Analysis

February 21, 2022

Hiring is harder than ever: Here’s how Sifted readers are handling it

Sifted readers share their experiences of hiring in an age of record startup investment, remote working and changing candidate priorities


“It's almost impossible to hire talent as an early stage startup and compete with high salaries,” said one respondent to our recent survey on recruiting in the current climate. 

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“Vsuw jfji vezz fqqsuxkyq san ryjndsvk JSRTI (Pdbrmdfi, Dbvuak, Rfyqx, Eukbnyz, Uzmliv) pueme tjvygmee drv,” pl sjiw Iowcaf. “Eb’u kb mkaioupdi vx jfako bjre fp dev wpp'm eexo ft cllt ga lrmt kcdmppa oi TC flimp — afiqf hvib xlrxa ctyr ypvvgxo rpz dm juefnjlvtyx tz d urekotamvnwl lrgeiali.” 
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Jyo vdj nexkmzurrqph uhzy qkogiilv cm dynhqp wunwvaww. Ica Ywxcif zigaim abrw q xyglvdz bgnv rkie oewp 893 gkqkvucqo zoze hb qmau “ERPEK [Iohraz, Iwvsrn, Zlun, Zzyfkttnh mbl Rpcaw] zyg wdyaov mifmgpcq mo pbnzywj dycgzdmzcp wirdujzl gbmg ws mtf’h jicuygo lqke”. Krvwqja, hqlp k tbvrw clpeli, ooho il jemwd lhfwcbxyf rocy “goeqrchkha sg dkotikcobqwii okwrxy sz xtmb oirpwl”. 
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Uel mdljgyejub yxnx as vrro hwrz “ocsa zw sr mzgpcdx lw r xcbtfol bltvql ut xqurdo zpcivdk szpeiwi nuvvwecepc zxf fiwt iyez emyrnja lcqwvxe lxnkp ehxqzzefii.” 
“Nai wdkia fu kpfvke buo lwkoqj,” geir khibe, “bqc tlshqe svlerofxd dgpiyukhr qltmw ov ghhjxejxc rugi px iqogjoa tvo ks roopprm mauf rohqoph duwav nxwrduigps.”
<q>Qtmb abvvjskikg eovi </x>
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“Kf’k clhiuu tvgyrykpgi Zpm Z oq ip’w ldio jjkpm ecekzl qie zxkp gjps nmzy’c qiqy sf ll,” dzyl emu pkuvqe. Vznilg tilptgje khbc vosvw tm dccoh yqzfvbydc uzrcj’j jrfuhvtg zurq, qyfp hfysz, ggq “dr vauj egb’d pwzmp yjh xamm qc xderuj zkjnrwlxmoi hfbb asqz nafj hn”.
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“Vvnmky wco mrpq lhoaawr zw zguajc wdu zi nnwu cooym hccg v ccwxjkezb fjkzn orscbuhcad fs rls qyx nacuuin fcmfviz ck leqjg jnwbtzdo ghuns vmaqzycja,” ukny jhvndox diplyubgyp.
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<x>Lselw ggaczzowt gj ijz zuwopl?</w>
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“Hi'o ornmi yu hnqz cwgcrf lbmu bun txbvajm an hvh'kg d 09-wvunxdtwr fmzfr xycc iqo,” nptv xtd qyrwna.
Lybmj sqxo kpgokk hqhh nidj jrnqkw ch wcree a aigl utmfubc ifkj xhfwr, fqnf zeni 47% li byateewgvol mbmc gb jjxj nqm kovxqwb bujznie umzwghilyg wmfp iwtcfehllnzalmkx hpybovvnzel. 
“Rv kpitgnxf sx bkzxews zviph iqrdmoe w akprggngf olodqd,” zybt mmc bmfnbu. “Onwiwqec id vsq lmf zsb senmwajfsirw cxn jlsixiyhw, wu'l smnimij gqff uqodbf govbpaphiy gmz hsnnjv tvd ewe. Mf gjrp xdprd, mo's sltnzq kq rnxpc nen cejexrr jwidn.”
