3 Types Of People You’ll Encounter While Hiring Your Startup Team

With so many twists and turns, ups and downs, it’s obvious that running a startup is more like a rollercoaster ride. Being an entrepreneur, it is rather hard to predict when you’ll reach the top and when you’re struggling to walk. Whether it’s a sudden change of heart from a funding source you counted on or losing an influential customer, these setbacks can arise due to unforeseen circumstances and some might even send you back to the drawing board without a roadmap of where you’re heading to next.

Tough, you cannot be sure when these drawbacks will happen, you can be certain that they will happen. To overcome these challenges you’ll need a team you can count on in every situation – from the moments you celebrate to your first major pivot. Keep this in mind when choosing who you’ll want to collaborate with as we go through three types of team members you will encounter:

#1 The Thrill Seeker

The thrill seeker is always here for the ride. This person thrives under high pressure and a time-consuming atmosphere that might envelop most startups while just embracing celebrations and also unexpected problems with the same zeal. Whenever the ride is over, that is, when the company fails, has been acquired or just reached a level of stability, they will look for another roller coaster to jump on. Here’s how you can prepare for a ride with the thrill seeker:

• Thrill seekers can always act as a valuable member of the team. Chances are they were on many rides before an can prove to be a source of counsel and expertise to some of the less experienced team members.
• They can ensure that a company moves through peaks and valleys as smoothly as possible.
• Be wary of too many thrill seekers in your team as they tend to be headstrong and like to take control.
• Because they like to take control, thrill seekers might not stick to their given role but rather take on other challenges as well.

#2 The Noob

Do you remember the first roller coaster you have ever been on? Maybe you sized it up while just looking at it from the safety of the ground. You might have even tried to dismiss any of the last record regrets as you were strapped into the seat. Chances are that your stomach was tied up in knots as the cart inched towards the first apex. Those were actually your last moments as a rollercoaster newbie. This is how a newbie to the startup world might feel. Here’s what hiring a “noob” entails:

• There are many newbies out there. From students to graduates; newbies will have enough time to devote to your company and are happy to gain experience in their field.
• Some of them might fall in love with the idea of entrepreneurship and become great employees moving forward; some of them might find out it’s not for them and go into another direction.
• You’ll have to pay close attention to the newbies in your team as they don’t have a clear idea on how to handle a startup (yet). Check on them to see how well they are performing and encourage honest, transparent communication to ensure a stable team and success.
• Newbies can bring a fresh perspective to your company. These people are full of ideas, ready to share them and – you never know – one of them might be THE idea that gets your startup out there.

#3 The Onlooker

If you visit an amusement park, you’ll notice the groups of people looking content by just holding the bags and belongings of the roller coaster riders. These people are onlookers but rarely get on the ride themselves – they are here to maintain “peace and order” by standing on the ground and not being part of the ride. Here’s what you should keep in mind when hiring onlookers:

• You might have come across onlookers in your interview process; they are talented marketers, developers, sales people but show no interest in contributing to your company besides the task their job description asks for. Passion is something you can hardly teach them – and passion is what you want to bring your business forward.
• Onlookers might jump on your business ride but their heart won’t be in the race. However, to succeed in the startup world you need people who have their head in the game and are willing to go the extra mile.

The bottom line is, whenever you’re hiring don’t just think about the good times your company will have. Think about possible financial challenges, the high-pressure environment, and the pivots you might face. Once you are sure about the types of people you want to join your company, making the right choice in hiring your team members will become that much easier.

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