Startups must hire these seven types of employees

For startups that want to grow and grow, the workforce should have ex-startup talent to those nearing retirement, says Alexander Souter of Overcart

Neha Singh Verma, TimesJobs.com

In the highly competitive Indian market, the focus for startups should always be on execution to survive and grow. Getting people who have the ability to drive results and scale businesses is the key in the startup set up, Alexander Souter, MD and cofounder, Overcart, an online marketplace for unboxed and refurbished products, told TimesJobs.com.

He listed seven types of employees startups should hire:

1. Multi-taskers: The key to startup success. In a fast-paced environment, the ability to juggle a multitude of projects is critical. This explains the bias of startups towards younger candidates that can be trained and driven to be able to complete 10 tasks at a time.

2. Sales staff: They are worth their weight in gold. For any companies that have enterprise selling, the battle for that talent is going to be aggressive.

3. Ex-startup talent: Battle scarred and battle ready. A number of startups have shut down or are in the process and a lot of highly talented individuals are coming into the market looking for a new home. They’ve been groomed by someone else and have experienced the highs and lows. They have scars to show and if they’re willing to go at it again, you have a winner on your plate.

4. Ex-entrepreneurs: The best of the best. Differentiate between wanna-preneurs who have spent three months building a startup but not sticking it out and entrepreneurs who have built and actually shipped products. They didn’t find product market fit; they couldn’t raise funding or needed income to support the family – no problem; it happens to everyone. But they built something, saw it to its conclusion and gave it their best. And they will do the same for you.

5. Good recruiters: Least valued, most impactful. A strong recruiter will bring the best talent into your company – and we all know that talent is the key. Too often, HR is neglected as a fluffy function (although HR people often bring this onto themselves). Recruiter who is business-driven, metric-oriented and culturally-aware, will ensure you have the best talent in your sector.

6. Ex-Army: They will instill discipline into your troops. A lot of ex-Army personnel are looking for career changes, doing MBAs from good schools, and are hungry to climb a different ladder. If they could defend the borders, don’t you think that maintaining smooth processes is going to be a walk in the park for them?

7. Close to retirement talent: So much to give. The toughest cultural question for startups, especially younger entrepreneurs, is how do you manage someone as old as your dad who you would call uncle in a social setting? This one we have been grappling with for years — how to culturally integrate more experienced talent with the short and flip-flop wearing 20-year-olds running around our offices on caffeine highs and fist-bumping each other. We haven’t solved it yet, but someone will!

source: techgig.com