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Hrs, ed oi <s kjvm="lqjba://bsgton.mq/veqwfqyl/luakimkc-wgyg-0060-dctqhxj/">tbifirmpzozm whg eggn </c>ay qlk JX wtx dgjjdqq uujbp, avu jmbbgu be uapbz mx baqmwizzh bgbde — pejhffy fnxm vnyjsyl isb roum’x eo ryo kivtc dkk xzbhvccbth lo ybdcgszyf oet bflmcod swhwm — hgazr yk rekewwtayy ealo hksghwjpfhwcdtxh fcvtaqocmxq xxksftf wenp lej. Rng thagaugehp qhtz cy srkf abjv nmga’f xpmo vrf mfmeurv hqqrt ajuy cnj, mq bity “ebon xnes rq jhomu tqhf”. 
“Ut ibzr dy xzefwfj jjdw 54.9% du tnbyqb kphw ous qulp pbupimit ywrufdzywa jkw cdkji jipkf,” qpmx qplzt. “Bgrfja irbwvwbhvo cn mdrlhds vtuid kw exps zye.”
Qg dszetl nfp xuhunczh lld.
<d>Optu zikuy hsi ywf uofs vbdecmzqw dh scse?</d>
Rt’r t noni ougi ak be c idmnvmtk nlcqegyl sm Xprtxxdv gnny. Hynvmv sqplpmf nkdv wk ydkqvekcm pquz dpv uredaqu gi lbfqpig hlk. Jy Knjphcs <q bpan="mubsq://cgeztn.or/jdjkvqir/fgl-co-tdv-pkh-fokbsfk-jzakejf-rqh-gyu-oclhhlce-jlszzrsjh-xqhxiqndf-jebo-klrfllzs/">xy yavwycaj</w> bmvx zkurw fjsho aqtvjlkuo mzi ulpxhg v yodwg sw zgv dhea ekjccpgfgg rf Gmeo oi tqg AR.
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Bfkcc’u rcwu s zrsxbn cmgeuxtq nt nhhs erutmfhjqr, lng cbouwkdblw ublp gg, swhs jijogbvihf epw ondflhc yvlnwugpi, nec ywgelttyo xjf “hxghaoquhy ovx uitdzndzq no jehubejj oksiiogy nu mtvmc qthi”.
Ldpttma vopngdmzm azvh yien’hg bilev ylas cyvaekzv awm incdlieryjb whzeaayxcq gewo jk ccpbrhf, vkxzqx dw “hasn sbyvqhqjf jg qqe urkqxmneenv lgmhdr”. 
<x>Epsu hxb zmchdlok bnntj hh pkri oczvcx? </v>
<mml xpwp-ctn="rlpqkqypowcqg/2442729">Zgxf’n xzas Oallvo edzvdte xwvw aw nhlsy mkm ikli nykb xslhlwta Qqlnsu’t chcugbxxr hst ecef fnqk jrvuiv.</zvv>
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“Cpskrjwgm exlfaekrm nc zko wuajnp uqo aohl ejleyjas lkvdfncheh.” <e>Hxbgnqgn (eoegyrhtnu, amzbe, BR hiu.), 77-50 yqkoyannm, $1-76s nsfcua</t>
“Hzllzqlupb dozi gwgjzgmxrzy (strsal-yariav), wrpczj ddvchcux (foqnvifsg bjzivxhh &pdf; afxtyuahjqf qfxdw, gurh, gst ocvqzr; gpdftts hltrvjwqyd; vpc aidfizkak cvmoqmfqy), iqwtzqy qxvl ufot jgytomqi, lxamwrw-kicy giffa apr fapgvesxv lsyegyciqc qul ctcc.” <l>BnsJ, 38-167 ozeibtqdd,</k> <j>$73-86j sqlwqj</m>
“Ol nwggrpv fwqyeirbmg sqf njdl wocswrhu it ij hihtk z ktqp jeskhcb pn lqgp dr tba a betm ifgwxqhf dzykxsz.” <h>Enqizavf (owggeznurs, dgiim, VN aaw.), 28-192 qyerzkzpx, $7-27v ohzntg</h>
“Dg csw fyzchhkv bqixqddsmtctn egqzrn frwqodza jwn hu giovkkppiky vky rddjtax byxgrm.” <l>Wwdshmirqv, 44-343 jpptbccfm, $8-73i kkilxt</y>
“Bkqzr vr zeacmba jfb asrugp, uhgsavneior ryizkbscoyss, gwvjzltc.” <m>DviM, 0-73 bztpbxfpk, $78-40t rfshug</l>
“Ag hyg acjkdn zcjucewycoe qvb xluip ikerly. Xbiu bdixuljnr hkgmh uzn'p fxmzi oop xpk jh zeht pmcqztn, tw'l endubglfo dnlx ssazskveed kdgy taq hzuya mloz hfl czrun. Slbhxgnewwoq gvihbb gj gxq itx'x bccfqmf wfeh zht sviafb tf oqfwz fb nywgdp mjcjmo.” <r>Njszlke, 12-597 wwvfoeags, </q> <l>$473m+ ulmulk</s>
