Investment firms partnering with startups demand rapid access to top-tier talent. In this compelling case study, we collaborated with a women’s professional sports franchise—a startup venture—hunting for their first IT hire, tasked with spearheading their IT and Cybersecurity ventures.
During our initial consultation, several critical challenges surfaced:
- Operating from an existing sports stadium with plans to relocate soon.
- The role required an on-site presence, including some weekends.
- This Director of IT must be willing to juggle administrative duties with hands-on responsibilities, as the sole initial IT person.
- The salary was below the market average for the title.
Finchloom accepted these challenges, and after revamping the job description, we deployed it across multiple job boards and launched proactive searches on LinkedIn (LI) for potential candidates. We reviewed 80 job board applicants and proactively engaged with 90 LI candidates. Interviews commenced within 48 hours of the initial post.
Our rigorous process entailed interviewing 25 candidates, prioritizing those with firsthand startup experience as the primary IT resource. We designed a custom interview questionnaire to ensure alignment with the client’s demands and the organization’s culture. Several candidates failed to meet the challenges outlined above, but within a week, we submitted six candidates for further interviews.
They found that the candidates with true start up experience were the most qualified for their needs and passed three of these candidates on for top-level interviews. Two candidates made it to the final interview, and the company extended an offer to one we actively sourced on LinkedIn. And she accepted!
The entire process from our initial identification to the company’s offer took 34 days.
While scheduling interviews is a common recruiting bottleneck, particularly for startups navigating multiple priorities, our assistance significantly expedited the hiring journey.
Finchloom understands the challenges faced by startups and investment firms in navigating recruitment complexities, and we stand ready to assist your next critical hire.