Meet our panel of experienced talent professionals from Funded.club, discussing strategies for screening candidates with "Startup DNA."
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First Impressions from CVs and Resumes
Insights into reviewing CVs, LinkedIn profiles, and online activity to identify strong candidates.
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What Makes a Great First Impression?
Key traits and behaviors that demonstrate alignment with startup values.
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Identifying Startup DNA
Core qualities, such as adaptability, initiative, and resilience, that make candidates thrive in a startup environment.
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Red Flags During Screening
Traits and behaviors that signal poor fit for startups, including lack of initiative and arrogance.
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Closing Thoughts
Emphasizing the importance of finding the right cultural and professional fit for startup success.
Transcript below
Speaker 2: 00:02
Okay. Welcome to our conversation on screening for Startup DNA, joined here by three professionals from the Funded Club team. I'm Ray Gibson, the founder and chairman, Funded Club, working out of Amsterdam and happy to join you today. And I'll ask our team members to introduce themselves briefly. Maybe Jyl, if you want to go first. Yep.
Speaker 1: 00:28
Hi, I'm Jyl McLaughlin. I am the VP of Customer Success with Funded Club. I work closely with our team of global recruiters to support and ensure successful delivery to our customers of startup candidates.
Speaker 2: 00:44
Super. Super. Sonya.
Speaker 3: 00:47
Hi, Good morning. I'm Sonya Mead, based in the United States. I've got about 15 years of talent acquisition experience and I work with Funded Club to partner with our startup candidates, mostly on the technical recruiting and sourcing side.
Speaker 2: 01:03
Superb. And Edy, you're in Europe?
Speaker 4: 01:06
Hello.
Speaker 2: 01:07
Yes.
Speaker 4: 01:09
Yes, I'm Edy Starvas. I'm based in Hungary, Central Europe. I've been doing HR and recruitment for 10 years now and I'm focusing on tech and finance positions to support our partners.
Speaker 2: 01:24
Okay, fantastic. So plenty of experience on the call and we're looking at how we can advise folks to screen for startup DNA. Let's just go back a step and think about candidates generally. Sonya, if we could start with you. What are the first two or three things that you look for when you open up a CV or resume? The first time as a job application or Maybe even a LinkedIn profile or an online profile for headhunting? What do you look for first of all?
Speaker 3: 01:58
Sure. So the first thing that jumps out obviously is the format. Is it clean? Is it easily readable? Can I pull out the pieces that I need? Second thing would be the skill sets that I'm looking for. Have they prominently displayed those in the top of the resume so I can easily find them and match them to what I'm looking for for the client? I think thirdly would be the bullet points. Are they in a way that they're displaying the actual impact that they've made in their role? Not just canned bullet points that don't tell me much of anything. So those would probably be the first few things that I would dig into a resume before I go much further.
Speaker 2: 02:40
Right, okay. And if you see maybe some of that information initially, but it's not well organized, will you spend time hunting to try to find the rest? I mean, it may be a qualified or very qualified person that doesn't care too much right now about how they're viewed online, but maybe they're down doing something really great.
Speaker 3: 03:00
Yeah, if it's somebody I'VE sourced and I feel like there's something there that I need to dig deeper. I will absolutely read a little bit further, dig further into their career history and see what they've done. I might go if they've got some activity, if it's Open source on GitHub, try to look at some of their GitHub activity. I might dig further on Google, do some Google searches, see what else they may have done, or look at their activity on LinkedIn, look at some of their posts or what they're associated with and see if I can find more about them. If I do find them interesting enough that I really want to know more and see if it's somebody that I can connect with and learn more about them.
Speaker 2: 03:38
Okay, Jyl, what about yourself?
Speaker 1: 03:42
I take a little bit of a different approach with the same ending results. I will look at the resume, I will pull up the resume and if they have kind of that seven second hit with their profile of must haves and their current employment, then I will then go and open up their LinkedIn profile and I'll take a look to see what consistencies or inconsistencies there might be between the Resume and the LinkedIn profile and then identify their startup background. So generally speaking with our customers, they're going to be looking for candidates who have startup experience. Not always, but most of the time. And I like to see if they've been in a similar environment. So I kind of take more of that bird's eye view before then digging deeper into additional information, as Sonya said, into other websites and other resources to find their experience level.
Speaker 2: 04:43
Right. Did you say seven seconds at the beginning? Yeah, yeah. Okay. What is that based on?
