In the early stages of building a startup, your focus as a founder is building your core team and creating a quality recruiting process. But after you have that in place, how do you start thinking about scaling your efforts to attract even more high-quality candidates?
Maybe you have a beta product and paying customers and you’re looking to scale from 10 to 30 employees at lightning speed. It’s really important you have a repeatable process in place and get ahead of the curve when it comes to your recruiting brand. One thing I’ve noticed during my 10+ years of experience recruiting for Google, Amazon, AppDynamics, and now Unusual Ventures is that broadcasting your company culture by establishing an online recruiting brand is crucial to attracting top talent as you scale. This means going beyond just your company website and making sure all your online touch points appeal to candidates.
Invest time into tailoring your entire company website in order to tell a compelling and differentiated story for potential job candidates. Many startups make the mistake of focusing on just the Careers or About Us pages on their websites and neglect to create a unified company brand that's welcoming to candidates. Future employees will look at your website as a whole, so while certain sections are targeted toward specific audiences, you want to make sure the entire website resonates with potential candidates. Your goal is to help candidates envision what it would be like to work at your company by creating a fun, welcoming brand. For instance, you might post pictures of your team or your office if you have an attractive space and weave in messaging that reflects the culture and values of your team.
Harness (an Unusual portfolio company) does a great job of showcasing their company culture by including pictures of the Harness team engaging in fun outings and gathered together with their families, alongside a clear statement about their mission and hyper-growth:
Beyond your own company website, make sure external websites are aligned with the employer brand you want to communicate. One of the most effective platforms for demonstrating your recruiting brand is Glassdoor. Glassdoor has become the go-to resource for job seekers to check the reputation of a company. A lot of early companies have virtually no presence on Glassdoor and in the worst cases, leave negative feedback from candidates unaddressed.
It’s important to remember that employees are not the only people who can leave feedback about a company — interview candidates can as well. As we mention in "Selling While You Hire," the candidate experience is a big part of the recruiting brand as well. Establishing a robust, quality process should prevent bad reviews in the first place, but sometimes a bad experience happens. In those cases, responding to negative Glassdoor reviews shows you’re being thoughtful and care about the experience your candidates (and employees) have with your company. Otherwise, leaving negative feedback or reviews untouched can actively deter candidates. For instance, if any company on Glassdoor has a CEO approval rating of 80% or lower, that’s a huge red flag that employees are not happy with leadership and may scare off potential recruits.
One easy way to improve your Glassdoor presence is to get your team to populate the page with reviews. Make sure it’s 100% optional, but try to get as many reviews as possible. Remind existing employees that it’s beneficial to them because if you recruit more candidates, they get more of the help they need. For instance, there might be an automation engineer on your team who is also handling customer requests. That means they’re essentially doing two different jobs. Improving the company’s recruiting brand and having positive company reviews can go a long way to attract needed talent and fill out the team.
Besides adding employee reviews, make sure you upload real photos to your Glassdoor page. This means photos of team outings or events that illustrate your company’s working environment. One thing to be aware of is that these photos can potentially reveal gaps in your team’s diversity. Use this “visual audit” as an opportunity to examine any gaps in your team and surface diversity and inclusion as a priority in your recruiting efforts. It’s important to remember that by all accounts, diversity of thought leads to better products and businesses.
Here’s a great example of a great Glassdoor page from Shujinko (an Unusual portfolio company) with a clearly stated company mission and positive employee reviews:
Another high-impact action you can take to improve your company’s online brand is making sure your LinkedIn company page is up-to-date. Even if you’re just sharing blog posts about new feature launches, LinkedIn is a good place to demonstrate thought leadership in your industry. Publish all your articles and press announcements. It sounds trivial, but it can sway candidates by showcasing your company’s momentum.
Here’s a great example from Banyan Security (an Unusual portfolio company):
Notice Banyan's original content about industry trends and pictures showcasing their tight-knit team. A LinkedIn company page is free and you can upgrade for additional features and recruiting tools — the results are often well worth the expense to attract top talent.
