Is it time to hire?
Whether you’re filling an existing position or growing your team, utilizing the right startup talent sourcing strategies is absolutely essential. Especially when navigating the early stages, the talent that you hire can be crucial to the growth of your organization.
While LinkedIn can prove to be a helpful resource and starting point, it isn’t the only option. In fact, with the right approach, you can find truly incredible startup talent - far beyond the means of LinkedIn.
You just need to know where to look.
In this guide, our experts at Elation Partners will help you build strong startup talent sourcing strategies, including where to look that isn’t LinkedIn.
Why LinkedIn Unfortunately Isn’t Enough for Startups
Most recruitment professionals will agree, LinkedIn can offer a great starting point for early-stage businesses when hiring. But unfortunately, LinkedIn is also an oversaturated, highly competitive and largely passive landscape. In this case, the pros do not outweigh the cons.
And the truth is, top performers and passive candidates rarely apply using job boards like LinkedIn and Indeed. This is why high-growth startups absolutely need strategic, targeted sourcing for talent.
Niche Talent Hubs: Where Exceptional Candidates Are Actually Spending Their Time
The question remains…
If exceptional candidates aren’t applying for jobs through LinkedIn, where are they spending their time?
Niche Job Boards
Ecosystems and curated job ecosystems that are:
- Role specific
- Community and industry driven
Startup Communities and Founder Networks
- Slack channels
- Local tech hubs
- Accelerators & incubators
- VC talent networks & portfolio job boards
Alumni Networks
- Technical university programs
- MBA networks
- Engineering cohorts
- Bootcamp alumni
Specialized Online Communities
Referral Ecosystems
- Internal team referrals
- Referrals from partners
- Angel investors
- Trusted advisors
When establishing startup talent sourcing strategies, you may want to consider these creative, lesser-known channels.
It’s also important to note that data-informed sourcing, knowing which communities really matter and the candidates who are active there, is all incredibly valuable. Often more valuable than simply posting a role on LinkedIn.
Why Active Outreach is the Real Talent Advantage
When establishing your startup talent sourcing strategies, the importance of identifying and engaging passive candidates should never go overlooked.
It’s hard to deny that the best talent rarely applies to jobs. They are in demand and highly sought after, which is why they must be found. And once they have been found, your approach is absolutely essential to proceeding with next steps.
At Elation Partners, we believe that personalized outreach is significantly more effective than automated mass messaging. Taking the time to learn more about the candidate and genuinely connect with them can make all the difference, especially in the earlier days when introducing your organization, mission and hiring needs.
With Elation Partners, you can expect nothing less than a comprehensive and strategic approach, that is personalized to your unique needs and industry. We seamlessly blend market research, competitive mapping and targeted engagement to help discover candidates who may be otherwise invisible to more traditional tools.
How a Recruitment Firm Can Elevate Your Talent Sourcing Strategies
While these sourcing strategies can offer an elevated approach to finding top talent, a recruitment firm can further enhance how you proceed.
A knowledgeable and experienced recruitment firm, such as Elation Partners, can offer a strategic advantage that otherwise may not be possible.
Research
Your recruitment firm will conduct a deep discovery and analysis to ensure that there is a full understanding and alignment on the role requirements, company culture and success metrics, among other essential factors.
Market Analysis
An in-depth market analysis will help to identify compensation benchmarks, along with mapping of the talent landscape. This step can help to provide a better understanding of the local market, allowing for a more strategic approach that follows.
Active Outreach
Throughout the active outreach phase, your team of recruitment experts will participate in personalized engagement with passive, high-caliber candidates.
Candidate Evaluation & Alignment
As your talent recruitment agency evaluates candidates, they will identify their leadership style and assess various capabilities, while also establishing if they are the right addition to the company culture.
Process Management
With the limited hiring resources of an early-stage organization in mind, your recruitment firm will reduce friction by handling all process management responsibilities. From communication and coordination, to managing feedback and more, all while ensuring both efficiency and transparency throughout the process.
Referencing & Onboarding
From reviewing references and validating credentials, to negotiating offers, acceptance and onboarding, your recruitment agency handles all of the hard work, so you can focus on high-level tasks and responsibilities.
Many early-stage companies can benefit from a partner that acts as an extension of their leadership team, acting with their best interests and long-term success in mind. All while ensuring precision, speed and expertise - every step of the way.
Why Work With Boutique Search Firms Over Standard Recruiters
With a boutique search firm, your organization can benefit from founder-led attention that often leads to a deeper understanding of your unique needs, and the establishment of higher-quality shortlists. Not only that, but boutique search firms often offer a faster, more selective and more strategic experience than standard recruiters.
Working with a boutique search firm can also offer an approach that is not only data-informed, but also human-driven - an ideal approach for most early-stage companies. This approach is particularly suited for high-growth organizations that are founder-led and tech-driven.
At Elation Partners, we’re proud to connect ambitious companies with top talent. Your success is our success, which is exactly why we are so determined to find the right fit for your growing team. If you’re still considering working with a boutique search firm, this helpful guide may prove to be helpful.
Strategic Sourcing Wins the Talent Race
Unfortunately, startups that mainly rely on LinkedIn often fall behind.
But with an approach that places focus on strategic sourcing, data-driven mapping and proactive outreach, you can better compete for and win top talent. Essential processes, combined with years of experience and a unique understanding of your industry, can all contribute to you winning the talent race against the competition.
With the support and guidance of an experienced recruitment firm, your high-growth company can hire exceptional talent with ease. While you focus on high-level responsibilities, your search firm will handle all aspects of recruitment and hiring.
Contact Elation Partners Today
Are you ready to elevate your approach to startup recruiting in Canada? With help from Elation Partners, your trusted partner in recruitment, you can build a strong team that is essential to the growth and success of your organization.
Contact us today and book a call - our team of experts is eager to help you get started.
