Hiring top startup talent on a budget during the Great Resignation

If you're trying to hire, the struggle is real.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the percentage of workers who quit their jobs has reached a 20-year high since the beginning of the Pandemic.

A study found that most workers leave because they aren't making enough money, aren't being offered opportunities to advance, and are being disrespected.

The factors mean that early-stage startups can't compete on their own. Instead, hiring managers need to convince prospective hires that they will be joining a supportive culture where they can expand their skills while contributing to the company's success.

There’s a very limited supply of talent and probably the largest demand I’ve ever seen, so it’s really important for people to think about how to differentiate. Glen Evans

I spoke with Glen Evans, a partner on Greylock's core talent team, to learn more about how founders can find and develop talent, and uncover some best practices for closing candidates.

Evans said that the state of the job market is more competitive than he has ever seen. He leads a team that advises portfolio companies on recruiting.

It's important for people to think about how to differentiate and build the foundations and the habits to get talent because there is a very limited supply.

Create a structured, repeatable recruiting process (and keep it simple)

Evans said that a process that can scale as the team grows is the first thing founders and hiring managers should do.

It leads to a lot of problems down the road, and I have seen a lot of companies do this. Don't make it too rigid, but have some structure so you can train new hires.

Each person involved must have a clearly defined role, but it's also important that the hiring process meshes with the company's overall mission. Train employees on best practices for interviews and create scorecards that highlight desired criteria to promote cohesion.

Scorecards will help you align to the signals, have the right questions, create some structure and communicate it to make sure people are following it.

Foster a recruiting culture, and invest in it early

The phrase "always be closing" was first used in a drama about high-pressure real estate sales tactics. Team members need to carve out time every week to meet candidates and source new hires, according to Evans.