Finally, don’t be afraid to get out there and use multiple platforms to communicate your company’s recruiting brand. Use StackOverflow, AngelList, Twitter, Medium, etc. to cross-post job listings and announcements so you can build awareness and attract candidates. Whether it’s Glassdoor, LinkedIn, or any other platform, make sure there’s regular activity that shows the tangible (free lunch!) and intangible perks (an inclusive company culture) of working at your company. Is it a family environment? What types of events does your team do together? The goal is to make it fun and inspiring.
At the seed stage, you’re hiring future leaders who will help you build your company. Make it clear to candidates that they will have the rare opportunity to join a company experiencing exponential growth and have a hands-on role in building that “rocket ship” from the ground up. No matter how big or small your company, you’re competing for the same talent, so your employer brand needs to stand out in some way.
Odds are, if a candidate is interested in working for your early-stage startup, they don’t want to work in an impersonal, corporate environment. Your job descriptions, your company page, etc. all have to show how their career can flourish and the opportunities available to them if they join your startup vs. a larger company. That messaging needs to be present in any company description and consistent across all platforms so candidates have a very clear understanding of your company’s identity.
Here’s a great blurb from AptEdge (an Unusual portfolio company) that describes employee autonomy and huge growth potential for the company:
It can seem overwhelming to create this online recruiting brand if you’re starting from nothing, but it pays dividends in the quality and type of candidates you can attract to help scale your business. To help you get started, I created this checklist, which you can download to make sure you’re covering your bases when it comes to developing your online recruiting brand.
Scaling Your Organization
Write great job descriptions
Copyright © 2023
Unusual Ventures.
All Rights Reserved.
Copyright © 2021
Unusual Ventures.
All Rights Reserved.
Table of contents
Starting Your Company
start-your-company
Jan 27, 2023
#3d38b8
false
1
Customer Discovery
finding-product-market-fit
Jan 27, 2023
#54bb69
false
2
Going To Market
going-to-market
Dec 15, 2022
#faba25
false
3
Fundraising Series A & Beyond
fundraising-series-a-beyond
Dec 03, 2022
#f4843a
false
4
Scaling Your Organization
scaling-your-organization
Dec 15, 2022
false
5
Startup Glossary
startup-glossary
Dec 03, 2022
false
6
Startup Glossary
startup-glossary
Dec 03, 2022
false
6
Starting Your Company
start-your-company
Jan 27, 2023
#3d38b8
false
1
Fundraising Series A & Beyond
fundraising-series-a-beyond
Dec 03, 2022
#f4843a
false
4
Scaling Your Organization
scaling-your-organization
Dec 15, 2022
false
5
Customer Discovery
finding-product-market-fit
Jan 27, 2023
#54bb69
false
2
Going To Market
going-to-market
Dec 15, 2022
#faba25
false
3
Customer validation: Going from idea to sellable product
customer-validation-going-from-idea-to-sellable-product
false
2.1
Customer Discovery
John Vrionis
Build a sales motion
build-a-sales-motion
false
2.4
Going To Market
John Vrionis
Segmenting early markets
segmenting-early-markets
false
1.2
Customer Discovery
John Vrionis
Define a GTM framework early
define-a-gtm-framework-early
false
1.3
Customer Discovery
John Vrionis
Working with design partners
working-with-design-partners
false
2
Customer Discovery
John Vrionis
What are design partners?