Speaker 1: 04:50
So that's based on Sonya and they probably see this is, you know, kind of this, the psychology around the resume review and that a recruiter or hiring manager will take seven seconds to review the resume with the top third of the resume being the key real estate of information about the candidate. So, you know, taking a look at, you know, it's kind of more of just you train yourself to take a look at that and see what information that they're providing immediately, you know, get a sense of their kind of a readiness factor for the, for our customer.
Speaker 2: 05:31
Okay, thank you. Edy, anything to add here? That's quite, quite some detail from Sonya and Jyl already.
Speaker 4: 05:40
Yes, yes. Quite a comprehensive answer to your question already. I think I would add that because I'm doing a lot of head hunting and active sourcing for the positions that I'm recruiting for LinkedIn profiles are very important to me. And so I always look at how detailed the profile it is and how much attention this person put into completing their profile, especially when it comes to the LinkedIn summary section and the technical skills. Because obviously us recruiters, we are able to look at the technical skills as well as industry expertise when it comes to someone's profile. So these are very important and I would encourage everyone who is open to further developing their career and who wouldn't be complete their LinkedIn profile as much as possible and to list all the skills and expertise, especially when it comes to tech positions, you know, tech stack, actual projects that they've worked on, actual tasks that they have undertaken so far because the more detail there is, the better chances that we are going to actually get in contact with them and start, start having a conversation with them about the position.
Speaker 2: 07:02
Right. Is it possible though, Edy, especially for some of the technology professionals, that their online profiles on GitHub, Stack Overflow, even Reddit and other groups that they're on would be more active than their LinkedIn profile?
Speaker 4: 07:18
Yes, of course. Especially if they have a stable career. So they wouldn't be focusing on their LinkedIn profile that much. I would say they would be sharing more information about the projects that they work on on GitHub and other platforms. Although I would still encourage everyone to like think for their future because I think the recent times have taught all of us that it's important to plan ahead and to really maintain a network of connections in their industries, including recruiters, because you know, you never know can happen. And they, they already, if they already have a network of people that they can reach out to when their situation changes, I think it's better for, for them and for everyone involved.
Speaker 2: 08:14
Right, that's some good advice for job seekers and professionals there so far. And let's stay with you Edy for a few moments. So, looking at this from the point of view of an employer, let's start thinking about how we build up a first impression of a candidate. So either we've had hunted them or they've applied and we've got them on call. If we're looking for startup DNA, what creates a great first impression with you from a candidate?
Speaker 4: 08:48
Obviously if they show a genuine interest in the position, that already shows motivation and they are willingness to, to change, but also to explore what options are available to them. If they show a genuine interest in the position, that they probably ask loads of questions about their position, about the company, about the team. So all this makes a first great impression. Obviously if I want to dig deeper. I ask competency based interview questions that align with the values of the organization to find whether there is a good fit or even culture add to the company. But usually during the first 10 minutes I can see whether this someone is actually interested in this position and whether they show motivation to join this organization.
Speaker 2: 09:48
Right. And that motivation or enthusiasm at the beginning of a call, how is that related to the startup fit or startup DNA?
Speaker 4: 09:58
Yes. So obviously loads of energy is required when someone is joining a startup or a scale up organization and the willingness to dedicate to the organization and to support the organization in their growth. So that enthusiasm and motivation tells me that they are ready for a change and they are interested in this opportunity. Also, they're probably excited about the the purpose of the organization or the mission. Perhaps they have already researched it if they asked about it during our messaging. So if they come to the conversation with already information or questions in their minds or already excitement, then we can further be at the conversation and talk about what it's like working within this organization and what it's like working in a startup environment.
Speaker 2: 10:59
And probably that initial enthusiasm or preparedness will indicate that they have the initiative to prepare for weekly calls when they're working in a startup and taking initiative to solve problems. Right?
Speaker 4: 11:13
Yes, of course.
Speaker 2: 11:15
Being more proactive. Okay. And as the conversation develops, Sonya, if we come to you, how else are you listening for startup fit and Startup DNA during the screening calls?
