When you are just starting your business, the person you surround yourself with is paramount to your success. What is one characteristic to look for when recruiting new hires to your company early on, and why?
These answers are provided by the Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invite-only organization made up of the world’s most successful young entrepreneurs. YEC members represent nearly every industry, generate billions of dollars in revenue each year and have created tens of thousands of jobs. Learn more at yec.co.
1. Enthusiasm
I am looking for enthusiasm and pure eagerness to learn. I’m less concerned with a new hire’s level of experience than with their willingness to work and whether or not they have a positive attitude in their life and work.
– Lisa Song Sutton, Sin City Cupcakes
2. Honesty
Honesty is one of the most important characteristics of any new hire. Starting a new business is like mapping uncharted territory. You never know what you’ll run into. That’s why you need someone you can trust and rely on. By finding honest people in the beginning, you can build a solid team for years to come. Skills and knowledge can be learned over time, but honesty cannot.
– Shaun Conrad, my online accounting course
3. Flexibility:
It is important to hire people who show flexibility in their role and are not afraid to expand their skills. People with flexibility are also often better at other skills, such as problem-solving and critical thinking. Bringing these assets to your business takes it to the next level.
– Stephanie Wells, formidable shapes
4. Responsibility
There isn’t a single attribute that will make a new hire sink or swim, but every founder knows you won’t get very far without accountability. In many ways, everyone in early stage startups is a co-founder, so an entrepreneurial lens is paramount. This can mean many things — self-directed, strategic, etc. With a shared entrepreneurial mindset, you can look for candidates with complementary skills.
– Rong Zhang, Hirect
5. Positivity
Look for candidates with a positive attitude. The work environment can be drastically changed by the presence of someone with a positive attitude. Such people help create a healthy work environment and are generally a great addition to the team.
– Josh Kohlbach, Wholesale Suite
6. Resilience
Find a resilient person with big dreams – resilient, because a startup’s road can be quite bumpy with ups and downs, and big dreams, because only with big dreams and belief in an idea can a startup reach its full potential. Having someone by your side who is prepared for this and come out even stronger and more determined will lead to success and growth now and in the future.
– Brian Pallas, Opportunity Network
7. Dedication
Recruiting new people repeatedly can be expensive, given the time and resources you spend finding and then training the right candidate. But you can save your resources by hiring candidates with traits of dedication and longevity. For example, a web designer with multiple certificates in related courses may show passion for growth and career opportunities.
-Thomas Griffin, OptinMonster
8. Experience
It is important to look for someone with experience who has either worked at another early stage company or has done some consulting work. At this stage of your business, you are probably learning the ropes. That’s why it’s essential to go with someone who can learn and do the job efficiently, add value on a daily basis and is focused on their own growth.
– Candice Georgiadis, Digital Day
9. Broad knowledge
I would look for a polymath. When your business is in its early stages, it helps to have someone who can work on and even explore a wide variety of tasks. But that is not everything. That person should not only be willing, but also visibly interested in helping you innovate the business. Polymaths are also usually team players, so they would be perfect for startups.
– Kyle Goguen, Pawstruck
10. A ‘go-getter’ attitude
When you start a new business, there is uncertainty. Because you don’t know if you’ll get clients and if they’ll like your work, I think it’s important to work with people who are enthusiastic and ready to take on new challenges. They must have a “go-getting” attitude and the ability to learn. So be mindful of your attitude when hiring someone, as their mindset can affect motivation at work.
– Blair Williams, Member Press
This post 10 characteristics to look for in an early hire was original published at “https://www.noobpreneur.com/2022/03/24/10-characteristics-youll-want-to-look-for-in-an-early-stage-hire/”
