Scaling your team is always a goal that is nice to have, until it turns into necessity. From that moment on, you are going to need to mobilize your resources and come up with a proper strategy to navigate the scaling process smoothly, or at least not crash it along the road. No matter how you decide to expand your team — with your own effort or with the help of a tech recruitment services provider, there are some basic steps you need to follow.
Scaling your team in 5 steps
If you are a CTO in need for team expansion, you are already familiar with systematic approach and its importance. Let’s start with decomposing this huge task, as scaling is certainly not limited to just hiring more people.
Start in advance
At the beginning of a scaling process, we inevitably realize that the best time to start was yesterday. As soon as you realize that the workload for the tech team becomes overwhelming, or there is a business necessity to expand to new markets or create new products, start preparing your team for scaling. Evaluate what you already have, who has the essential skills, who can be promoted or introduced to new responsibilities.
Plan it out
To identify the positions that need to be filled and the number of people that need to be hired, look closely into your processes. Where are the weak spots, and where do you require extra hands? What tasks constantly end up postponed? After you realize how many people you need to scale a tech team and what specialists to look for, you need to come up with clear and specific job requirements that can be turned into vacancy descriptions.
Consider help
As you are thinking about ways to scale a tech team, keep in mind that you don’t have to deal with everything yourself. Growing an in-house team is good, but if you are at the point when you’re not ready for it, but still need extra hands, outsourcing some processes may be a smart decision. If outsourcing is not your preferable option, you may spare time and resources for the hiring process by partnering with a reliable HR vendor or outstaffing company. Such an option lets you stay in control of the development, while focusing on your priority tasks.
Make smart, but quick decisions
If you are experiencing a need to scale team, your timeframe is probably narrow. Startups can also find themselves in a tight job market, where a number of openings exceeds a number of qualified candidates. Which means we can’t allow the hiring process to be stretched in time, as it often is in the tech industry. Ask everyone in your team to prioritize hiring, be engaged in the interview process, and try to make hiring decisions smart, but still quick. Also, you will probably need to make tough decisions quickly — if you see that a person is not well-fit for your team, it is better to part ways in good time.
Choosing perfect candidates to scale team
Tech skills, though are in the first place, still don’t make the whole picture of your perfect candidate. Here are some points you may want to consider during the hiring process.
Look out for culture fit
A senior manager’s job is to protect and nurture their company culture. While you scale team, it is wise to give preference to people who share your core values, as they are usually more committed to follow your company’s goals. Your existing team and you, as a leader, should represent your culture in the first place, so prioritize communication and make sure everyone is on the same page before bringing new members on board.
Diversify
Not limiting yourself with a local market is a strategy that pays off greatly. Performing a global talent search, covering different time zones and bringing in people with versatile backgrounds — these are the benefits that open a wide range of new opportunities as you scale team. To make this process easier, you can always use help from an HR or an outstaffing partner that already has access to a global talent pool.
Hire people with business mindset
Tech specialists who just get their job done and provide quality services are fine. But if you really want your company to grow, look for team members who are willing to go beyond a usual nine-to-five framework. Goal-oriented people, with a strategic vision, will become the most valuable asset for your developing team.
Final thoughts
Scaling your tech team is a challenge that can’t be resolved in an instant. But what makes it easier is the right leadership. If you make sure your entire team is ready for growth and have a clear picture of who your candidate is, you need to be confident about what you do. If a candidate leaves an interview ready to do anything to join your team — you are on the right track to ultimate success.