Speaker 3: 11:27
So during the screening call I think for startup DNA it's important that I'm hearing them talk about working through problems on their own, that they are able to basically research and dig through solutions. They're not always looking to their team to try to solve a problem. They're not constantly talking about. Well, I have team members that do this piece or that piece and then they come and bring this, this to me. That they're actually taking the initiative and they're reaching out and figuring it out on their own. That they enjoy working and with autonomy. That they enjoy taking that initiative. Initiative that they enjoy and get excited about solving problems. That they like wearing multiple hats, that they don't want to just put their head down and do a job. That they want to be thrown into different things and changes that happen constantly. So as we're talking through, you know, I will ask questions around so you're, you know, you're working on this project and they come in and say, stop, we're changing gears now. We're going to say go over to this project because this one's Been pulled. What happens? What do you do, you know, how do you switch gears and how do you make that change? Or you know, we will just ask those situational based questions to get them to demonstrate examples of how they are able to change gears, how they're able to work autonomously, how they're able to take a project with passion all the way through to conclusion without the help of a big team supporting them and lifting them up.
Speaker 2: 13:04
Right? Yeah, yeah, very good. And do you feel comfortable with some candidates that don't have a background working in a startup? Perhaps they've come from a more corporate environment, but they're answering these questions well for you. Do you feel that that can still be a great fit?
Speaker 3: 13:24
I do. I'm actually working with a couple of candidates like that right now. They've come from a corporate background, they don't have that startup experience experience, but they're ready to take that next step and take their corporate experience and move into a startup environment. They've got that excitement and enthusiasm and they've taken on challenges within that big corporate umbrella. Excuse me. And they're, they're, they've done it autonomously, they've taken it all the way from start to finish and they're, they're ready to go. You know, I want to do this for a startup. I don't want to be under this safety net of this corporate umbrella anymore. I want to take it to the next step. So it absolutely can work if they've got the right attitude and aptitude to do so.
Speaker 2: 14:11
Right. And for anyone in this conversation, maybe we could just shout out some traits or characteristics of startup fit or startup DNA, things like risk taking, for example. I often see that as a quality that people need to get into a startup situation, which may be that they've moved countries in the past or they've taken a chance on joining a startup before, or they change tactics during their studies or something like this. What other characteristics or traits make somebody a good fit for startup, you think? Anyone?
Speaker 1: 14:50
I would say beyond those, what comes to mind is, you know, kind of, for lack of it, sounding cliche, working in a fast paced environment, but not just working in the fast paced environment, being able to manage the fast pace. Edy had referenced energy, you know, kind of the energy that the candidate displays, but also how they've managed their own projects or their, you know, depending on if it's tech or more corporate, you know, what kind of roles they're in, how they're managing their communications, how they demonstrate they work independently as well as with a team.
Speaker 4: 15:35
I think adaptability and flexibility is very important because of this fast changing environment. And so startups and scalers are looking for new team members who are comfortable working in this and they don't see this as a, as a threat or a stress factor. And obviously they are looking for people who have the resilience and the ability to deal with sometimes chaotic situations. It can happen that an organization is very, very fast growing and they are just figuring things out as they go. As much as they want to plan ahead, they have to be very reactive to their current situation and sometimes change direction, sometimes develop a new product or change the features from one day to the other. Obviously they are looking for people often who are innovative or can think outside of the box and can add to their sort of knowledge and expertise. And who is not afraid to challenge the thinking sometimes because out of these conversations can come out really good ideas. I think we already mentioned being proactive and enthusiastic. So people who are not just waiting around for others to tell them what to do, but they take initiative and bring their ideas and solutions forward. I've also seen an expectation for, how can I put it, Optimism or positive thinking. So someone may have been in a difficult situation, but they were able to overcome it and they are able to look at challenges as opportunities for growth and not necessarily, you know, difficult situations. So yeah, there are a lot of things that can enable someone to, to succeed in that sort of environment. And I'm seeing more and more people coming out of the corporate world hungry for these challenges, but also to be able to see the impact, the direct impact of their work. Because when they work in a corporate environment, there are loads of tiny tasks that they work on and they don't see how they contribute to the greater agenda. So when they work in a startup, they can see, see, oh yeah, I contributed to creating this product or this solution or this service. And so there is a great success factor in that.
Speaker 1: 18:17
Some other. Ed, you reminded me some other fringe things that recruiters or hiring managers may not think about in the first interview is how they may have responded or do respond to a compensation information and as well as, you know, kind of the demands around compensation and benefits, you know, what I'm going for is, you know, do they understand that the compensation may be variable? Do they under, you know, it's not going to be a Fortune 500 salary band, you know, with some fixated, you know, compensation structure and benefits, it may, it may, may vary. So, you know, an early understanding of that may indicate they may have already worked in startups and understand it or they, they are looking for, like Edy says, a challenge.
