Helpful Advice For Choosing Your SaaS Startup’s First Hires

The hiring process should be easy for your SaaS. To help you win, we shall discuss an effective startup hiring strategy for your SaaS. 

One of the growth factors for SaaS companies is the employees. If a company hires the right brains and minds, it becomes much easier to break new frontiers, reach set goals, and achieve its aims and objectives. However, hiring employees that will scale your company can become a burden if you don’t know the best startup hiring strategy.

To prevent this situation, we shall walk you through an extensive discussion on how to hire for your startup. In the end, you will have realized the steps to follow in hiring the right talent for the available jobs in your company. 

Analyze the Positions that You Need to Hire For 

Think about this as a health issue. A pharmacist or doctor prescribes drugs based on your signs and symptoms. Let’s bring this back to hiring (for startups). Startups must first identify the positions they want to fill before considering the person(s) for the roles. Ask yourself what there is to do. What vacancy is there to fill? What tasks need handling? These and more form the job analysis process.

The job analysis process exceeds the mere provision of job descriptions that we often see on many recruitment websites. Job analysis is the process of identifying roles & responsibilities of a job. It also entails outlining needed skills, objectives, and work environment. 

In addition, it spells out the goals, competencies, expectations from the onboarding process, and information about the review of performances. Preparing a detailed job analysis attracts suitable candidates and helps further in recruiting, onboarding, career development & training, performance review, etc.

Job analysis is significant because it gives intending employees a detailed picture of your startup’s expectations of them. They will fully grasp the ‘what,’ ‘how,’ ‘when,’ and ‘why’ of an available job. Here’s how to conduct a result-oriented job analysis;

1. Prepare the Job Requirements

Leave no stone unturned when preparing the requirements for a job. Get a comprehensive list of the job’s roles, responsibilities, and requirements. Ensure that the requirements for a job match the job title. For example, if you are hiring a software developer, you should not provide the requirements meant for a UI/UX designer. 

Also, outline the skills a candidate should possess to get hired for a role. To better understand a job requirement, you can connect with employees who fill the same positions you’re hiring for. Inquire from them about what the job entails and incorporate their feedback into your job requirements. 

To better draft a job requirement, you should observe the needs of other employers. This step will expose you to updated requirements for a job. Check your competitors’ websites, the jobs section on LinkedIn, and job recruiting websites to weigh your requirements against theirs. 

2. Set KPIs (Key Performance Indicators)

Set goals and fix timelines to achieve them. Outline your goals and set a timeframe for achievement. Communicate the company goals and KPIs to your employee. Ensure that the employees clearly understand your expectations. 

3. Training and Salary

As you hire for positions in your startup, organize training and specify salaries. Training should be held periodically to improve employees’ skills and competencies. In addition, determine the proper remuneration for your employees. Review the salary range within your industry to set the right salary amount. Likewise, you can get a cue from your competitors. 

Take Your Time to Choose the Right Fit

Hiring quality talents for positions in a startup company requires patience. Several situations – work overload, the need for an expert, etc. – might entice you into hiring fast without proper vetting. Do not fall for it. Instead, dedicate quality time to hiring suitable candidates to avoid frustration or the inability to reach company goals in the long run. Avoid settling for the available option. Instead, wait for the best fit regardless of how long it takes. 

Explore Your Network and Online Spaces to Find the People You Need

Check within your industry or community for anyone who knows a group of talented human resources for a recommendation. These referrers can help you identify skilled persons you can consider for hire. Some of the online spaces you can also explore are;

1. Freelancing Platforms

Both individuals and companies are taking advantage of the different available freelancing platforms. A 2019 statistics by Forbes show that over 35% of employees in the workforce are freelancers. Many companies with remote, on-site, and hybrid teams hire from freelancing sites to make up their workforce. In 2020, Upwork reported that 41.8% of American employees work remotely. So, you can hire from freelance sites for your SaaS company.

2. Outsourcing Agencies

There are agencies dedicated to hiring talents on behalf of other companies. These agencies might operate physically or virtually. They prepare job descriptions and receive applications. Upon this, they sort applications through ATS (Applicant Tracking System) software. Next, they interview, recruit, and train applicants for companies that need to hire. In summary, job outsourcing agencies perform human resources management functions for organizations, including startups. 

3. GitHub

GitHub is rich with developers, programmers, and other tech personnel. Visit GitHub and go through a prospective employee’s profile. Check their codes, reviews, repositories, etc. This step gives insight into a candidate’s skills, work experiences, and capacities. 

Create an Easy Employee Onboarding Process

Employees might get frustrated or confused, and leave a job if they are not onboarded. Onboarding helps intimate new employees with your organization’s culture, vision, mission, values, and goals. This process aids employee loyalty and retention. Software for streamlining every recruitment process includes Zoho Recruit, Breezy HR, etc.

Evaluate & Develop Your Leadership Skills

You should expand your capacities as a startup owner or top management employee. To grow, you must acquire additional skills (that exceed merely recruiting employees). Focus on how to manage your team, help them avoid burnout, when to recommend training or refresher courses, etc.  

Key Takeaways 

1. Hiring the right candidates for a job is one of the determining factors for a company’s growth.
2. Your startup company needs a proper hiring strategy to succeed while recruiting.
3. To select your first hires, do a job analysis, be patient, check within your network, create an easy onboarding process, and expand your leadership skills.
4. You can use recruitment software for employee onboarding and other aspects of the recruitment process.

Hiring for the first time can be daunting. This is why we discussed how startups can choose the right employees even if they are new to hiring. If you need capital for your startup’s hiring process, contact us at Intrepid Finance. Our terms are flexible, and our processes are easy. Request for capital now, and let’s help with your recruitment process financially.