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初創公司是疾速演化的有機體。事物都是不斷變化的,而如果一切順利,成長之快令人感覺一年如十載。對于不少創業者,這些腎上腺素激增的日子也許是不斷嘗試和犯錯的坎坷旅程。這也無妨!實踐中學習是個好法子。 即便如此,借鑒前人的創業經驗也是有用的,特別是在雇人方面。確定你想安排哪些職位,相應地你想招怎樣的人,這就確定了企業能夠并且將會有怎樣的發展。 在本文里,一家營銷機構的聯合創始人兼CEO透露了他如何將團隊從無到有地發展到100多名員工。 姓名:瑞安·舒爾克 企業:位于紐約的營銷公司Fluent 成立時間:2010年 員工人數:130人 瑞安·舒爾克與馬特·康林于八年前在紐約創立了營銷公司Fluent。“當時我們請不起獵頭公司。”舒爾克說。 于是,他們完全依賴于個人的關系網,打電話給有潛力的前同事和前同事的同事,試圖把人招進來。“剛起步時自然是靠關系,然后把我們認識的并且在我們所需領域有一技之長的人吸收進來。” 該策略對于前20名成員很有效。這家初創機構得以招募深受器重的人才,而不必向獵頭公司付錢。 但企業迅速成長至50人,接著又增長到100人,關系網的效力眼看要枯竭了。作為聯合創始人兼CEO,舒爾克深刻體會到一些策略:“能將你渡到今天,卻未必能將你渡到明日。由創始人主導的企業對此往往看不到這一點。” 公司開始發布求職信息。最近公司剛剛招到了一位COO。舒爾克不再依賴枯竭的關系網,而是雇了一家獵頭公司來挖掘合適人選。效果很明顯:在面試了幾十位原本靠一己之力絕不可能網羅到的合格候選人之后,公司最終確定了一位經驗豐富的高管人士,此前他在一家金融服務公司擔任CEO。“有時你必須意識到自己的局限,先退一步,再找出不同的方法解決問題。”舒爾克說。 其他竅門: 企業在創建初期不要劃定員工職能,這樣比較有益——他們有權去擔任一些你還未發覺其必要性的職能。Fluent的行政與文化資深經理在最初被招進來的時候是擔任前臺接待員。但她在組織公司活動方面展現出過人的熱情和天賦,激勵了士氣,因此這最終全職調任到人力資源崗位上。 與高等院校發展關系。應屆生是企業早期雇人的極佳選擇,特別是對初期的初創公司更是如此。員工“剛出學校不久,對事情應有的實施方式沒有既定概念,”因此也更敏捷、更能適應,舒爾克說。(財富中文網) 譯者:沈昕宇? |
A startup is a rapidly evolving organism. Things change, and, if everything is going well, grow so quickly a year feels like a decade. For many entrepreneurs, these early adrenaline-fueled days can be a messy period of trial and error. Which is ok! Learning by doing isn’t a bad strategy. That said, it’s helpful to learn from other founders who have gone through the same process, particularly when it comes to hiring. Identifying the roles you need to create and the people you need to fill them determines what your business can—and will—become. In the third of a three part series, a marketing agency co-founder and CEO shares how he grew from 0 to more than 100 employees. Name: Ryan Schulke Business: Fluent, a marketing agency in New York Founded in: 2010 Number of employees: 130 When Ryan Schulke and Matt Conlin started Fluent, a marketing agency in New York, eight years ago, “we couldn’t afford to use a recruiter,” Schulke says. Instead, they relied exclusively on their personal networks, filling positions by making calls to talented former colleagues and colleagues of ex-colleagues. “At the onset certainly networking and pulling in people that we knew had good skill sets in areas that we needed perform.” For the first 20 employees, this strategy worked great. The nascent agency was able to bring on trusted, talented people without the overhead of a recruitment firm. But as the company skyrocketed to 50, then more than 100 people, the network effect was running dry. As a founder who is also the chief executive, Schulke is acutely aware that the strategies which “got you to today aren’t necessarily going to get you to tomorrow. Founder-led businesses often lose sight of that.” And so the company began posting openings on job boards. Recently, it brought on a COO. Instead of relying on his depleted network, he hired a recruitment firm to find candidates. It was the right call: after interview dozens of qualified potential hires the company would never have been able to find on its own, Fluent settled on an executive with extensive experience, most recently as the CEO of a financial services company. “Sometimes you have to realize your own limitations take a step back and figure out a different way to solve a problem, Schulke says. Other tips: In the early days, it can pay to keep employees roles fluid enough they are empowered to fill roles that you don’t know you need yet. Fluent’s senior manager of office and culture was originally hired as a desk receptionist. But she displayed a passion and talent for organizing company events that boosted morale—a task that eventually became her full-time job. Develop relationships with universities. Recent graduates can make great early hires, particularly for early-stage startups. Employees “right out of school have no preconceived notions of the way things need to work,” Schulke says, which often makes them adaptable and quick. |