How to Make the First Great Hire for Your Start-up

How to Make the First Great Hire for Your Start-up If you are thinking that hiring the first employee in a startup is an easy task, it is because you have never started your own business and need to experience it first hand to realize its importance.  Adding the first external start up employee to our team of co-founders is a challenging and significant decision. It must be implemented successfully if we would like to avoid problems in the short, mid and long term. Every person that we hire and who begins to work with us contributes, in one way or another, to the culture and environment of our entrepreneurship. We simply cannot afford to add a person that brings distrust, insecurity, bad habits or irresponsibility. Unfortunately, we had a bad experience and based on this we want to share our learning through the following key points: 1) Focus on doing: To begin, the first and foremost advice, especially at the beginning, is to focus on hiring people whose profile is that of a consistent doer, without letting distraction get in the way of their activities. What does this mean? Basically, as entrepreneurs, we have enough daily responsibilities to keep adding more of them to our work. Thats why we need to look for a candidate that can be defined as doer or a thinker. A doer is a person who prefers to work with a line of action (a process), where everything is clear from the beginning. On the other hand, a thinker is characterized by focusing on new ideas and constantly challenging structures and procedures. In some circumstances, these features of the thinker are extremely useful; however, over time we will realize that we founders can take that role. At the end of the day what we need is a person that works a lot and implements the day-to-day tasks in a concrete, effective, repetitive and predictable way (no surprises!). Particularly with the first employees, we must observe their ability to successfully implement a process without the constant need of our help. The characteristic of an “autonomous person is crucial at this stage. The idea and ultimate goal is to reduce our operative tasks and to delegate them, in order to have more time to focus on high-level strategic activities that are indispensable to keep growing. Look for doers if you want to see your business grow and scale in the long-term; we need them to help us in the difficult tasks. Generally the fittest for this role are engineers and accountants in the hard sciences. 2) Flexibility: In the second place, it is important to understand that not everyone is like us entrepreneurs. Many people prefer a stable life without constant ups and downs as the experienced in a start up. There are people who like to know exactly what they will have to do in each working day, when, where and under what parameters they will do it, and how much time it will take, without alterations in the short term. Unfortunately, in a venture we cannot hire a person who needs job security because we will cause harm to both the individual and our enterprise. These profiles are suitable for large national or international corporations (whether a bank, or an insurance o building company, among others) that have already defined the working procedure. As we analyzed in the previous section, we need people that implement steps consistently and at the same time have the ability and, more importantly, the willingness to adapt to the constant changes that take place in ventures. In the life of a startup, we experience many changes. For example, sometimes it is necessary to change our office location; stop working at home and start working at a local office, or maybe with unknown people in a foreign country. Other times it may be needed to reduce the salary or accept a delay in payments; and why not think about changing the role to a new one according to the company necessities, for example from Customer and Suppliers to Community Manager”. Is in this kind of moments where a fundamental attribute is important: self-learning. Each new employee, especially the first ones, should have the virtue of being able to learn new disciplines by themselves to stand the day-to-day life in a start up. Based on the latter point, we made ??the mistake of hiring people with great experience and knowledge but with a great aversion to change. They were used to make the same kind of task and sincerely they did not want to learn new ones required by any growing business. Based on this, from now on, we prefer and recommend to other entrepreneurs to focus first on intellectual and talented young people that just finished college. While having prior experience, they have the energy and desire to learn, and they are able to adapt to constant change, to improve continuously and to better themselves; all these features help to enhance our enterprise. 3) Confidence: Lastly, I wanted to leave for the end this factor that I personally consider strategic for a start up. The reality is that when we are developing a new business from scratch and we are in the middle of the accelerated growth stage, at most we have time to do the activities that the start up demands. That is why, at the time of auditing or controlling, we will realize that we have no more time or strength left. If we have, for example, an e-commerce venture and we spent all day taking orders and sending products from the garage of our house, at the end of the day it is impossible to make an exhaustive check on the materials / products sent, since there is no time or willingness left to do it For these kinds of situations we need to hire people we trust wholeheartedly to let them do their job. It is clear that after a while we will be able to implement a professional control stock system, but meanwhile we need confidence to grow. One of the ways by which we hire trustworthy people is by focusing on our circle of family, friends, friends of friends, neighbors, acquaintances of a lifetime, sports mates, and former school mates, among others. Something I would like to recommend and that gave us new and great choices is to use Open Graph, the search box on Facebook,  to find people that maybe we never thought could guarantee us a high degree of confidence. In this way we seek by profession, for example Web Designers who are in our network, or even better, that are friends of our own friends. Thus, our action network expands considerably. As conclusion, we must first know that hiring our first employee is not a simple task and must be taken with responsibly, investing time and dedication to achieve a good result. As we saw, there are several aspects to take into account, but focusing on a “doer” that is flexible and trustworthy is a fundamental aspect. Authors: Cristian Rennella is an engineer and Virgina Gonzalez is Co-Founder of  elMejorTrato.com.

