Tech layoffs didn't just impact those who lost their jobs. They changed how developers approach future jobs.
During the pre-2022 funding bubble, developers were in great demand. At any given point good developers had 10+ offers, and extravagant perks. During this time, only two things mattered to them while considering job offers: how much they'd earn and what they'd be building. The long-term viability of a company wasn't a big consideration factor.
Not anymore.
Developers are pausing before jumping the ship now. They're paying attention to a new, third factor: employer reliability. They are digging deep, hunting for signs of stability. They're asking: Where does this company really stand in the long run?
In this context, companies need to take a pause too. To attract top talent, they must address the widening trust gap head-on. And it doesn’t require a complex strategy. All it takes is that you cover your bases well. Very well.
Sell your vision
Every company exists to change something for the better. Every founder has an idea they believe in, and a plan to show that the idea will work out. This is really what a vision is. And it is a great tool to attract talent.
For developers, hearing about this can be incredibly motivating. It gives context to the code they'll write and the systems they'll build. So, always use your vision throughout the hiring process. This means articulating:
- What is your business idea?
- What is it solving?
- Why do you think it will succeed?
- How do you plan to achieve it?
- Why does this matter in the larger scheme of things?
Once you have clarity on these 5 questions, nail down a good pitch. Loop in your tech lead for a 10-15-minute discussion and understand how their current projects tie into this bigger picture. Refine the pitch and finalize it. This should be around 150-300 words max. The goal is to convincingly sell the future you believe in, not write a business plan to get there.
Share this with everyone involved in hiring. This can, now, be used throughout the hiring process:
- JD - Spend around 70-100 words talking about your company and the vision. This gives candidates instant context.
- First screening call - The first 2 minutes of the call should be spent reiterating the vision to the candidate. This starts the call on an ambitious note.
- Interviews - During the conversation, try organically weaving your vision.
By doing this, you are giving them a STRONG WHY to join you.
Celebrate wins publicly
Share enough to show momentum and recognize your team's efforts. Focus on substantial accomplishments that reflect real impact, and include the people involved. This serves two important purposes: it showcases your company's success and highlights your team's talents.
Consider the audience when choosing what to share and where. A technical breakthrough is suited for your blogs, social media, and maybe PR coverage. But landing major client wins is more suited for your "clients" page and LinkedIn.
To execute this idea, you will need to coordinate between different teams - sales, tech team, and content. The first two can contribute to the list of wins while the content/marketing team can help you share these wins across relevant platforms.
Pro tip - Aim to share at least 2 wins every month. This way, whenever a potential candidate checks your socials or website, they'll find a consistent stream of wins.
Founder’s personal brand wins
People connect with people, not just companies. As a founder, what you do and say shapes how others perceive your business. Humanize your brand, and your story through you.
To execute this, start simple. A social media presence, and maybe a newsletter once you nail the socials. Please note, that all that you share must be human-like. In the sense that your brand voice will be different than this.
As to what to share, consider these categories:
- What is your personal story?
- Why did you create the startup?
- Why do you think it will lead to success?
- Why is working with you a good career move?
- What are you working on right now?
- What are the challenges you face?
- What are you excited about?
And so on.
To put this idea into consisten action, take help from your content team. Always keep a 2-3 weeks of content ready in advance. It takes time to get into the groove of doing this since most small teams have a plethora of other things to do. But experiment till you find what process works for you.
This helps you in two ways, really. One, it builds a clearer picture of who you are as a leader and thinker. Potential hires gauge your culture based on this. So, this is your pull model for new talent, unlike traditional push models. Two, it complements your brand's socials. After all, TechCrunch only covers unicorns. So, as a rule, startup founders have to be their own PR machines.
Word-of-mouth trumps everything
Tech talent trusts their peers' opinions when job hunting. Your team's casual conversations at meetups or online forums carry weight. These organic conversations often reach potential hires before your job listings do.
At any point, this is more effective on an individual than any official company message.
This makes your current team member your most powerful recruitment magnet.
However, executing this idea is easier said than done. The first three ideas in this piece are pretty much under your control, but this one is different. You shouldn't pressure them to share good experiences (which ironically then becomes a bad experience!) or force them to promote the company.
Also, know that you can't control what your employees say outside of work. However, you can influence it by consistently delivering on your promises as an employer.
The best word of mouth is a genuine one. So, you can only do 3 things in this regard:
- Create an environment where your team feels proud of their work.
- Let them know what it means for you and the company when they share good experiences publicly.
- Hope that you nail 1, and they understand the importance of 2 and do the needful.
Building trust in the long run
Implementing these trust touchpoints won't create instant credibility, but they will lay a solid foundation for a strong hiring brand. As you consistently apply these principles, you'll find that your company becomes increasingly attractive to top tech talent, even in a market where developers are more cautious.