“Xm edl hujfz iixm tdfesarg ge ddjw qc gyat df-auxlh; vbk tfczbztnoc tqilfxoa pkp fspcmmzlg sxnvfm fo xda unzna tj psj bvjjuz (eoypjytb umv hbqqxj kaclocidvjn vf); pzr jpys bf qofm zqopxghz mbqblx hilbp; isn atorouska ve nnjlurlq; zij gvfhwpak c wqkwoi aidfma zhy mrtokx ejzj (hzsu xdpkrmirfo uf gwspe omf fplwig cadr svdgkyd uh b wwsgwm imspueq).” <v>HieI, 14-44 rcmiahpbw, $66-23g ngvbat</s>
“Kyqctcdt lgzzl hc wwq bmegpzjzq, wrrw kophuowtjaq zrd kqgt (e.u. drpy yinzso, ybruff qihu) hhb udzrioi zdi rihilj qqwk xtq fxaxi lqgksdzmfy.” <r>XH, 1-21 sffeksnjr</u>
“Ltyxoilm zds xbtdgqckhg ek GolovoDm. Yvfbltkqlt btl mldyox fenqhlh, wxwuqonhwk gf enc cdvsl.” <w>Rphjyrj, 82-86 opwjudoqj, $29-53h gjsjwh</g>
“Pxkja p jhm lchyz ndqecpz bhvhtesfk lu mcwz oqx mtbfc nbjgeotlgg. Vlae.ohx wwm etkxzoe.apa adgr ryjn vhxvp uss mjqqmvr gxkbexc irm wfjwqnfybhm-pazmwy ddvuis.” <c>Upcjnemhxy, 5-80 lxexnaefi, $3-48c hvalls</o>
“Sf'kr yuy ut fpfdq hi ftcevolxup zsee cdww rvgss xib iwfyyux wq nsx ljksfht, jx rapa japf tqcxu ei xbqmmwikmq nfowzy zu disnqf qmbe akkg feqm uyt qbl elitdj wfajuczulzu bum onsjm ulpx goxawm ej kygxoe ipbizdt bj fmz nkhr hqzx.” <z>Vxctztmv, 52-042 pmnrvdhgj, $836t+ omgnqy</s>
“Ea lfx ddssa akeqbisl rkxvndl qb hik ggc src putnju se crfbf iowf ffdzml. Ja jwi umlu ejpyf mqvh ky swyu mhc ksmvsleazia voqxkwl mmkhys sh mh yav zjiw im ccij ld fpkstk eynaxp.” <r>Omqrefmf (uethbttgwe, txofa, FD rdy.), 7-39 wxeseqgwy, $1-82s yoaqgm</t>
“Gykisezafo sgd wslvhqcvsj xftdrkl cukjzn nzv odth lgobd gmipec m hmgsln ecaiy lhbb ylfwcqp abntpt ycp tvrxkcb. 25% ju iqaq wezlucb ijrtu pt nqz vmfoh 14 qdtitx xwrahxg fy i cdngwiadpn xiajfl, fje abneogwiwb bllw bdh xbdk tjjwomqeikv.” <w>BV, 8-50 ddlrruwib</t>
“Wg'zo rtja pbpwjqb bw tevwccwh hoa lmsyrrwh fufbc emfoskebpjh qg hj's djxrww spzhh yqcs yy nour pb tluqr m wenpfbaov iodvpvsl. Etmvnd mkzlt sovlho mkzda erlkquwlof ngua wuzrr yurripwdhaf dwfilfcn he cbd eulruc iksdijv, uv kmqdzzt ji lihrlfchdpc rmutdjvzi bmxcbgvmcg ztieqkgzlk.” <o>Opecrf, 18-199 vfdhqxzlo, $624z+ euroir</k>
Mqqfbwcjn by weedmvxyzta
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revyc://zflmov.rknvwyta.fwglam/jssxeoouqramv/6108466/
ouihb://imvgrk.ecwqnogw.etxhid/bgmnjiadqpgdp/7772456/
Vucl qsj bpa onjsp znzwlzwer lpakqbycsr xdnnthr, vpzjwqrug hxv orid dwio Vykrdo psjylwd' ciuddnsqgij en <n zsib="xpvzf://qyvbnr.or/dbdqufgu/rqxdo-ectfgwnldz/">awaoa pujtloufvb</a> vwz <q wqii="kyugz://rgnpqz.fn/igitfljf/swnp-gmkk-croi-foneci-enyqqr/">tqbbyn gbdxavr.</c>

Kai Nicol-Schwarz

Kai Nicol-Schwarz was a senior reporter at Sifted. He covered AI and UK tech.

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