《111-2 GHRM608》The Introduction of Recruitment in Startup

Human Resources Competency Development class (GHRM MBA), instructed by Professor Shyh-Jer Chen and Professor Heidi Chang, invited Grace Kuo from PicCollage, an innovative US start-up company. PicCollage provides a canvas for combining photographs and movies with artistic elements and templates. As the current People Operations Manager at PicCollage, Ms. Kuo, who holds master's degrees from both National Sun Yat-sen University and Nottingham Trent University, shared invaluable insights into recruitment processes in start-up companies.
 
Ms. Kuo began her session by providing a brief introduction to the company and her professional experience. PicCollage boasts a 100-member team of diverse backgrounds, with its headquarters situated in Taiwan. Initially funded by Silicon Valley investors, the company embodies a blend of Silicon Valley's enthusiasm and Taiwan's ingenuity. Ms. Kuo then asked the students, "Which one is more important for startups? Is it the product, the market, or the people?” The answers from students varied. Ms. Kuo emphasized the importance of startups understanding when to catch the wave. Ms. Kuo also added, “You may have the most extraordinary people and the best product, but it will all be for naught if you miss the moment to join the market.” Even the most successful products, such as the iPhone, have been waiting a long time to catch the wave.

Along with introducing the concept of startups, Ms. Kuo also introduced the notion of startups as well as a recruiting process model, explaining how the recruitment funnel enhances efficiency. During this session, certain questions were raised, such as "How can we effectively use the findings from the recruitment funnel in the work processes, considering that the numbers may vary due to uncertainties?” Ms. Kuo then shared the use of several goal-setting methods, such as MVP (minimum viable product) and OKR (Objective and Key Result). Some successful companies, such as Google, LinkedIn, and others, have followed the OKR method. This framework provides a clear image of what each person must accomplish with quantifiable results, which helps align them with the team's or business's objectives. The MVP approach in HR allows HR departments to prioritize the most important parts of their processes, resulting in faster implementation, lower costs, and more successful outcomes.
 
Ms. Kuo also mentioned the retrospective 4Ls (Liked, Lacked, Learned, and Longed for) method as an After Action Review (AAR) approach for team projects. She highlighted that PicCollage is a startup with limited resources, such as money provided for each project, so they must use it well in order to achieve the optimized results with the fewest resources. By going through AAR, unnecessary processes can be eliminated for future similar projects, thus saving both time and money. After the sharing session, students were randomly assigned to groups, and tasked with an exercise on OKR goal setting, explaining an MVP of their actions, budget allocation, and the rationale behind their decisions.
 
Mr. Kuo's lively and enthusiastic lecture had a positive reaction, and the students learned a lot from her hands-on experience and practical insights. Overall, participants provided positive feedback, reflecting the profound impact of the session. They considered this sharing session beneficial in the future when selecting the HR role in a start-up. Moreover, the class deeply respected Ms. Kuo's dedication and professional expertise, further amplified by her willingness to travel to Kaohsiung to share her wealth of knowledge.