How to Tell if a Skills-Based Resume is Right for You

How to Tell if a Skills-Based Resume is Right for You You want your resume to prove that you are the right person for the job. What if you find a job that you like, but your work experience isn’t the best way to show it. Maybe you possess all of the skills required in the job description, and you want to highlight those skills on your resume, instead of your work experience. A skills-based or functional resume lets you do just that.What Is a Skills-Based Resume?A skills-based resume highlights your most transferable skills from your experience. Your work history will be placed at the bottom of the page instead of the top, since it is not the focus point of the resume, unlike most resume types.Skill-based resumes allow you to highlight skills that you have outside of your work experience. This can include things you do as a hobby, studied at a college or university, and the skills you picked up throughout your life.Who Should Use the Skills-Based Resume?A skills-based resume is best when your work experience doesn’t directly align wi th the job you want, but you have all the skills necessary to fit the job description. A skills-based resume may be the best way to go if you are seeking the following.Executive or Senior PositionsAn executive level resume is different from a traditional resume and using a traditional resume just won’t make the cut. A skills-based resume is beneficial if you are applying to and have worked in senior and executive level roles because it allows you to show off all of your important achievements and skills at the top of the resume, instead of hiding them in the job descriptions of each individual job.This is important for these roles because, even though most companies have similar job titles for their senior and executive positions, the responsibilities and job duties are not always the same.Transitioning CareersUsing a skills-based resume is the best way to highlight transferable skills that can be applied to the line of work for which you are applying. Sometimes you realize that t he line of work you are in is not what you want to do for the rest of your life. You decide it’s time for a change.This happens to most people at some point in their career. It’s okay to want to change your career path. As long as you got some transferable skills for the job that you want, a skills-based resume is the way to go.Gaps in Work HistoryIf you have unemployment gaps in your work history whether you had been laid off or left work temporarily to care of your health or a loved one, a skills-based resume is a great way to go. A skills-based resume allows you to present your work experience discreetly without using months.Here are some examples:Experience without month:Photographer. ABC Studios, 2010-2015 Filmographer, CBA Productions, 2016-PresentRather than with the month which would look more like this:Photographer, ABC Studios, January 2010-April 2015 Filmographer, CBA Productions, April 2016-PresentAs you can see, the first example makes the gap in work history appear less obvious compared to the second example. Since most recruiters, recognize this as a way to cover up gaps in your resume, it is still a good idea to write a brief cover letter explaining any gaps.Little or No Work ExperienceIf you are a recent graduate or don’t have any work experience, a skills-based resume allows you to showcase your skills if you lack ‘on the job experience.’ With a skill-based resume, you can list skills learned throughout your college courses, volunteer experience or internships. At the bottom of your resume, you can briefly list your academic achievements and work history.Multiple Roles at One CompanySometimes, you find yourself in the same job for a good part of your career. You had stayed with the same company for years and held multiple job titles with them, and maybe worked in different departments.A skills-based resume is best for you in this case. It allows you to show your advancement and growth in your career despite only having one employer. This would be difficult to do if you were using a chronological format because it relies on the progression of your career and the listing of the different companies you worked for along your career path.If Any of These Apply to YouIf any of these things apply to you, consider switching to a skills-based resume for your job search. Remember, you should always follow the basic rules for getting ahead with your resume.

