interview
Big believer in ‘testing’ – or putting candidate in-situ as much as possible
Finally – put your concerns on the table….in fact force yourself to find
some to put on the table
Margo Crawfordbusiness sherpa
33. Ready Aim Hire
Making an offer:
WAIT – check references first!! ALWAYS
Do your homework
Understand where they are at/expectations
What can you pay
What is the ‘bundle’ you offer (salary, benefits, options, role,
opportunity, sector, technology) – this is the offer – not just $$$
Provide verbal and written offers (make sure you have a solid
employment contract) with a deadline to accept – so you can go back to
other candidates
Once offer is accepted – keep connected to the candidate until they are
in the door and in seat
Margo Crawfordbusiness sherpa
34. Best Recruiting Tips for Start-Ups
1. Know the pillars you must build upon.
2. $$$ spent ≠ saved time or quality results.
3. Use full scope of recruitment tools.
4. No not hand off recruitment
5. Most effective recruitment:
Tight Process
Clear Description
Have Choices
Margo Crawfordbusiness sherpa
35. Best Recruiting Tips for Start-Ups
6. Descriptions are your best filter and
guidepost to keep recruitment on track
7. Never make a default choice – aim for 3 solid
candidates to choose from.
8. Know the biases risking the process – mitigate
these.
Margo Crawfordbusiness sherpa