'Headstart' makes it easy for Start ups to hire

Farha Khan
 
A job-speed-dating session with startups was well thought-out by eight volunteers calling it the "Headstart Higher". This unique startup job - search program was organized in Mumbai on Saturday 1st September, 2012, by the HeadStart Network Foundation. "We do monthly events called Startup Saturday across 11 cities in India. Through these, we are in close touch with the burning needs of the Indian entrepreneur." says Aditya Mishra the co-Founder of HeadStart. "One of the biggest needs is getting good talent. And on the other side there is talent out there ready to be tapped, but no platform to put these two together, so we came up with this idea." 
 
The event
The response at Headstart Higher clearly indicated that the entrepreneurship environment is growing. The event this time had 34 startups present and recruiting from a bunch of 53 candidates. There were not only fresher’s who applied as candidates but also professionals who now wanted to work as a part of something new, different and exciting. One such candidate who attended was Anurag Ladaha, who says "it’s not about the experience or the time I have worked in my past but the extent of learning that I will get from startups which is why I am here." He has been working with Microsoft for four years and is continuingly looking for new ideas and greener pastures.
 
Process
The groups were divided into two parts technical and non technical. Each candidate had carried a form along, which was provided online a day before the event as a proxy to resume. Each candidate interacted with the entrepreneurs for 3-4 min and moved on to the next one. This way the candidates could talk to each and every startup.  "This was a useful event and first of its kind," says Rachit Parekh the VP, Operation and Strategy of ‘Ghar Pay'  a start up that looks at simplifying payment mechanisms, "We normally find it difficult to scout through tones of cvs that and recruit the most suitable candidate but this new format has worked in our favour," he says.
 
But on the other hand there were entrepreneurs who thought it could have been better.  Rajat Goyal, the chief officer of Pretty Secrets an online lingerie store says "there were very few technical people and the bent was more towards marketing and sales. However over all it was a great effort and will be looking forward to more such events."
                                        
The participants were excited to be able to work with choice. Although the place seemed buzzing with enthusiasm, activity and energy, Ankur P Agarwal co-founder of PriceBaba who has been volunteering Startup Saturday for 3.5 years say’s "the event was less chaotic as compared to the Delhi event, which was on a much larger scale."