Four steps to build a recruiting strategy for your startup

In a startup, the strategy is everything. Teams often spend months refining a strategy around perfecting their sales processes. An ever-evolving Design strategy serves as a foundation for how users think about and interact with your product. Product strategy is ever ongoing as new features are envisioned and developed. However, startups rarely put the same time and effort into developing a strategy around how they can attract the talent they need to execute their vision.

There are four key steps to work through when assembling your recruiting strategy. Each of these will help set expectations, reduce surprises during interviews, and ensure informed hiring decisions.

Step 1: Construct a hiring roadmap

Don't be reactive in your hiring. Spend some time thinking through how you plan to grow your company and the needs you'll have along the way. This roadmap serves as the foundation for your hiring plan.

By anticipating your needs ahead of time, you'll give yourself enough time to think through the rest of your hiring strategy for each role specifically. You don't want to find yourself scrambling at the last moment. You need to be thoughtful and measured in your approach.

Step 2: Define a mission statement for each role

Using your startup's overall mission as a starting point. Define a mission statement for the specific role you are hiring for. Creating this mission statement will help you better understand and quantify your needs and how someone in this role will contribute.

This role-specific mission statement becomes a key piece that you'll communicate out to potential candidates to ensure that they understand the role and how it is aligned to your business vision.

Step 3: Write detailed job descriptions

Now, with the mission statement serving as a reference, you'll need to craft a detailed job description for the role. The more time spent on this description, the more your hiring process will be.

With the job description, you want to set as many expectations as possible around role requirements, key performance indicators, expectations, growth opportunities, compensation, benefits, and work environment.

Step 4: Create a clear interview process

Spend some time thinking through what your interview process should be. This will help you determine the overall internal effort and attention it will require. Additionally, defining an interview process ahead of time helps in creating consistency in how you evaluate each candidate.

You should also communicate this process to candidates. They should know what to expect each step of the way.

The finished strategy

When complete, your recruitment strategy will represent the culture you want to cultivate within your company. For candidates, it will communicate your mission and exist as a demonstration of your values. For your team, it will serve as a reference point to ensure the hiring process runs smoothly and consistently.

Hiring the perfect team isn't something you will just stumble into. You need a well thought out plan to grow your team the right way. By planing ahead and spending the necessary time to craft a well-thought-out recruiting strategy, you'll be equipped to attract and hire the talent you need.