what-are-design-partners
false
2.2
Customer Discovery
John Vrionis
Qualifying design partners
qualifying-design-partners
false
2.3
Customer Discovery
Unusual Ventures Sales Team
Prospecting for design partners
prospecting-for-design-partners
false
2.5
Customer Discovery
Innovator outreach
innovator-outreach
false
2.4
Customer Discovery
Outreach tactics
outreach-tactics
false
2.6
Customer Discovery
John Vrionis
Outreach playbook
outreach-playbook
false
2.7
Customer Discovery
John Vrionis
AppDynamics case study
appdynamics-case-study
false
2.8
Customer Discovery
John Vrionis
Messaging
messaging
false
3
Customer Discovery
Scott Schwarzhoff
Intro to messaging
intro-to-messaging
false
3.1
Customer Discovery
Scott Schwarzhoff
Why buy anything?
why-buy-anything
false
3.2
Customer Discovery
Scott Schwarzhoff
Why buy now?
why-buy-now
false
3.3
Customer Discovery
Scott Schwarzhoff
Why buy you?
why-buy-you
false
3.4
Customer Discovery
Scott Schwarzhoff
First Customer presentations
first-customer-presentations
false
3.5
Customer Discovery
Scott Schwarzhoff
Iterating to MVP
iterating-to-mvp
false
4
Customer Discovery
Wei Lien Dang
Shape your MVP with design partners
shape-your-mvp-with-design-partners
false
4.1
Customer Discovery
Wei Lien Dang
A practical example: Traceable
a-practical-example-traceable
false
4.2
Customer Discovery
John Vrionis
Building a product roadmap
building-a-product-roadmap
false
4.3
Customer Discovery
Jyoti Bansal
Early-stage pricing
early-stage-pricing
false
5
Customer Discovery
John Vrionis
Pricing your product
pricing-your-product
false
5.1
Customer Discovery
John Vrionis
Case studies
case-studies
false
6
Customer Discovery
Startup Field Guide Podcast
startup-field-guide-podcast
false
6.1
Customer Discovery
Marketing
marketing
false
1
Going To Market
Bill Hodak
GTM funnel stages, metrics, goals
gtm-funnel-stages-metrics-goals
false
1.1
Going To Market
Bill Hodak
Sales leads! How do we get more leads?
sales-leads-how-do-we-get-more-leads
false
1.2
Going To Market
Bill Hodak
Building awareness with B2B target users
building-awareness-with-b2b-target-users
false
1.3
Going To Market
Bill Hodak
Convert targets into trial/freemium
convert-targets-into-trial-freemium
false
1.4
Going To Market
Bill Hodak
From trial to aha! land
from-trial-to-aha-land
false
1.5
Going To Market
Bill Hodak
Build an open-source community
build-an-open-source-community
false
1.6
Going To Market
Bill Hodak
Sales
sales
false
2
Going To Market
John Vrionis
Fixing seed-stage sales
fixing-seed-stage-sales
false
2.1
Going To Market
John Vrionis
Picking a GTM motion
picking-a-gtm-motion
false
2.2
Going To Market
John Vrionis
Math of sales
math-of-sales
false
2.3
Going To Market
John Vrionis
4 boxes of discovery with prospects
4-boxes-of-discovery-with-prospects
false
2.5
Going To Market
John Vrionis
Qualification before discovery
qualification-before-discovery
false
2.6
Going To Market
Discovery 101
discovery-101
false
2.7
Going To Market
Deal qualification & forecasting
deal-qualification-forecasting
false
2.8
Going To Market
John Vrionis
Product testing process
product-testing-process
false
2.9
Going To Market
John Vrionis
Closing after testing
closing-after-testing
false
2.91
Going To Market
The Modern GTM
the-modern-gtm
false
3
Going To Market
John Vrionis
Introduction to the Modern GTM
introduction-to-the-modern-gtm
false
3.1
Going To Market
John Vrionis
Organizing Modern GTM teams
organizing-modern-gtm-teams
false
3.2
Going To Market
John Vrionis
Modern GTM planner
