One of the most critical factors in the success of a venture is building a good team. Investors don't just invest in the idea or the product; they also invest in teams they truly believe in and who are passionately committed to their work. We see examples of how successful ventures are when they embark with the right team and don't lose their talents along the way.

From the inception of a business idea to bringing the product to life, presenting it to the market, creating sales strategies, and providing post-sales support, different roles and different skill sets are required. However, building a team with the mindset of hiring only the best in their fields should not be created, because having the best individuals on the team doesn't always guarantee success. It's essential to have the right people in the right positions.

With the hiring process being so crucial, all ventures and organizations must develop a good Recruitment Strategy. Because we know that the hiring journey is no longer just about finding and placing candidates, as this process affects our employer brand and image. Considering that the candidate's experience during this process influences their decision to continue or not, and considering the impression they spread to others, it is critical for companies.

So, what should be considered in developing a recruitment strategy? Let's take a brief look:

1- Clearly Define Roles & Efficiently Use Resources: Especially in the early stages, ventures focus on using available resources efficiently. Budgets are limited, the product has just gone live, and financial gains may not be sufficient for rapid growth. Therefore, it's crucial to clearly define the needed roles. Identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the existing team and defining what we need will be effective in finding the right source. A key point for founders to pay attention to is that they need more than profiles similar to theirs; they need diverse profiles. Individuals who will bring new values, offer different ideas, and always take the company one step ahead. People from different sectors, different schools, both experienced and new graduates (enthusiastic, high energy, willing to dedicate themselves), etc. Most importantly, having individuals who truly believe in the venture.

2- Identify Recruitment Tools: In an era where technology is crucial and finding candidates is challenging, ventures must benefit from digital transformation and technology in Human Resources as much as in their products and technologies. According to an article published by CodeSubmit, filling technical roles takes 50% longer than other positions. It takes an average of 66 days to find the right candidate for one open role, with a cost of $680 per day. Therefore, to use time efficiently, find the right source, and not lose it, ventures should utilize technology tools such as ATS (Applicant Tracking System), Onboarding Programs, etc.

3- Harness the Power of Social Media: Recruitment is no longer limited to just posting a job ad, conducting interviews, and placing candidates. Employer Branding plays a significant role in making ventures preferred companies and attracting candidates to us without us going to them. This can start with a career page. The information about the company's goals, achievements, company culture, and what they do creates a positive impression at first glance. Social media platforms follow this. Pages that reflect the working environment, how employees spend time in the office, events, celebrations, and achievements are effective, especially in attracting the younger generation. Realistic content and videos that sincerely reflect the working culture will be effective.

4- Chatbot Service: Although not widespread today, it will be a highly effective tool in the near future. Being in communication with candidates via chatbots, quickly answering their questions and curiosities, and having an interactive recruitment process will become important for Human Resources Departments.

5- Prepare Internship Programs: We know how important it is in ventures to use budget and resources efficiently. Sometimes, we cannot immediately include highly experienced, costly candidates. However, through internship programs, we enable recent graduates who are enthusiastic, dynamic, have high potential, and will have a say in the company's future to start with us and quickly reach the desired competencies. They can bring innovative and different perspectives to the company. Therefore, collaboration with universities is essential to include talented candidates in our programs.

6- The Power of Networking: Networking is crucial in the entrepreneurial ecosystem. We should not only think of this as the network of our management, investors, or our employees. Yes, this is crucial, especially when employees are happy and recommend their workplace to their friends and surroundings, it's a fantastic promotion. In addition to this, meetings, gatherings, conferences, and industry-related summits are critical for bringing stakeholders in the ecosystem together. Because in such events, there are always people who want to work in ventures. The most important part is that these people attend these events by researching, willingly, and meeting such enthusiastic candidates is always important from the perspective of Human Resources.

It's essential for all stakeholders of the venture to remember that the recruitment process is teamwork. In this process, teams and our employees should support us. It's crucial for the candidate we are looking for to meet with not only the manager of the department but also different people from the team, even if it's just for a short coffee.

7- Allocate Time: Whether it's the Human Resources Department or not, founders and department managers also want the recruitment process to be completed quickly. There's always a sense of urgency and immediate need. However, we must allocate time to build that team spirit, culture. We must have an excellent team to create it. If we use time effectively, use recruitment tools correctly, and utilize technology, we will complete this process in the healthiest way possible.

The recruitment process is both challenging and essential for ventures. We say the right team = successful venture. Therefore, it's indispensable to establish the right strategy (a strategy suitable for our culture, our product, our goals, realistic), strengthen our employer brand, and now, most importantly, in an environment where time and finding candidates are so time-consuming/costly, using technological products is a must. Of course, providing our employees with a happy and enjoyable working environment, enabling them to reveal their talents, potentials, is also crucial.