For early-stage founders, building a team which covers all of the critical functions can be difficult and time-consuming but at Connectd, we can help you to identify which skills you need to add to your business, what kind of appointments would best suit your startup, and access the vast pool of experienced c-suite professionals on our platform. Read on to learn how to find the perfect professional through the Connectd network.
Posting a role
With hundreds of active portfolio professionals looking to share their expertise and experience, the Connectd jobs board is a perfect starting point to establish or strengthen your board. Just as investors want as much information as possible from founders, a strong, detailed and clear role description will be much more effective at attracting the best candidates for the role and setting expectations from the get-go.
Most founders who advertise roles on the Connectd jobs board are seeking advisors or non-executives who will be able to add skills in specific areas such as marketing, finance, HR and sustainability. It is important to think about what you will be able to offer anyone who joins your board, what you expect from them in terms of time commitment, and whether you need them in a strategic or more hands-on capacity. This will allow you to identify suitable candidates and better your chances of a fruitful working relationship that will stand the test of time.
Advisory Placements
Another way that startups can find support and guidance to fuel their growth is through an advisory placement. Connectd helps people with impressive executive and consultancy careers support startups in an advisory capacity through a 9-month placement, totally free of charge to the business. If you'd like to tap into the experience and advice of successful business leaders, you can complete a survey to let us know more about your businesses needs here. Please note that the placement process usually takes 3-6 months.
Unlike posting a role on the Connectd jobs board, a placement will see you matched with a professional who is building their portfolio and looking to deepen their experience, helping to grow both your business and their own career, at no cost to your business.
**Note we cannot guarantee a placement as potential candidates may not fulfil the remit of your application.
Deciding what you need from your placement
Early-stage founders often find themselves to be time-poor and with gaps in the skills, expertise and knowledge present in their team. One of the best ways to work out what you need from a placement is to carry out a gap analysis, which will help you identify where you could benefit from input and support.
It’s important to bear in mind that your advisory placement will be looking to broaden their own experience and skill set, so if you are in need of operationally focussed support, such as a CFO or CTO, a fractional appointment might be better suited to your requirements.
Fractional roles
NEDs and advisors tend to work on a more strategic level, providing support across a number of areas but for some startups this does not address their needs. This is where many founders look to appoint someone in a fractional role.
Fundamentally, this is an arrangement whereby startups engage a professional on a part-time executive basis, allowing founders to tap into executive expertise without having to support a full-time wage. This is often a very attractive option for both parties,as fractional executives will have the flexibility to work for a number of companies to build their experience, and startups can benefit from cost-effective operational expertise. As you scale, you can look to expand a fractional role to provide more hours of support or even move to a full-time arrangement.
