Startups will inevitably have to hire employees. As businesses grow, it’s important to hire others to divide up the workload and to ensure that you never have to turn down potential clients.

Hiring for startups isn’t necessarily like hiring for a large corporation. However, if you are an entrepreneur who needs to bring in additional employees, then there are a few things that you need to keep in mind:

1. Hire Soon

Hire employees as soon as you are able to afford them. New employees will make long days shorter and allow you dedicate time to other aspects of your business.

2. Hire Based on Potential

Past success isn’t the only hiring factor to consider. As an employer, you must look at the potential of an employee as well. You want an employee that is:

• Passionate about your field.
• Self-sufficient
• Able to come up with solutions and implement them on their own
• Dedicated to learning and excelling.

Experience is a major factor in the hiring process, but potential should always be a consideration, especially for startups.

3. Require a Skill Presentation

Sometimes, personality or a resume really doesn’t tell you enough about an applicant. If you’re having trouble deciding on an employee, you should have him or her take a skill presentation. Giving them a task to complete is the best way to determine if they will be a good fit for your company.

4. Bring Your Employees into the Interview Process

With startups, it isn’t so much about the individual as it is about the team. Because of this, you need to be able to see how an applicant will mesh with other team members. Bring select employees into the interview process and have them ask questions and engage with the applicants.

5. Be Prepared to Say ‘No’

Saying “no” is a part of the hiring process. It’s difficult to tell a nice person that you respect that they’re not a good fit for your business, but it must be done. With a startup, each person plays a critical role, meaning you can’t waste time with mediocre applicants.

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