What are the most effective ways to source candidates for hard-to-fill startup roles?

For early stage companies - find yourself a grey haired person to act as Chair or non exec/mentor and ask their help to start networking across their connections. This is relevant for senior C-suite positions. As you go down to product/technology level this approach may not be sufficient - but I am a big fan of networks and networking.

Having interviewed over a 1000 people in my start-up roles, I can vouch for the fact that knowing what you're hiring for is extremely important. In a start-up environment there can be blurred lines and people wearing several hats. Be sure to know what skills you're looking for, what problems you need to solve, what are the KPIs and how the candidate can grow in the organisation.

In my experience to fill challenging startup roles, I focus on creative sourcing methods like networking events, industry-specific meetups, and engaging with online communities. Building relationships, utilizing niche job boards, and fostering connections through employee referrals are key strategies to attract the right talent for hard-to-fill positions in a startup environment.

Consider soft skills like adaptability for your dynamic startup environment as well. Reflect on gaps in your current team. What personality traits would boost synergy? Does the role need a creative problem-solver, a resilient player, or a charismatic leader? As startups often demand versatility, does your ideal candidate show eagerness for varied tasks and learning new skills? Define red flags to avoid—certain attitudes, past behaviors, or lack of initiative. This comprehensive profile will encompass skills, experiences, and traits, streamlining your hiring process.

When trying to fill a challenging role, it is good to first understand why the job is difficult to fill in the first place. Is it due to internal factors or external demands? It's also crucial for startups to evaluate their own processes, tools, and approaches. There is no such thing as an "ideal candidate" for a startup. Instead, the focus should be on finding someone who is passionate about the technology, the product, or the market. If a candidate is professionally aligned with what the startup is offering, they could be considered ideal for the role.

Drawing from extensive experience in observing the journeys of startups, witnessing both their successes and failures, it becomes evident that the quality of niche talent, including those with transferable job skills from outside the box, plays a pivotal role in their outcomes. This understanding underscores the significance of a tailored and personal approach to sourcing candidates for such roles, as the right individuals, regardless of their unconventional backgrounds, can greatly impact a startup's trajectory.

We've tried hiring from popular places, but they don't always work. - We tried some avenues such as workinstartups and our own Linkedin Networks etc. - University events, particularly entrepreneurship events were a great place to pitch for such talents - Apart from these were pitching competitions where we asked for senior people who wanted to get out of the mould and want to do something different. We have to find non-traditional routes for such people. It takes a different mindset and certain uncertainty handling to work for such roles. Also, one last thing I'd say is - hiring for attitude. Sure, skills are important but they can be learnt

Reaching out in communities, seeking referrals, and tapping into your own network can aid in filling hard-to-fill positions. Sometimes, the person you're looking for may even be hesitant to leave their current role to risk it all and join a start-up. It's important for founders to be involved directly in this process and use an omni-channel approach to finding the right candidate.

Successfully leveraging niche platforms requires a deep understanding of each community's unique language, values, and norms. Active participation, not passive observation, is key. Contribute insights, spark discussions, and offer value to build trust. If you're seeking a data scientist, participate in Kaggle; if it's a UI/UX designer, engage on Dribbble. These platforms serve dual purposes: they allow you to find appropriate candidates and also showcase your startup's culture and mission, turning the hiring process into an opportunity to attract the right talent.

Depending on your context, it may be beneficial to still use LinkedIn but with a different targeted location(s). For a startup located in Luxembourg, where a candidate needs, in most cases, to speak French on top of English, I have always advocated for hiring from non-EU countries, however, the work permit process might be lengthy. Otherwise, AngelList-Wellfound, TryHackMe, Code Warriors, Stack Overflow, hackathons, job fairs, meetups, universities and other educational orgs, and generally better boolean strings are the way to go.

I think being yourself self in the hiring process is critical. I want every candidate to have an accurate picture of what it is like to work with me (and others interviewing them). For me that means taking time at the start of the interview and getting to know them a little bit (just like how we do team meetings). It also means doing something collaborative together or giving direct feedback and ideating with them. I've found the best way to do this is to task them with a simple project or thought exercise and then brainstorming with them afterwards.

Cultivating trust with potential candidates is like crafting a masterpiece; it requires time and skill. Avoid generic messages, instead, tailor conversations to their goals and challenges. Show them you're not merely offering a job, but a partnership in their career journey. Regularly provide valuable content and advice, and engage in conversations that reflect your startup's vision. Follow-ups show genuine interest and keep you in the candidate's mind. Over time, these efforts convert potential candidates into advocates who refer others, broadening your talent pool. It's about nurturing lasting relationships, not just filling roles.

