Recruiting your first employee as a startup is a monumental step. It’s a marker of achievement – you’ve created a business successful enough to grow! But with that pride often comes anxiety. Which position do I hire first? Where do list my job opening? How can I pick the best candidate for the role?

These questions are normal for every new LLC we’ve worked with. After all, hiring takes time and money. You want to make sure you’re doing it right. Kacia Down, Codesmith recruiter, shares her insider knowledge on hiring your first employee. Here's what she commonly encounters.

What common mistakes do you see businesses make when recruiting?

There are a few mistakes startups (and established companies!) make when hiring. It really all comes down to process problems.

1. Hiring too quickly or too slowly leaves employees scrambling to keep up. Here's what to know about the cost of vacancy (CoV).

2. Lack of knowing who/what they want before posting a job opening.

3. Interview process is a mess which leaves a bad impression on candidates (and word spreads!).

4. Too many interviews. Don't let analysis paralysis control you.

PRO-TIP: 2-3 interviews per candidate is the sweet spot. 

5. Internal miscommunication - each team member has a different idea of what they want so the new hire already can't meet expectations.

Do businesses do anything the "hard" way without realizing there's an easier way to recruit?

Absolutely. For one, recruiting itself can be the “hard” way. There are so many steps that go into finding the right person for your team. There needs to be a clear conversation on your must-haves vs. wants.

PRO-TIP: Don't overcomplicate your job listing. Too much information in the job description can overwhelm candidates before they even apply.

There's also another conversation about what this candidate should expect coming into the company. As much as the team is interviewing the candidate, it’s important for the candidate to know why it’s right for them. Too often companies forget to sell themselves.

Are there common hiring misconceptions that you frequently have to re-teach businesses?

I tend to see 2 common misconceptions whenever I work a new LLC.

Misconception 1: The business is the interviewer. The candidate is the interviewee.

Reality: Interviewing is a 2-way street. Candidates are vetting you as much as you're vetting them. They want to make sure you're a good fit too so you've got to sell yourself!

PRO-TIP: Great selling points include sharing what sets you apart, what individuals love about your company and realistic expectations of the role. 

Misconception 2: The most experienced candidate always gets the job.

Reality: As a recruiter, we only send qualified candidates although some have less experience than others. Sometimes companies only look for dates on a resume and forget that the candidate with a little less experience may be a better fit culturally and for the long term.

Is there something that drives you nuts as a recruiter?

Businesses have clear expectations of what they want in candidates (qualifications, must-haves, etc.). Yet when it comes to the interview and hiring, many businesses don't share those expectations with the candidate. This sort of guessing game immediately makes the candidate feel undervalued.

Setting these expectations beforehand is one of the easiest ways to win over a candidate. It immediately builds trust and rapport from day one.

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For a business hiring its first-ever employee, what top things they should know?

Determine your needs and capabilities. As a business with 0 employees, you'll likely have a lot of missing parts. Start by narrowing it down to where you struggle the most. 

And what are you capable of offering to candidates? Calculating your financial budget for a role will help you determine what level of experience you need to hire for, and whether you can afford full-time or contract work.

At The End Of The Day...

Hiring a new employee costs more than $4,000 so you better make it count. Consider your options, including working with a recruiter, to find the right candidate as soon as possible. Thing move quickly in the startup world and you don't want to be understaffed when a new opportunity rises.