Hiring staff can be a laborious and mental challenge. This is made more challenging if you have other things to focus on or need to hire for a number of positions. Hiring staff for a tech start-up in Bangkok can be even more challenging. Big companies and brands usually have a head start when it comes to attracting the best staff. Proven history, job security, and other perks. However, we know that the top tech talent in Bangkok can be tempted in other ways. Here are a few of our secrets to attracting the top tech talent for your start-up company in Bangkok.
Hire the top tech and IT talent in Bangkok
We have researched all of our recruitment experts in Bangkok and pooled together all of their opinions on what tech start-ups in Bangkok need to do to onboard top talent.
- Use a trusted IT and tech recruitment agency in Bangkok
- Offer exceptional benefits and perks
- Have an office location in the heart of Bangkok
- Use technology and digital marketing to connect with potential employees
- Include others in interviews
- Be as flexible as you can on working arrangements
- Use the power of attracting likeminded individuals
1. Use a trusted IT and tech recruitment agency in Bangkok
The tech and IT niche in Bangkok can be tough to navigate. Software developers through to CTOs are in very high demand. Using a company like RECRUITdee with a proven pool of talent and the experience to pair it with the right company will pay dividends. As a start-up company you want to focus on creating, productivity and staff stability in the early days will cause less stress and lead to more success. IT and tech recruitment agencies normally work on a flat fee based on the candidate’s salary. We have a candidate guarantee, meaning that if the candidate/s does not pass an initial period and stays with your company there is no fee owed to us.
2. Offer Exceptional benefits and perks
This niche can be fiercely competitive – with the top talent being able to pick and choose where their next opportunity is. It should be a given, but being able to provide attractive benefits and other perks can be an important consideration for candidates. It’s not all about cash. It could include health care, travel, training, free access to expensive software, and suchlike.
3. Have an office location in the heart of Bangkok
Being in the centre of town will generally enable you to attract a bigger pool of talent than if you are outside of the city. Office rental is more expensive here but if you are serious about a sustained period of growth it should be a consideration – even for a start-up. Would you want to lose the best talent to a competitor simply because of a poor location? Our candidates rate Sukhumvit, Ekkamai, Thong Lo, Phom Phong, Silom, Sathorn, and Chidlom as their top areas. It’s a fact, having a good office location with public transport will help you attract the best employees and keep them for longer. This is especially true in a City such as Bangkok, where the traffic can be challenging to say the least!
4. Use technology and digital marketing to connect with potential employees
If your target talent is already aware of your company and your brand you are one step ahead of the competition. This is not always straightforward with a start-up company but having a social media, content, and advertising strategy long before operations begin can help immensely. Telling your story, highlighting any positive PR such as funding, and using technology and digital marketing in the right way are key. Being active in relevant forums and areas where your potential employees are likely to hang out can help build awareness and trust. Most savvy candidates will at the very minimum do a brand search. Example: ‘RECRUITdee Bangkok’ in Google. They will likely search what the company has been up to, what they have posted, their reviews, and the senior management team.
5. Include others in interviews
The hiring process plays a key part in convincing skilled IT professionals to join your start-up company in Bangkok. In our experience, some companies fall short in their interviewing process. One way in which you can improve the process, and enable a candidate to learn more about your working culture and daily work routines is to involve people with the same or similar job to that for which you are hiring for. It sounds logical, but this will give the candidate a much fuller picture of what it’s like to work at your company. Some companies solely use senior managers in the interview process, which can be intimidating and lead to a lack of proper communication between the candidate and the interviewer. This is particularly true in Thailand, where the culture is very respectful towards hierarchy. Some questions that the candidate may wish to ask may not be asked if senior management conducts the entire interview process.
6. Be as flexible as you can on working arrangements
This could not be more important than in a city such as Bangkok and a country such as Thailand. Bangkok itself is a bustling fun city. Fun until you have to sit for two hours in traffic to get to your destination, that is. At certain times of the day, Bangkok can be gridlocked. That brings us to point 3 of having an office close to public transport links (the BTS Skytrain and MRT system in Bangkok are superb). However, some people still like to travel by taxi/car depending on where they live.
Providing flexible working arrangements will benefit candidates but can also boost productivity, and morale and increase employee retention. It can be a win-win for all. As a start-up company in Bangkok consider how you can provide flexible working arrangements that make your company more attractive to work for. This can include working hours, working days, and remote working.
7. Use the power of attracting likeminded individuals
Do not underestimate the power of community. Utilise the existing staff to attract other talented members of their friendship group. Using a trusted IT recruitment agency in Bangkok can help amplify this. We often have skilled personnel that worked together previously and can assist when onboarding several members of staff with proven rapport. People talk, and there are also websites such as Glassdoor, where employees have the power to voice their opinion of a company they are currently working for or have worked for in the past.
The Challenge of hiring Top IT and tech Talent in Bangkok
Start-up companies in Bangkok face some challenges when it comes to hiring. Especially if the management team and/or investors are from overseas. Both in terms of a difference in attitude to hiring and not physically being present in Bangkok or Thailand to interview. Of course, digital interviews can take place and can be successful in their own right. However, the top talent will often want to gain further understanding before leaving their current position. This may include meeting the management team and visiting the offices depending on the seniority of the hire.
Summary: Find the top Talent for Your Bangkok Start-up company
The local Thai market requires a sensitive and pragmatic approach to hiring that can differ from international markets. RECRUITdee has this experience and blend of local Thai and European recruitment experts to help onboard candidates that share your vision and have unrivalled skills in your required areas. We work on a candidate guarantee with no upfront fees. To discover more about this and take a vital step towards your Bangkok start-up success, contact us today.