Speaker 2: 19:13
Joining a mission. Yeah, that's a good point. And I think evidence that they are continually learning new things under their own initiative is a strong signal too. Someone that stopped learning and is just doing a job would be a turn off for me. Hiring someone for a startup. I'd really be looking for someone on the technology side that's researching the latest and greatest tools and tech stacks and what's coming out, looking at AI and how that's developing. On the sales side, people that are understanding the latest marketing hacks and growth strategies and following the right people on LinkedIn for information. So yeah, we're usually questioning around those areas as well, I believe.
Speaker 1: 20:01
Oh, sorry. I was gonna say if they can relate immediately to, you know, to the job and the customer, if they've done their research ahead of meeting with their first interview, that's really, you know, a positive in that, in that first impression.
Speaker 3: 20:22
Sonya, I was just gonna say, you know, in a lot of startups, not every, but a lot of startups, grit and thick skin, those are two biggies that, you know, go a long ways because it's, it's not a corporate environment, it's smaller companies, there's not a lot of training around PC communication and things can go fast and things can get a little bit uncomfortable. And thick skin and grit go a long way in a startup environment too.
Speaker 2: 20:50
True. Okay, last question. Because we should also be negative for a moment. What turns us off from a candidate profile or during the screening conversation, what makes us move to a definite no? Because we can save startups some time here and stop the loss policy, stop wasting time on people that will never work out. What stands out to people about people? When you say, no, this is definitely not going to work.
Speaker 1: 21:20
I would go to what I mentioned just before is if, you know, if I've sourced them and reached directly out to them or they've applied, they've seen information on the job and if they cannot answer, they have no idea that what they applied for or what I contacted them about, then, you know, the call is pretty much done. Because there's certainly no initiative in that situation.
Speaker 3: 21:47
Very true. Canned answers. And I think this applies to any kind of job. But specifically with startup, if I am trying to get you to relate an example to a skill set and you are giving me a canned answer and not giving me any tangible information that I can use, after one or two of those, I'm done. We're not Moving forward with the interview.
Speaker 4: 22:14
For me, if someone is arrogant and if they think too much of themselves because they know that startup is not a good environment for people like that because their startup owners, rightly or their leadership, rightly is looking for people who are humble and able to contribute and able to offer their support, maybe even to more junior people in their team. So we're looking for people who have a good self awareness but they are empathetic towards others and they are humble about their own knowledge and expertise.
Speaker 3: 23:01
Absolutely. Oh, I'm sorry, Ray.
Speaker 2: 23:08
I was just gonna say humble is an interesting choice of words. I mean for some roles you might want a lot of self confidence, but not bordering on arrogance. Of course.
Speaker 4: 23:20
I see what you mean. Yes, obviously confidence, it can be, you know, can come across in a healthy way. Like someone is confident about their experience and about the way they can contribute. But we usually are able to tell after a few questions whether someone is aware of their own weaknesses and aware of their own areas for development, or they are not.
Speaker 1: 23:51
We have a lot of feedback from customers. I would say, you know, it's not uncommon for them to reject candidates because of their arrogance once they meet with.
Speaker 3: 24:01
Them or they'll flat out say to us, pardon my language, but they'll say no and then come right out and say that to us.
Speaker 2: 24:08
So there's a shortage summary right there. Yeah, there you go.
Speaker 1: 24:15
I mean that's subjective, but.
Speaker 2: 24:20
Very good. Well, any closing thoughts? This has been a lively discussion already.
Speaker 1: 24:27
I think, because I see all of all of the projects on a regular basis. I think it's an important message for both startup founders, hiring managers and candidates to value a lot of the points that we've made here today. I think that it's really important to not think of these things as surface, you know, kind of material pieces of information. But really and truly it's really important to, you know, to kind of find the match of the candidate valuing the startup environment as well as the startup founder or hiring manager to value the candidates who are interested. Because it's not going to be your typical, it's not necessarily your typical resume, you know, can't judge it by a resume, let's say, let's put it that way, right?
Speaker 2: 25:27
And a startup is hard at the best of times, so you need the very best people, the very best fit to stand a chance of making progress and even surviving. So to anyone listening, don't settle for anyone mediocre, go for the very best. And if you need help with that, we're always here thank you, everybody, for joining the conversation. We'll talk again soon.