In a startup, the members of the c-level staff wear a number of different hats, often tackling problems far outside their standard job descriptions. While most of these efforts are made consciously, one of the most valuable assets an executive can bring to a startup is in fact done almost unintentionally: attracting other top talent.
Although not necessarily part of their day-to-day duties at your company, having executives with the experience, network and respect to spark interest in other talented industry experts can drive success in your organization at an entirely different level.
In an article in Entrepreneur.com, Mark Ghermezian, lists this ability to draw talent as one of the most important qualities of startup executives. When you consider the impact that magnetism could have when trying to grow the size and skill of your marketing or software development teams, it should come as no surprise that this quality stands out in the startup setting.
In addition to having the capacity to strengthen their departments down the line, Ghermezian says, recognizing this quality during the hiring process can be an excellent indicator of the candidate's character.
"The level of this industry magnetism is a testimonial in itself about the executive's abilities," wrote Ghermezian, who is the founder of mobile marketing automation tool Appboy. "If people are willing to follow this person around from company to company, then they are willing to put their trust, career and livelihood on the line."
Because, unlike communication or technical skills, this is definitely an intangible quality, it can be difficult to identify during a standard interview or evaluation. To find indications that executive candidates might bring this ability to the table, Ghermezian suggests looking closely at their references. When interviewing past co-workers, he says, ask questions to try to gauge whether or not they would be willing to follow your candidates to a new company for the chance to continue working with them.
To give your company the greatest opportunity to identify executive candidates with the intangible skills that can transform your startup, consider working with a global executive search firm. They can use their networking skills and expertise to find championship-level talent for a variety of positions to drive growth at all levels of your company.
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