modern-gtm-planner
false
3.4
Going To Market
Scott Schwarzhoff
Product-led growth
product-led-growth
false
4
Going To Market
Sandhya Hegde
Introduction to PLG
introduction-to-plg
false
4.1
Going To Market
Sandhya Hegde
Nail your self-serve product
nail-your-self-serve-product
false
4.2
Going To Market
Sandhya Hegde
Free plan vs. Trial plan
free-plan-vs-trial-plan
false
4.3
Going To Market
Sandhya Hegde
Self-serve user/buyer journey
self-serve-user-buyer-journey
false
4.4
Going To Market
John Vrionis
Drive adoption with tutorials
drive-adoption-with-tutorials
false
4.5
Going To Market
Hiring your first sales leader
hiring-your-first-sales-leader
false
5.1
Going To Market
John Vrionis
Scaling your sales team
scaling-your-sales-team
false
5.2
Going To Market
John Vrionis
Recruiting your SDR team
recruiting-your-sdr-team
false
5.3
Going To Market
Jason Dorfman
Fundraising guide
fundraising-guide
false
1
Fundraising Series A & Beyond
John Vrionis
Raising Seed and Series A capital
raising-seed-and-series-a-capital
false
1.1
Fundraising Series A & Beyond
John Vrionis
Pitch and process
pitch-and-process
false
1.2
Fundraising Series A & Beyond
John Vrionis
How Vivun raised a Seed round
how-vivun-raised-a-seed-round
false
1.3
Fundraising Series A & Beyond
John Vrionis
Hiring
hiring
false
1
Scaling Your Organization
Chris Marty
Holistic hiring for hyper-growth
holistic-hiring-for-hyper-growth
false
1.1
Scaling Your Organization
Chris Marty
Three traits in early-stage hires
three-traits-in-early-stage-hires
false
1.2
Scaling Your Organization
Chris Marty
Develop your recruiting brand
develop-your-recruiting-brand
false
1.3
Scaling Your Organization
Jon Volk
Write great job descriptions
write-great-job-descriptions
false
1.4
Scaling Your Organization
Jon Volk
Hiring product designers
hiring-product-designers
false
1.5
Scaling Your Organization
Suraj VenkataRaman
Messaging for hiring first engineers
messaging-for-hiring-first-engineers
false
1.6
Scaling Your Organization
John Vrionis
An end-to-end hiring process
an-end-to-hiring-process
false
1.7
Scaling Your Organization
Jon Volk
Selling while you hire
selling-while-you-hire
false
1.8
Scaling Your Organization
Jon Volk
Make an attractive job offer
make-an-attractive-job-offer
false
1.9
Scaling Your Organization
Jon Volk
Founder's guide to equity
founders-guide-to-equity
false
1.91
Scaling Your Organization
Lars Albright
Leadership
leadership
false
2
Scaling Your Organization
Billy Bosworth
CEO/founder prioritization
ceo-founder-prioritization
false
2.1
Scaling Your Organization
Billy Bosworth
DataStax case study
datastax-case-study
false
2.2
Scaling Your Organization
John Vrionis
Managing a Series A board meeting
managing-a-series-a-board-meeting
false
2.3
Scaling Your Organization
John Vrionis
Startup glossary for Founders
startup-glossary-for-founders-2
false
1
Startup Glossary
Startup glossary for Founders
startup-glossary-for-founders
false
1.1
Startup Glossary
Ideal customer profile and personas
ideal-customer-profile-and-personas
false
1.1
Customer Discovery
Identifying initial customers
identifying-initial-customers
false
1
Customer Discovery
Dakota McKenzie
Guide to Pre-Seed funding
guide-to-pre-seed-funding
false
1.1
Starting Your Company
Sarah Leary
How to raise Pre-Seed funding
how-to-raise-pre-seed-funding
false
1
Starting Your Company
Sarah Leary
The Modern GTM user/buyer journey
the-modern-gtm-user-buyer-journey
false
3.3
Going To Market
John Vrionis
Hiring your first sales leader
