According to Glassdoor, while you may be eager to add more talent to your team, it is not worth the time or money. The average U.S. company spends $4,000 to hire a new employee, and it takes 24 days. Do not rush this process because cash is usually tight in startups. Hire slowly, and screen your candidates thoroughly.
Your business needs will determine the type of employee you choose, but all employees should possess three key qualities: passion, flexibility, and trustworthiness. Hire people that can take on multiple responsibilities while you expand.
Hire 8 Startup Roles
You’ll need to hire certain people for your startup immediately. Consider these eight key roles:
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) & Chief Operations Officer (COO)
The CEO and COO are two of the most important players in any business. The CEO controls the direction, culture, and vision of the company, while the Co-O is responsible for the daily operations.
External employees can fill these positions, but in most cases, the founders assume the responsibility. Tierra Wilson is the co-founder of Lovely Impact and CMO. She recommends that you start as CEO before hiring anyone. If you or your co-founders already plan to assume these titles and responsibilities, then hire the seven positions listed below.
Product Manager
This person will be the one to go to for all questions relating to your product. This member of the team is responsible for managing product vision, strategy, and development. They usually work closely with engineering and marketing to create and promote your products.
Vince Repaci said that bringing in a product manager is difficult for founders because they are usually the default product managers and have invested heavily in their products or services.
Repaci, Business News Daily, said that “when you can afford to hire a project manager, it forces you to change your way of thinking about the project by documenting it and training someone else on it.” This allows the founders to work on the business instead of in the industry.
Chief technology officer (CTO), VP of engineering and hybrid
It is important to have a team member with specialized knowledge in technology, development, and design. This is especially true for startups. Even though you can hire freelancers to work on the front-end or back-end, it is more useful to have someone in your team who will be responsible for this area. As your team grows, you can split the role into two different positions.
Sue Andrews is a business and HR consultant with KIS Finance. She said that having someone who can decide what works best for your company and oversee the integration and management of various systems will be key. They’ll have to take into account everything from mobile technology to hardware and software.
Andrews stated that this team member could also be the leader in building up your online presence. You can also share this responsibility with your marketing manager.
Chief marketing officer and community manager hybrid
This member of your team will be focused on how your customers view your product or services. Andrews stated that it is important to hire an expert with strong marketing and promotion skills in order to ensure a large audience shares your vision.
Wilson advised: “Find someone who is a jack of all trades in the marketing department.” “Until you scale, they need to be able write copy, create collateral, code landing page, run ad campaign and handle Social Media Marketing.”
Interact with your customers and act as a temporary community manager in order to maintain positive relations between your business and your consumers. This member of the team can work with a product manager to integrate customer feedback into product development.
Sales manager
This member of the team will be focused on generating leads and bringing money into your business. Wilson said that small companies and startups that focus on sales will last longer.
She said, “Hire a great sales representative or manager and use the money that they bring in to hire additional people.” This is the most difficult position to fill, but it is worth the effort and time to find the right candidate.
Repaci stated that a sales manager who has experience in your field will not require much training to close deals and generate leads.
Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
Experts advise startups to outsource their finance and accounting roles. However, if your company can hire a Chief Financial Officer, it could be extremely beneficial.
Andrews explained that it is important to have someone who can manage the finances of the business. In the early stages of a company, the focus will be on major issues such as leasing premises and securing bank loans, as well as everyday needs such as paying suppliers or managing petty money.