The hardest part of growing a blossoming startup beyond infancy is recruiting talent. The right team can take your venture to new heights whereas the wrong one can push it off a cliff.
Even though we are in a "employer's" market, traditional recruitment channels, such as recruitment firms, may prove too expensive for fledgling businesses. Startups should consider using social media as a recruitment tool.
When executed properly, social media offers recruiting managers a larger applicant pool, more access to information that will enable them to better pre-screen and filter candidates and, most importantly, a more direct line of communication to the potential hires themselves.
It is important to avoid missteps. Spamming people will get your business nowhere fast. It's a tricky balancing act but by being respectful, honest and human, your next big hire might just come from Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.
I asked a group of successful young entrepreneurs about the best ways to use social media to recruit top notch startup talent. Here's what they had to say:
1. Achieve Expert Status
—Colin Wright, Exile Lifestyle
2. Tweet with Hashtags
—Danny Wong, Blank Label Group, Inc.
3. Twitter Is Your Best Friend
—Andrew Saladino, RTA Kitchen Cabinets
4. Pick the Folks You Want
—Thursday Bram, Hyper Modern Consulting
5. Have a Contest
—Lisa Nicole Bell, Inspired Life Media Group
6. Get a Referral
7. Listen, Converse and Engage
8. YouTube Your Vision
