One effective strategy is to recruit job seekers who already have their hearts set on working for a startup. The Internet can be a tremendous resource in finding the right people to build your team. Here are six websites that can help you make the most of the hunt:
A true craigslist for startups, this site displays posts for everything a startup needs, from partnerships to office space. The site grew out of Startup Digest, a mailing list of startup events. The mailing list works in two ways: Every two weeks the 10 most interesting listings are e-mailed to more than 40,000 startups on the “Help a Startup Out Digest” listserv, and every week the best technical listings are sent to the “Hackers Digest” listserv.
Pros: The interface makes it easy to browse the site without waiting for people to apply to your posting. Because there’s a fee to post jobs and resumes, there’s not much spam.
Cons: While most similar sites are free, the fee to post a job on Help a Startup Out is $99.
2. Cofoundr
This simple forum is intended to help entrepreneurs build teams and solicit advice from a pool of like-minded people. Members post messages to the running feed, which is searchable by keyword. They can message each other privately or choose to follow particular people whose interests match their own.
Pros: The search bar makes finding info a snap. If you’re looking for a specific service or skill it can’t hurt to at least check this board.
Cons: People advertising services, looking for advice, seeking investment capital, and looking for cofounders are all dumping their comments into the same place, which can make it hard to browse.
3. Startuply
Startuply bills itself as a home base for growing startups with about 2,000 self-defined startup profiles on the site.
Searching for team members is easy. Build a profile once, and it’s integrated with every job posting you make thereafter. Each posting automatically reposts every thirty days, and startups can choose whether to receive full applications, just resumes, just a notification, or nothing when people apply to their jobs.
Pros: This site targets entrepreneurial-minded people and makes it easy for them to find you. Automatic reposting and one-time profiles make it low maintenance, and its attention to aspects that most job sites overlook -- like funding, number of employees, and option to telecommute -- make it appropriate for start-ups.
Cons: There is no way to search for profiles of job-seekers.
4. InternshipIN
Started by a pair of college juniors, InternshipIN connects new businesses with aspiring professionals. Most startups can’t afford university recruiting, but if you’re willing to provide a legal, educational experience for a student, this site can be a great resource for discovering young talent.
Pros: You can search for students whose locations and skill sets match up with your company. The site is intended for startups, so you can be sure that the students are interested in growing companies.
Cons: Students have an option to communicate directly with employers by sending their cover letters to an inbox on the site. There’s no way to forward this inbox to your e-mail account, so it’s easy to forget to check it.
This site helps investors, startups, service providers, and advisors find each other. Startups can sign up to have their projects advertised to compatible investors or search through a 20,000-investor database. There’s also a searchable service section with advice on logo design, website development and a service request board if you prefer that providers come to you.
Pros: The site claims to be “the world’s BIGGEST source of small business clients.”
Cons: In order to contact investors and service providers outside of your personal network, you’ll need to pay a fee of either $49-$79 per month or $179 for a one-time use.
If you’re starting a company, chances are you either are a coder or need a coder. This site will help you out either way. Coders can create anonymous profiles and accept solicitations to work on projects or join a team. Entrepreneurs can browse coders by skill or location.
Pros: There’s no registration required, and the site maintains a sizable community of experienced coders who are up for side projects.
Cons: Since profiles are anonymous, you’ll have to make contact before you can verify that posters have the skills and experience they say they do. There also is no keyword search, so if you’re looking for something specific, you might be browsing for a while.
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