Hey everybody!
This week on The Modern Recruiter, I had a fantastic chat with Steve Bartel, founder of Gem, about a topic close to my heart: recruiting strategies for early-stage startups. Steve and I go a long way: We both started companies in the Recruiting space around the same time, we both have a very strong Recruiting CRM (though we’re going after different audiences) and we both share the belief that recruiting should be closer to selling.
What makes this episode special and so valuable is the preparation that went into it: literally years. We based our conversation on Steve's excellent guide, Startup Hiring 101, that he personally crafted and refined over time, based on his own experiences as well as the hundreds of companies they worked with at Gem.
This episode is a bit different from the usual: it's tailored more for startup founders. However, I believe there's also a lot in it for first recruiters at startups, recruiters broadly involved in the startup ecosystem, and agency recruiters working with early-stage companies.
We discussed the unique challenges of building a founding team head-on. How do you balance speed, quality, and process when you're just starting out? What strategies can you use when you have no employer brand to lean on? How do you compete with tech giants for top talent? How do you build a diverse team from the ground up?
If you're working with early-stage founders, do them a favor and forward them this episode!
Here are some key takeaways:
Recruiting = sales
Steven emphasized the importance of viewing recruiting as a sales process. He shared, "Recruiting is very similar to sales. And I think that analogy is really helpful and it can be very clarifying because a lot of founders, while they haven't hired for a startup before, many of them have done sales." This mindset shift can help you approach hiring more strategically.
Focus on your network first
For early-stage startups, leveraging your personal network is crucial. Steven explained, "Where small startups need to focus first and foremost is their network. And a lot of that what that's going to come down to is like the founders actually rolling up their sleeves and sourcing first degree connections." This approach can lead to higher conversion rates and better cultural fits.
Always be closing (and selling)
Steven shared a great tip about closing candidates: "My number one recommendation for like the interview process is actually to always be closing and always be selling, and treat every single conversation with a candidate as an opportunity to get them more excited about your job and about your company." This constant engagement can make a huge difference in your success rate. On that topic, you can also listen to The Modern Recruiter #63: A masterclass to improve your candidates closing rates
Understand candidate motivations
One of the biggest mistakes startups make is moving to offer too quickly. Steven uses one of the most valuable questions ever in recruiting: "Ask them, what would it take to get you to an eight or what would it take to get you to a nine or if they're even if they're a nine, ask them, what would it take to get you at a 10 out of 10?" This helps you address any concerns before shifting the conversation to compensation.
Build a diverse founding team
We touched on the importance of diversity in your initial team. "Making sure that your initial team is diverse is going to make it much easier to then hire female engineers and a lot of more diversity. And if you don't do this, it'll get harder."
There's so much more packed into this episode, including tips on sourcing strategies, common mistakes to avoid, and how to compete with larger companies for talent.
So, what do you think? If you're a founder, do you already apply these strategies? Have you faced similar challenges? And if you're a recruiter, was it interesting for you to hear an episode aimed at a slightly different audience? I'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences. Just hit reply and let's chat!
For those interested in learning more:
Check out Gem at https://gem.com/
Learn about HireSweet at https://www.hiresweet.com/
Follow Steven on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-bartel/
Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rbchoy/
Wishing you successful hiring,
Robin
P.S. Once more - if you found this helpful, don't forget to share it with your founder friends and clients. Valuable content for them!
The Modern Recruiter #76: Startup Hiring 101, Steve Bartel, CEO @ Gem