Like many of you, we have spent a fair time in hiring & faced several challenges. So many calls, so many meetings -most have yielded nothing. But recently we were able to hire someone in just 3 days flat, from start to finish. Upon reviewing the process we discovered some hiring hacks that we inadvertently used.
(Thanks Tarun Markose from Teemac for prodding into it and making us answer our own questions!)
- We had done our homework. We knew exactly what the role was about and what qualities to look for. Not only me or Anubhav or Vinit. All of us had a clear idea of the impact this role will bring about. It’s amazing how fast you can move with your hiring when all your stakeholders have 100% clarity of the role.
- We had set right expectations: We recently wrote an open letter to all prospective employees and the gamble paid off. Yes, it has turned away 90% of candidates, but has got applications from those who fit our culture better. The blog also sets an expectations of high level of transparency and honesty from both sides. Pretensions are checked in at the door.
- Brand awareness: This was critical. Over a period of time, we have been able to establish our brand and company values. Bonus points if your potential hires have used your product and have had a positive experience with it.
Energized with this hiring, we took a longer look at our hiring process and laid down these rules:
- Don’t hire for the status, hire for the trajectory. This means choosing people who are smart, hungry and have a point to prove. Not necessarily from IITs or big brand companies.
- Don’t hire if your gut says no: Many times we were tempted to hire experienced people who struck the right chords, but were not really aligned with our vision. We’re glad we didn’t give in to this temptation. Yes, one can always fire them later, but it has various costs.
- Don’t over-convince people: By all means, sell them your vision and try to get them excited. But after a point, just stop. If you have to convince them too hard, they are unlikely to stay with you for too long anyway.
So what are your hiring lessons?
