To start with, the junior rung of prospective employees don't comprehend what startups are. They don't understand that they'll need to work for a small-name company AND take a cut in salary (assuming they've worked before) AND do more than what their profiles require (read move offices, pay bills, carry out some random admin work). I think they also don't understand the wealth of experience that comes with working in smaller companies and ofcourse the stock! (If you hang around long enough to avail them ofcourse!) and so the job to convince and recruit the good ones is almost uphill.
My biggest problem has been choosing between a candidate with people skills against one with technical skills. Good, smart guy with communication skills. Doesn't know MS office or Internet. Whizkid at Excel and Google search. Dud at going out there and talking to people.
Ah well, its just another day...
My biggest problem has been choosing between a candidate with people skills against one with technical skills. Good, smart guy with communication skills. Doesn't know MS office or Internet. Whizkid at Excel and Google search. Dud at going out there and talking to people.
Ah well, its just another day...
4 comments:
Hi Puja,
I completely agree with you about this employee thing. I am also running a startup company Eulogik(http://www.eulogik.com) at bhopal. I hardly find an employee who is well skilled technically and socially both. Also, the ones we train are not so satisfied as they start thinking of switching to big companies even if they know they will be doing just testing and the documentation thing there.
Do you find any way to make them feel they are really getting a good chance to learn something they wont be learning elsewhere and to prove themselves by making it successful?
btw, I was there at BarCamp Pune 3. I guess I remember you if there was only one gal with small hairs and a badge captioned PUJA :)
Heya Gautam,
Yes that must be me :)
Yes this hiring business is a hassle isn't it? I've learnt that even on that junior level, there are some kids who are looking for more off-the-beaten-track opportunities and want to work in small time companies/startups. But its definitely a headache sniffing them out!
All the best! Hope to catch you at some unconference somewhere :)
For a startup you would obviously want to have skilled person, but how many off them would come to a startup instead of going to the next level, with branded ones. Either be in startup learn a lot from startup and move to a bigger one or be in a bigger one and come to a startup and grow along with it in a higher post than before. Not many understand this and it is our job to make them understand and convince them. It is pain but part of communication and trust challenge. As a starter why would i want to come to a startup even if i am skilled technically and also in people management. I had the same thought as a starter to move to a big company after that but i was convinced seeing what i learnt from every project, which is the job of the Resource Management, the Manager and the HR. No wonder i am in the same where i started, it's been 9 years now :-)
Sorry my name is Hari.
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