Finding the right people is one of the biggest challenges for start-ups. First, there was only us three founders, we were small and not (yet) well-known. You cannot attract people with a big name at that stage. So, how can you find, not only good talent, but the right people for your company? There are a few things I’ve learned from past years of recruiting:
Experience, skills and the mind-set are important
When I interview new people, of course I want to find out if the person can do the job. But it is not only these skills that are important for us at Testbirds. It is also important to see if the person fits well in our team. We call it the “Testbirds fit”. Though we already have 100 people in our team, we still value a start-up way of working with a hands-on mentality, working frequently between departments and having flat hierarchies. A candidate has to like this style of working and our underlying values (read more about our values here) to really fit in. Clarifying this upfront helps both sides, as neither the employee or the employer will be happy if the company’s culture simply does not appeal to the person.
Job ads are necessary, but sometimes not enough
Especially when we search for more experienced people, job ads are often not sufficient to find the right person. Therefore, I approach people directly on channels like LinkedIn. This shows them that we are really interested in them and often motivates them to consider working with us. Furthermore, career events (e.g. at universities) are a good way to spread the word that there are lots of jobs at our growing company.
Passion is very important
When I interview people, I have to see the fire in their eyes for what they do. In my opinion, you can only be good at things if you are passionate about them. Someone who only searches for a job to pay their bills will never be as good as someone who burns for what he or she is doing; though the job still has to pay the bills of course.
I’m curious how other start-ups have tackled the challenges in recruiting. What do you think are the most important factors when searching for new people?
Also, if you are interested in working with Testbirds, find our open job positions here.
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About the author
Philipp is a Founder and Board Member of Testbirds and supports us on strategic topics.
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Testbirds specialises in the testing of software such as apps, websites and Internet of Things applications by using innovative technologies and solutions. Under the slogan, “Testing Reality”, the company offers various testing methods to its clients looking to optimise the user-friendliness and functionality of their digital products. With over 250,000 registered testers located in 193 countries, Testbirds is one of the world’s leading crowdtesting providers. In addition, the IT service provider utilises cloud based technologies to support customers in the optimisation of their digital products. The combination of the two testing methods delivers a unique and extensive portfolio that takes the quality of software to the next level. Testbirds was founded in 2011 by Philipp Benkler, Georg Hansbauer and Markus Steinhauser. Today, the company has over 100 employees. Other than its headquarters in Munich, there are now offices in Amsterdam, London and Stockholm, franchises in Hungary and Russia and sales partners in Italy.
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