When I asked everyone where to go next last Monday, I got a ton of great suggestions. But at the top of the list, with 24 upvotes was this one by Robert Holtz:
How about the job of recruiting talent?
Finding/attracting the right key people, where to go to find good hires, getting headcount dialed in right at various stages of development, in-house versus outsourcing (when to do or not to do each), good hiring practices (i.e. interviewing, evaluating, selecting new hires among candidates), and also the evolving VC's role (some, as you know, are not just advising in this area but actively functioning as a recruitment partner/talent agency).
So over the next roughly ten Mondays we will explore the issue of Human Capital on MBA Mondays. This is indeed a huge one. Possibly the single most important thing you will face in building a business.
It is not my sweet spot. I'm more of a product, strategy, finance person. But I've developed a huge appreciation for the role of human capital in a startup over the 25 years I've been in the venture capital business and I spend as much time on this as anything else these days. So I am going to give it my best shot and then call in the experts.
Here's a basic outline (taking a lot from Robert's comment):
– The importance of culture and fit when hiring
– Where to find strong talent
– Optimal headcount at various stages
– Best hiring practices
– How to leverage your partners (including your investors) in the hiring process
– Guest posts from several top HR/CPO executives
– Guest posts from several recruiters
– Guest posts from several CEOs who excel in this area
It should be a good series. I am looking forward to it.
