Tips for Building Your Startup's Dream Team

You are not an island. Being alone is meaningless. An entrepreneur who succeeds with an operation run all by themselves is unheard of; even in the internet age. Sooner or later, you will want to grow your business and to get the support you need for this, you will expand your team. If you have no experience in recruitment and team management, it's easier said than done. Finding the right people who will work as hard as you for your startup will not be easy, and resorting to trial and error will become inevitable. If you want to build a team of the right people who will take your startup forward with their motivation and talents, we recommend you follow these tips. Trust your instincts First impressions can really be everything. You may not want to base your decision on it, and that's a smart thought, but when you receive many more applications than you expected, your instincts can point you to the ideal candidates. Depending on your startup's priorities, appearance may not be as important a criterion as attitude. You will determine these. But when choosing between candidates whose talents and resumes are very similar, holding back from using your instincts will make your job harder. Look at personality first Skills are much easier to acquire and develop than personality traits. Good personality traits such as honesty, loyalty, and diligence are much harder to acquire than talent and provide superior benefits. We know that this method does not make it easier for you to find the right people and may prolong the search for the ideal team member. But the extra effort you will take in the search can enable you to find the person who will make great contributions to your startup and teammates in the long run. Consider your startup's culture Former Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh, in his research in his book 'Delivering Happiness', underlines that company culture brings success. The research shows that companies with a high sense of purpose are 400% more successful than those with no such sense. Also, these companies can retain their customers, achieve superior success in sales and production, and their employees do not take absenteeism. So, will the person you plan to hire be able to adapt to your startup's purpose? Learning the answer to this question before shaking hands will be beneficial for you, your team, and your startup. Consultants are a must There must be a consultant in your startup's team. Experienced business people who have walked the path you are on can save you from major headaches and financial losses. Investing in mentors gives you vision and an advantage over your competitors. If it's not working, it's not working Letting people go is a very bad situation. It's relatively easy if you're heartless, but we hope you have a heart. If you're going to take on leadership and HR roles, you'll need to part ways with some people when the time comes. To do this cleanly, it will be beneficial for you to get training in emotional intelligence and effective communication. When you realize you've made a wrong hire, you must take responsibility for the rest of the team and therefore your startup, and do what needs to be done.   This article is excerpted.