Trust is important, you don't have time to double check everything and you have to trust the people that you hire. If you can't trust the employee don't hire them.

More than often, I realized that it’s hard to compete with established companies, in terms of benefits and also as sometimes career paths require a bright badge on you CV. So how do you attract interest, then keep valuable talents in your startups ? Well, you might have to rely on other elements in the pyramid of needs. In particular, fulfillment, autonomy, sense of achievement, and freedom of working as you like - particularly appreciated with younger generations.

If you are a person who is confident about your own social or relationship-building skills, it is best to "give before take". Show that you care about them and take initiative with candidates goes a long way as they start to have trust in you early. Every person can feel if someone is genuinely treating them well or thinking about them. Keep your feet on the ground and be relistic about visions and goals. It can grow, but try not to be over ambitions to "pick the moon" first time you meet. This can go against you when you try to build trust and a long term relationship.

Encourage a culture of referrals among your in-house advocates—those already invested in your mission. Each platform—website, social media, blog, newsletter—is a vibrant stage to spotlight your startup and convert your audience into active participants of your growth story. Foster shares and likes to echo your brand's message in the digital space. By leveraging your network and brand, you're creating a magnetic pull that transforms observers into applicants. This approach reinvents the hiring game from sourcing to attracting, maximizing your network's potential in the hiring landscape.

Networking with VCs is the best way to leverage your network. VCs have a bunch of connections in the industry and could help without a check, they could bring talent in, give feedback, and invite you to events that could help you succeed.

Referral from/through a trusted source is the most valuable employment source you can possibly find. There is good chance a trusted source knows both sides so well that there is a good chance the partnership might work.

I've shared my worldview of how companies should work and the problems our start-ups solves consistently on LinkedIn and for years have been able to attract potential employees that way. If you build an inspiring culture and you share about it the people drawn to your culture will intentionally be looking for opportunities to join you.

Branding is a key part. If you are just starting out, being authentic all the time is key. People need to feel what's working with you day in and day out. Once you were able to uncover your company brand, use that to help too. :)

And last but not least, do not rush it. As a startup founder you sometimes feel you need to hire the first person you see because people expect you to grow. That's not true. Take your time. Do your due diligence on people. You need to have the best talent in the room with you for success, it's not a process to rush.

If you can create the opportunity to do a little work together to get to know each other before creating a large contract, it is an ideal situation. Surprisingly, when it comes to highly experienced professionals, they are the ones who see this opportunity as a win because they need as much as you do to know if the position is the best one for them.

A customised assessment and personality tests may help us to understand an applicant better. In terms of competencies and personal characteristic Technicality of the job can be trained but one's personal attributes is subjective. Sourcing is never cheap, to fill up a hard to find fill position can be more challenging. Finding an employee with ASK - Attitude, Skills, and Knowledge helps long term employment and promotes employer branding.

Something I've seen in start-ups is the problem of "over-dressing". When start-ups are in their very early days, to attract top talent, especially for hard-to-fill roles, we tend to over-promise and inflate the job titles. Example; you may end up hiring a Mid-Level Manager from a top company and give them a role of Senior Director just to attract them to the position. This comes back to haunt us, when we're growing and raise funding and have the capacity to actually hire for more senior positions with higher pay. It creates unnecessary expectations and conflicts. My suggestion would be to avoid this where possible.

It's helpful to keep a longterm mindset. Book meeting with the top candidates even if they're "not looking right now". The best people are valued by their companies, and paid well for their work. You'll need to build a relationship with them before they consider moving.

It’s worth accepting that it’s only rare individuals who are attracted to a start-up. Lots of people want job security. You might be super excited to go in this crazy journey - but others aren’t. You might have to entice people with safety net exits and financial incentives to get the very best.

One of the challenges is that hard to fill roles tend to be unconventional, and start-ups often pursue conventional resources to fill an unconventional role. HR/TA staff, external recruiters, job boards, etc., are all conventional approaches, and the bias is to seek individuals doing exactly “X” or “Y” for a requisite number of years. When dealing with a hard-to-fill/unconventional role, that profile may not exist, and it is more likely to find someone who is capable of doing the role well based on that person’s combined education, experience, and abilities. In many cases, this candidate may be a cross-functional candidate, someone who has done many different things and is capable of doing many more. For a start-up this is only a plus.

Two things I would stress: - be wary of candidates with only big company experience who entertain a fantasy about working for a start-up. Be clear to such applicants that they won't get big company support and safety-nets. - think how you might offer A list applicants not merely a job, but a career if the business is successful.