Daniel is the CEO and Co-Founder of WARP, a tech-powered freight network specializing in middle-mile solutions.
In the early stages of growth, every decision matters. And one of the most important decisions the leadership team can make is hiring the right people. Hiring a new employee is more than just an investment of money; it also takes a significant amount of time out of your normal day-to-day schedule to get someone up to speed on the business, learn the customer base and get used to the company culture.
While expertise in particular areas can be helpful, making more versatile hires who have the ability to learn and specialize over time can be more beneficial for earlier-stage companies. Are they excited to jump in and learn a new aspect of the business they may not have a deep background in?
In addition, working for a startup is a unique experience. There’s something magical about being in the trenches with your colleagues and trying to solve hard problems, but it’s not for everyone and it’s important to consider whether a candidate is also a cultural fit.
After starting and running several businesses, I’ve learned that even though there isn’t a formula to making the right hire, there are ways to make the process easier.
Craft A Better Job Description
Start by writing a strong introduction about the company, including background on your industry, the current size of the company and how you see the job evolving in the future. Be upfront about what the future employee can expect as far as the pace of work, the variety of responsibilities and how the startup environment works.
When it comes to the responsibilities section of the job description, try and be as clear as possible about how you see the current role functioning, but also note that it could be subject to change as the company grows. If you are looking for a strong generalist with skills in operations, sales, marketing, etc., make sure you include descriptions of potential projects and what success looks like to you. You want to ensure that future employees are aware that building a company from the ground up also includes being an active participant in building the company’s culture. Making sure they are going to gel with the leadership team and current employees is also integral.
As far as the requirements, we like to say that “experience gets you in the door, but results keep you in the room.” If a potential employee has worked at three different startups before and helped them scale, but never finished their university degree, then make sure it’s clear that you value experience over education. List things like strong organization and management skills, problem-solving abilities, flexibility and a proactive and resourceful mindset. It can be helpful to share your company values during this section as well.
Ask The Right Questions During The Interview
When hiring for a generalist position at an early-stage startup, it’s important to suss out the answers that will determine if the candidate is right for the position or not. Pose questions that will help you evaluate if the candidate can adapt quickly, handle a wide range of roles and contribute to the growth of the company.
Here are a few examples:
1. How do you handle uncertainty? What have you done in the past if you’ve been given an assignment that was ambiguous or unclear?
2. How do you feel about working outside your job description and comfort zone?
3. Can you provide examples of handling multiple tasks simultaneously?
4. Can you give an example of a time when you initiated a project with success without explicit instructions?
5. How do you handle remote or hybrid work situations? Have you had experience working with a manager not in your same office before?
6. How do you approach learning or staying up to date with new technologies and industry trends?
7. Can you share the work environment or culture in which you thrive the most?
8. Give me an example of how you handled a high-pressure situation in the past. What was the outcome?
9. Have you ever worked for a company that made a big pivot before? What did you learn from it and how did you adapt?
10. Tell me about a time you failed—what did you learn from the experience?
As your company grows, be ready to adapt what you are looking for in terms of a hire. While a strong foundation of generalists sets a company up for early success, hiring the right specialists as you grow is equally as important. Think about hiring like putting together a strong baseball team. Of course, you will always need those utility players who can bat, field and are technically savvy. But you won’t be able to continuously win without a roster of strong pitchers, catchers and home run hitters. A company is no different.
If you write a strong job description and ask the right questions, it can make hiring for any role much easier. Ask yourself what your ideal candidate looks like and how they will adapt and evolve in their role as your company grows. If you see them growing with you, they’re more likely to be the right fit!
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