In the life of a startup, hiring decisions are immensely impactful. Who you bring on as a cofounder, your first real hire, or in a new role post-funding can directly influence the direction of your company for years to come. We know startup founders and employees often wear many hats as you work tirelessly to create something great from scratch. Plus, with limited time and resources, young companies may feel strapped when making hiring decisions or unsure of which skill sets to prioritize.
That’s why Startup Boston, coming up on September 10 through 14, has created an entire workshop track devoted to talent and training. However, those aren’t the only events your hiring team will benefit from.
To start, Monday morning features How to Build Company Culture That’s Meaningful & High-Impact. We know that company culture makes a difference and that it’s not just free lunches or flexible working hours (although those help!). If you’ve been struggling with identifying and implementing your own company’s culture, this one’s for you.
Now let’s say you have a tech startup and you’re looking to hire a software engineer to help. Have you stopped to ask yourself if this is actually necessary? Tech Startups Without Tech Skills: Options for Non-Coding Founders may be a worthwhile event for you. Among the panelists, you’ll hear from Jennie Kelly, Cofounder and COO at WorkAround, a CIC Boston member that connects companies with refugees in remote work opportunities.
Later in the evening, come down to Alley by Verizon in Harvard Square to network with other Startup Week attendees at the opening party. Make sure to bring business cards!
On Tuesday we have an event for those of us seeking candidates from the same hiring pools that the Amazons and Googles of the world are pulling from. Outside from having a strong company culture, how else can you make sure you’re attracting and retaining top talent?
Wednesday’s topic, Why and How to Hire Diverse Tech Talent, is a critical one for the entrepreneurial scene in Boston. Whether you are on a hiring team or you’d like to emphasize the importance of a diverse workforce to your higher ups, this session will walk you through the barriers we need to address in supporting, preserving, and hiring from diverse talent pipelines. Speakers include Felicia Jadczak, Co-CEO and Cofounder of She Geeks Out, based at Impact Hub/CIC Boston.
The organizers of Startup Boston recognize that, as a startup, you may not have the time or resources (monetary and otherwise) to dedicate to hiring — yet you still need to hire people to grow. Thursday’s event addresses this ubiquitous challenge, providing you with actionable tips for building an efficient hiring system. The goal? Make the right hires, faster.
As the week wraps up on Friday, there are still two important events to attend. The first is a mixer for students interested in working for startups. While this event is not happening at CIC, it is being hosted in Kendall Square, where CIC Cambridge maintains the highest density of startups in the world.
Also on Friday is the wrap party, with closing keynote speaker Jody Adams of the New England Venture Capital Association. This will be a great time to introduce yourself to those familiar faces you’ve seen at other Startup Week events.
View the full schedule of Startup Week events taking place at CIC Boston.