hiring-your-first-sales-leader1
false
5
Going To Market
John Vrionis
Startup glossary for Founders
startup-glossary-for-founders-1
false
1
Startup Glossary
How to raise Pre-Seed funding
how-to-raise-pre-seed-funding
false
1
Starting Your Company
Iterating to MVP and beyond
iterating-to-mvp-and-beyond
false
1
Customer Discovery
Sarah Leary
Beachheads and vertical expansion
beachheads-and-vertical-expansion
false
2.5
Going To Market
Andy Johns
Hiring
hiring
false
1
Scaling Your Organization
Chris Marty
Holistic hiring for hyper-growth
holistic-hiring-for-hyper-growth
false
1.1
Scaling Your Organization
Chris Marty
Leadership
leadership
false
2
Scaling Your Organization
Andy Johns
Startup glossary for Founders
startup-glossary-for-founders
false
1.1
Startup Glossary
Guide to Pre-Seed funding
guide-to-pre-seed-funding
false
1.1
Starting Your Company
Sarah Leary
Three traits in early-stage hires
three-traits-in-early-stage-hires
false
1.2
Scaling Your Organization
Chris Marty
Consumer subscription
consumer-subscription
false
1.2
Fundraising Series A & Beyond
Rachel Star
From idea to product launch
from-idea-to-product-launch
false
1.1
Customer Discovery
Sarah Leary
Pitch and process
fundraising-pitch-and-process
false
2.2
Fundraising Series A & Beyond
John Vrionis
Milestones and valuations
fundraising-milestones-valuations
false
2.1
Fundraising Series A & Beyond
John Vrionis
Write great job descriptions
write-great-job-descriptions
false
1.4
Scaling Your Organization
Jon Volk
Positioning to win
positioning-to-win
false
2.1
Customer Discovery
Josh Grau
Messaging
messaging
false
2
Customer Discovery
Josh Grau
An end to end hiring process
an-end-to-end-hiring-process
false
1.5
Scaling Your Organization
Jon Volk
When are you pitch-ready?
when-are-you-pitch-ready
false
1
Fundraising Series A & Beyond
Haley Daiber
Consumer social
consumer-social
false
1.1
Fundraising Series A & Beyond
Haley Daiber
Managing a Series A board meeting
managing-a-series-a-board-meeting
false
2.4
Scaling Your Organization
John Vrionis
CEO/Founder prioritization
leadership-ceo-founder-prioritization
false
2.3
Scaling Your Organization
Billy Bosworth
Moderation and maintaining quality
moderation-and-maintaining-quality
false
2.4
Going To Market
Andy Johns
Solving the cold start problem
solving-the-cold-start-problem
false
2.3
Going To Market
Andy Johns
Accelerating your content flywheel
accelerating-your-content-flywheel
false
2.2
Going To Market
Andy Johns
Flywheel fundamentals
flywheel-fundamentals
false
2.1
Going To Market
Andy Johns
Product development for innovation
product-development-for-innovation
false
1.2
Going To Market
Andy Johns
A/B testing
growth-optimization
false
1.1
Going To Market
Andy Johns
Running effective product meetings
running-effective-product-meetings
false
2.2
Scaling Your Organization
Andy Johns
What makes for a good PM?
what-makes-for-a-good-pm
false
2.1
Scaling Your Organization
Andy Johns
Make an attractive job offer
make-an-attractive-job-offer
false
1.7
Scaling Your Organization
Jon Volk
Selling while you hire
selling-while-you-hire
false
1.6
Scaling Your Organization
Jon Volk
Develop your recruiting brand
develop-your-recruiting-brand
false
1.3
Scaling Your Organization
Jon Volk
Raising a Seed or Series A Round
fundraising-seed-or-series-a-round
false
2
Fundraising Series A & Beyond
Creating content communities
growth-content-communities
false
2
Going To Market
Andy Johns
Optimization vs. Innovation
optimization-vs-innovation
false
1
Going To Market
Andy Johns