Mandatory closures due to COVID-19 and the pandemic’s associated economic slowdowns have caused untold numbers businesses to be forced to layoff employees, all around the world. While the loss of any person's job can be devastating to an individual, trends show employees were already switching jobs more often than ever prior to COVID.
Times are hard right now for business, no doubt about it. But greater availability of talent is truly one of the cardinal silver linings of every economic recessionary period. For better or for worse, this particular economic slowdown caused by a global public health emergency promises to, at least in the short term, push unemployment rates to historic levels.
But downturns are when nimble startups always outmaneuver bureaucratic big-business behemoths - and this time will be no different. For startups looking to hire top talent from the growing pool, this period of COVID offers real opportunity to acquire some of the very best people out there.
The following are some of the great resources, recent layoff listings, and job boards that can help hiring founders to take fuller advantage of the wealth of talent available right now for their next great opportunity.
Top Talent is Available for Hiring Startups
- Layoffs.fyi is tracking all tech startup layoffs since the coronavirus was declared a pandemic, with data compiled primarily from public reports in an effort to help companies still hiring identify great talent.
- You may find your next great co-founder on FoundersList.
- One Soft Landing publishes a comprehensive list of recent layoffs, encouraging hiring managers to reach out to the candidates.
- Here is a Canadian Talent Help List (COVID-19 recent)
- Colorado COVID-19 Talent Network publishes an open database of employment opportunity seekers.
- Techstars published an aggregated list of available talent.
- OnTheMarket publishes a list of laid off talent in search of new opportunities.
- Designed for startups, angel investors, and job-seekers alike, Angel List is a transparent, easy-to-use platform to connect with like-minded entrepreneurs.
- For SE Asia talent, view this list (~900 listed).
- WFH But Hiring is a site for both employers and talent seeking a match.
- Join HireClub, a Facebook group with over 30,000 members.
- Get Silver Lining is a support community for companies and talent.
Special thanks especially to our friends at TechStars, the good folks at Grasshopper Bank, and to JetBlue Technology Ventures’ Ashley Lowes and Sarah Mattina, each of whose own resource lists and guides the Founder Institute team referenced in the creation of this COVID-19 hiring guide.
Founder Institute portfolio companies are creating positive social and environmental impact around the world, using structured processes to define impact KPIs that scale sustainably with their business. Read the most recent featured reports on our impact companies at FI.co/good, or learn about the Founder Institute's own global impact at FI.co/impact.
