Recruitment of top performers has become extremely competitive. Many startups are vying for the same personnel and the best programmers,designers and marketing people are only likely to be interested in your company if you can bring something unique to the table. Large established companies can always offer more money so you will need to think creatively about what makes you different. There are many ways to make your startup more visible and attractive to potential employees.

We asked a few questions of Aidan McLaughlin - Director of International PR at Indeed.com.

Aidan, when you are putting together a new team what are the first things you think about?

The most important thing to consider is what culture you want to build within the team. There are many good candidates out there that will posses similar skills and years of experience but a cultural fit will be hugely important to the success of the team. Consider the type of team you want to build and decide on the type of candidate that will fit that. At Indeed we have teams working across regions and time zones so we need people with cross-cultural awareness, entrepreneurial flair and passion for success and we look for people who offer that.

How can you tell if someone is going to fit the culture of your team?

At Indeed we look for the right fit for our teams during the interview process. We have a clear idea of what it means to be an Indeed employee and we ensure that candidates get to meet the people they will work with so they understand the culture we have built. Our mission is to help people get jobs, it is the starting point for everything we do here. We want to find people who can share in that mission. 

1. Time is of the essence for entrepreneurs looking to hire talent.

In a larger company, where hiring managers perform workforce planning they can have some flexibility,entrepreneurs don’t have that luxury. Typically, if they don't fill an ‘empty seat’ quickly, the work builds up, seriously slowing down the pace of growth.

2. Wear your heart on your sleeve.

Work to grab attention by being open, honest and forthcoming about what your business stands for. The internet is a key tool for businesses looking to hire.It puts them in front of thousands of job seekers,but in order to pique their interest you got to stand out by communicating your business mission. Online hiring is highly competitive and a startup needs to stand out. This also guarantees that those applying are interested in what your business stands for,making them an ideal candidate for your growing company.

3. Tailor your content to your ideal candidate.

One of the biggest struggles for startups is crafting the content for job listings when many of the roles being created are so new. What's important to understand is that all job listings should match a jobseeker’s search with the content. For example, if you're looking for a sales representative, you’re not going to attract the right candidates by simply listing the job with the title ‘Sales Representative’. However a listing with the title ‘Technology Sales Rep with 5 Years Experience’ is much more relevant and will deliver more targeted job seekers. Avoid internal jargon and keep it precise.Too much content can make it frustrating for a job seeker.

4. Using online tools to develop quality content.

What is the the most effective title for your job posting? Try using Google Trends to compare the popularity of job titles and phrases. Don't be afraid to search around for other job postings,whether for direct competitors, or for other similar job openings for inspiration.

  Michael is a recovering accountant. Having subjected himself to a litany of exams he decided that life is too short to count beans so instead he wants to chance his arm writing. When he is not with ink and quill you can find him levitating in a local yoga centre or baking caramel squares. Freelance content and copywriter, covering short and long content pieces across various different media forms. Don't forget to connect with Michael on LinkedIn and say Hi!:  ie.linkedin.com/in/mrmichaelmclaughlin