Freelancers and Business Accounts A Love Story - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Freelancers and Business Accounts A Love Story - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career As a freelancer, you are the CEO, sales department, desk jockey, and accountant all in one â€" but often, that last role falls to the wayside. Keeping track of your income and expenses is rough when you are already balancing so many other responsibilities to make your self-employed lifestyle work. Let’s face it: That paper-clipped bundle of highlighted receipts is no way to manage your freelance financing, and is more likely than not to land you in income tax hell. Your only salvation is falling in love with the intelligent, magnanimous, and beautiful business account. If you are ready to turn your freelance fiasco into an organized occupation, read on. The Meet-Cute The first step in finding balance in your freelance bookkeeping is realizing the importance of separating your business and individual accounts. In freelance, there is a pencil-thin line between your professional and personal lives â€" for example, you likely work from home on devices used recreationally during off-hours â€" and any way you can segregate your working time and your private time will be beneficial. Splitting up your finances into one business account and one (or several) personal accounts will help you keep track of your work-related incoming and outgoing money, for your own sanity. While you might wish for a first encounter over a pair of pajamas at the department store, very rarely does fate force two soulmates together outside of the movies; face it: You are going to have to engineer your own meet-cute with your future business accounts. In the modern age, going from bank to bank to learn terms and compare rates is a waste of time. Instead, you should turn to the Web to find all the information you need. You can compare and contrast business checking accounts, business credit cards, and more right from the comfort of your home office. The Relationship Advice What happens when you are met with more than one viable suitor, a la Bridget Jones or Sabrina? Then, it is time to ask your most trusted friend (or the Internet) for some much-needed advice. Many finance-savvy freelancers purport that it isn’t important to find a business-specific account. Business accounts tend to be targeted toward big spenders, companies who frequently have quite a lot of buying to do. Generally, the biggest expense for a freelancer is his or her computer, which is more or less a one-time buy. Any type of checking account with a bank you trust could work fine. Most freelancers prefer to work with financial institutions that align with their values, like credit unions and community banks. Still, some business-specific accounts are worthwhile. Business credit cards are perhaps some of the sweetest pieces of plastic you can apply for. They offer huge signup bonuses, awesome travel rewards, and incomparable points programs. You can find the right business credit card for you by comparing and contrasting various rules and perks online. The First Kiss Sooner rather than later, you will need to decide upon which business account is right for you. When you do, the music will swell, the lighting will soften, and the stacks of disorganized invoices and receipts on your desk will disappear. You will immediately fall head-over-heels in love with your new finances. The Happily Ever After Just because you finally have a way to separate business and personal earnings and expenses doesn’t mean your freelancing finances are finished once and for all. Even after Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks finally kiss at the top of the Empire State Building, they have to work each and every day to make sure their relationship remains solid. Here are a few things you can do to make sure you and your bank account live happily ever after: In sickness and in health. Unlike other careers, freelancing doesn’t often provide a reliable or stable income. Your accounts should be able to handle a glut of wages and none at all. Double-edged sword of taxes. Most workers get at least a portion of their income tax deducted from their paychecks, but most freelancers forget about taxes until April. Taxes must be in your budget to ensure you aren’t overspending throughout the year. Keep the passion alive. As tedious and boring as finances are, you must work hard to keep your accounts in order. Side action. Just because you’ve found a loving, caring business account doesn’t mean the rest of your finances are picture-perfect. You should also investigate retirement accounts, emergency accounts, savings accounts, and more.

5 Essential CV Writing Rules You Cant Ignore

5 Essential CV Writing Rules You Cant Ignore An attractive CV can be your gateway to your next big career move, but many job seekers CV’s fall short and fail to get responses from their applications. Writing an interview-winning CV can be difficult if you don’t fully understand what recruiters and hiring managers expect to see. StandOut CV has laid out their 5 essential CV writing rules that all candidates need to follow if they want to land the job interviews they want and progress to offer stage. 1. Give your CV a narrow focus The most important CV writing rule is to pick out a very specific job type and tailor your CV towards that market only. If you create a very broad CV in an effort to appeal to many different employers then you will likely find that you end up appealing to nobody. Organisations hire employees to carry out specific functions and therefore, suitable candidates will need to possess specific requirements to do so. For this reason, you should target one type of role and make sure that your CV only contains the important skills needed for that role. Cut out any irrelevant information as it will not add any value to your applications. 2. Make an instant impact With many job posts receiving hundreds of applications from hopeful candidates, it’s crucial that your CV makes an instant impression from the moment it is opened. Many recruiters will skip past your CV if they do not see the skills they need within the first few seconds. So head your CV up with a punchy and persuasive profile that will capture readers attention and show them that your CV is worth reading in full. Tailor the entire CV to reflect the requirements needed for your target roles and include a bullet pointed core skills list to give employers a quick snapshot of your most relevant attributes. 3. Be flawless In today’s job market it’s not good enough to have an OK looking CV, you need to have an exceptional CV in order to stand out from the crowd and land job interviews. It only takes one mistake for recruiters to start doubting your credibility. Use professional language and formatting throughout your CV to prove that written communication skills are up to scratch and triple check your CV for spelling and grammatical errors. When including your email address, do not use a nickname as it will look hugely unprofessional. If you are unsure about your email, then set up a new address for your job search using just your full name. 4. Prove your value Employers invest heavily in their staff so they like to see the sort of return they can expect from their staff. Bear this in mind when writing your CV and use achievements, facts and figures to show the value you can bring to an organisation. Whether you’ve generated revenue, saved money or delivered a big project, be sure to detail it in your CV and use numbers to quantify your value. 5. Make reading easy The easier you make your CV to read, the better recruiters will be able to navigate it and pick out the information they need. So ensure that your CV is extremely easy to read if you want to land job interviews. Start by using a clean simple font and avoid anything too elaborate that may give readers a headache. Break text up into small chunks and use bullet points throughout your roles in order to make the information easy to digest. Andrew Fennel is an experienced recruiter, founder of CV writing service StandOut CV and author of The Ultimate CV Writing Guide.

