Dive Brief:
- Around 75% of startups fail, and 25% fail within the first year, says Will Caldwell, co-founder and CEO of Dizzle and SnapNHD, in Entrepreneur. These are stark statistics, but it means that startup companies must do their best to secure top people in the industry in order to survive their early, tumultuous years.
- Caldwell shared his top 4 tips for reeling in great talent that startups use, and anyone else can try. These include: building a strong brand (think Apple), hiring remote workers, reaching out to fresh college grads, and hiring those who fit the culture, not those who carry big credentials.
- Where can startups find these candidates? Check out industry events and be sure to take a look at associations and networking venues, Caldwell says.
Dive Insight:
The tips that Caldwell gives are spot on, in terms of attracting candidates for both startups and more established companies. All companies could stand to extend their recruiting reach beyond those with high college credentials to improve diversity hiring and ease skills shortages. It's not uncommon for a strong hire to have picked up their skills on the job or outside a traditional university setting.
One more strategy to steal from startups: Remaining transparent about expectations and hiring processes. This will weed out candidates who are not right for the company and identify those primed for greatness, as well as ensure nothing out of left field endangers a potentially strong candidate relationship.