Online Professional Resume Writing Services

Online Professional Resume Writing ServicesMany professionals wonder what to expect when they search for Atlanta professional resume writing services. The truth is that each of these can offer you a different set of qualifications. In order to understand what is important to the professional, you must be clear on what you are looking for.There are many different online companies to choose from. While each may claim to offer the best resume service, it does not mean that all will be similar. No matter where you look, it is always helpful to speak with someone in the human resources department. They will be able to provide you with a list of the companies that meet your needs.Make sure to research the different sites so that you can see which companies are the best at what they do. You may be able to save time and money by knowing what you need before you sign up. Using a career site can help you find a site that is reliable and can save you time as well.It may take a little bit of tim e to find the right service. However, you should not have any trouble locating it. It is important to remember that you may get some work done for free or for a small fee. You will want to be sure that you are happy with the job before you pay anything.Since so many people have web sites, you can likely find dozens of professional resume writing companies for you to choose from. Even if you are unsure where to begin, you can usually find a site that has what you are looking for. Since so many people are interested in finding out how to write a resume, you can make yourself more marketable by doing this.Whether you are getting started with your entire processor are starting with one part, you can expect to get what you need. In many cases, you may even find that there are more than one person offering the same service. This is good news, since you can use it to your advantage.You may be able to eliminate time wasting and frustration by doing the legwork ahead of time. You will be abl e to get a better feel for which companies to keep an eye out for. In many cases, you may find that you are not even the best choice for the job.Whether you are getting started or looking for a career change, it is good to know that you can find a great deal of help with professional resume writing. Each of these can offer you a unique set of credentials. You may be surprised by what you can get for the same price as other companies that specialize in this area. Make sure to take a look at the website of each service before you hire them.

Career development has to be different - especially for millennials...

Career development has to be different - especially for millennials... It’s no secret, millennials are taking over the workforce. By 2025, 75% of the workforce will be millennial. Are you preparing your leadership programs for this change?   Maybe that’s the wrong way to start this blog. Maybe we should ask if you’re experiencing any of these realities:   Larger amounts of turnover Stagnant growth, innovation, and ideation Unhealthy culture Lack of youthful passion Sound familiar? If so, you’re going to have to acknowledge something quite major. Your leadership programs have to be different. Millennials are different, just like every new generation that has ever existed. With that in mind, it’s crucial that your leadership programs, and specifically how you develop these leaders, is relevant. Here are 5 ways for you to better engage the millennial workforce: Care about things beyond your business. Millennials look for organizations that stand for more than just being a business. So, be sure to talk about your values and missions outside of just developing your product / service. Why are you building? What’s the purpose? How are you going to impact the world? Answer these questions to your millennial employees. Utilize digital learning / advancement tools. Millennials are the first digital native generation. This means they don’t remember a time without technology, or connectedness. Be sure to encourage technology within your culture; utilizing it for growth, efficiency, innovation, and even education. Money does not always equate to enlarged motivation For millennials work isn’t about money, it’s about creating a lifestyle that fits within their beliefs. So, motivate your millennials teams with more than just money. Give them more freedom, offer them unique opportunities to lead, and encourage them to find additional ways to expand your business (and it’s social endeavors). Motivation isn’t found in a paycheck every two weeks, it’s fostered through opportunity and encouragement. Commitment is about commitment, not time. There used to be an unwritten rule that you should stay at a job for at least 1 year to show commitment. Millennials however, don’t connect commitment with a timeframe. They connect it with commitment. This means that nobody is grandfathered into a position; they consistently earn their position (and the acknowledgements that come with it). So, commit to your millennials, and they’ll commit to you. Be sure to think in terms of action, not in terms of time together. They’re likely more educated than you. 79% of millennials have bachelor degrees, compared to 69% of Gen Xers, and 62% of Baby Boomers. This doesn’t mean they are smarter than you, just that they grew up in a world that valued education statistically more than yours. So, encourage educational advancement as a form of both team development and individual growth. Education is powerful when harnessed in the correct ways. As Millennials take over the workplace remember this: It’s not a question of if, it’s a question of how. How are you going to change your career development programs to accommodate this change. -WCC Team By Wolfgang Career Coaching|2017-11-06T17:34:59+00:00November 1st, 2017|Career Change|0 Comments

I got a gig in Istanbul - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

I got a gig in Istanbul - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog Ill be speaking at the 11th. human resources conference in Istanbul on February 22nd and 23rd 2006. The conference has a very interesting theme called Manifesto: A Fresh Look into Organisations, People and Leadership. The themes are: * Discovering successful organizations with unconventional management approaches in place * Exploring complexity science and its relationship to organisations * Bringing a different look into organisational development, human capital management and work culture * Changing our minds about our firms: human corporations, companies as living systems, adaptive enterprise * Redefining leadership Sounds cool to me :o) Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related