Building startup talent an interview with Hult alum Christian Claus

In Silicon Valley, the battle for talent has spanned beyond technology roles and big companies. In this context, a strong network can fast-track the hiring process for companies seeking to succeed in global markets. To learn more about how todays startups find the right candidates, we spoke with Christian Claus, VP of Product Management at HoloBuilder. HoloBuilder is a San Francisco-based construction technology company that offers reality-capturing solutions for construction project management. Christian, who is a Hult alumnus, shared how a small startup born in Germany is now winning the game of talent acquisition. Can you tell us in a nutshell what you do at HoloBuilder? Christian Claus, VP of Product Management at HoloBuilder Officially, I am the VP of  Product Management, but that is just a formality. As I was the first employee here in the U.S. and the first â€Å"business person† at HoloBuilder, my role is always adapting to what the next big goal is. Today, I am doing a little bit of everything, including sales, operations, fundraising, preparing and joining board meetings, finance, marketing, customer success, and picking up the phone when it rings and nobody else is available. How did you start your journey with HoloBuilder? After graduating with a Masters in Social Entrepreneurship from Hult, I joined German Accelerator. I saw joining an accelerator program as an opportunity to get exposed to as many companies as I could and to learn the real-world pains of the startup ecosystem. After a year as Operations Manager there and helping out with the â€Å"Lean Launchpad / Lean Startup† program, I decided it was time to see a startup from the inside. Mo, the Founder and CEO of Bitstars, was part of the accelerator program during that time. He asked me to join the company full-time, so I jumped ship, founded a new U.S. entity, and called it HoloBuilder Inc. How have you managed to successfully grow the team in a competitive landscape like Silicon Valley? We never want to go for the obvious choice that means we have to compete with the giants of the Valley. Instead, we look for a unique fit between our DNA and the applicant’s background. For example, being an international startup with offices in Germany and the U.S., hiring from an international business school is a good fit. It makes us stand out from many startups that only have an office in San Francisco. Also, hiring from business schools where people have experience in different industries and countries has been great for us, as we could find people with unique perspectives. Oftentimes, candidates that apply to startups within their industry are super motivated as they generally have experienced the pain points that the product addresses themselves, and they want to make a change in their industry. How important is it for HoloBuilder to have a diverse workforce? And what has been the impact? Diversity is the underlying foundation of everything we do. HoloBuilder is much like Hult as it is very diverse. In our U.S. office alone we have seven different nationalities within a team of just 14 people. We have also recently been recognized as one of the top five female-founded startups on Crunchbase. Diversity brings a great variety of viewpoints on issues and oftentimes leads to creative solutions that make us stand out as an organization in our industry. We celebrate cultures in small and big ways. One of my favorites is our Slack channel called â€Å"International Sayings,† where everyone posts and explains a local saying from their region or country. This is just one of many little things that we do to foster a diverse workforce—as they say, â€Å"theres more than one way to skin a cat.† Some of your current colleagues were interns before. How does offering internships provide a benefit to the organization? Summer internships are a great way to understand how people think and work. We see an internship as a long interview process and we often offer the best interns a full-time position at the end of the summer. Having run the internship program for two years now, we hired at least one intern at the end of each summer. For the rest of the interns, it is always a beneficial experience to learn what it takes to be successful in a startup. Our interns get very little guidance and have to take initiative by themselves to make awesome things happen. Hult students during their internship with the HoloBuilder team What are the main challenges you’ve faced when growing the team? In the initial stages of a startup, one needs people in the team that can make stuff happen without being told a whole lot. Often, the answer to questions I have from new employees is: â€Å"I don’t know, lets figure it out!† Some candidates really struggle with the uncertainty and loosely defined roles in startups. Others thrive, and those are the people we are looking for. Oftentimes, it takes a whole summer to find out if candidates have what it takes to solve real challenges. What value have you seen through leveraging connections with Hult? As I graduated from Hult myself, it was an easy step to reach out to the Career Development Team and sign up for the Career Fair. There is much less friction if you already know the people you are working with. And with investing very little of my time, I was able to get a whole lot of quality prospects for our different business roles. The first summer, we got six interns on board who helped us a tremendous amount with our finance, marketing, product development, and sales. The great thing was that some of the candidates had construction experience from their former jobs. Our Construction Product Manager, who has helped to build much of what our customers love about our product today, was one of those initial six summer interns from Hult. Any advice for other startups looking to grow their team? Summer interns are certainly a good way to see how it would be with a bigger workforce. If it works out, great, you can hire the interns right after the summer. If not, no problem—it was a valuable experience for both sides. Our interns have to take initiative by themselves to make awesome things happen. Christian Claus,  VP of Product Management HoloBuilder If your organization would like to work with our students or alumni, or youd like to learn more about Hults Corporate Relations Team  contact us here. Kickstart your career right next door to Silicon Valley by studying at Hults San Francisco business school. To find out more, take a look at our blog Social impact front of mind at Hult San Francisco. Download a brochure or get in touch today to find out how Hult can help you to learn about the business world, the future, and yourself. Hult Rotation offers you a chance to study in a truly global way. Our rotation program allows you to study and be immersed in some of the finest cities in the world. 📠¸: @jasminmanzano . Hult Rotation offers you a chance to study in a truly global way. Our rotation program allows you to study and be immersed in some of the finest cities in the world. 📠¸: @jasminmanzano . Each year, Hult seeks to enroll a talented and ambitious incoming class from all over the world. We look for diverse students with a wide range of experiences, perspectives, and interests—students who will thrive in our unique educational atmosphere. Are you ready for a truly global experience? 📠¸: @iambrunadiniz . Each year, Hult seeks to enroll a talented and ambitious incoming class from all over the world. We look for diverse students with a wide range of experiences, perspectives, and interests—students who will thrive in our unique educational atmosphere. Are you ready for a truly global experience? 📠¸: @iambrunadiniz . We’re excited to start 2020 on a ranking high! Hult is proud to have been placed #28 in Poets Quants 2020 rankings for Best Undergraduate Business Schools in the US. Taking a huge leap of 32 places from our 2019 position, we’re also very happy to have secured top positions in key categories like: life-changing experience, practicality of the degree, and global immersion. . With five global campuses, a student body of over 130 nationalities, and a learn-by-doing approach—Hult offers a student experience like no other. . We’re excited to start 2020 on a ranking high! Hult is proud to have been placed #28 in Poets Quants 2020 rankings for Best Undergraduate Business Schools in the US. Taking a huge leap of 32 places from our 2019 position, we’re also very happy to have secured top positions in key categories like: life-changing experience, practicality of the degree, and global immersion. . With five global campuses, a student body of over 130 nationalities, and a learn-by-doing approach—Hult offers a student experience like no other. . â€Å"I’m from an engineering background and needed a whole new skill set for the industry I wanted to switch to. I learned a lot about myself and how I deal with being out of my comfort zone. I learned both soft and hard skills, from how to work in very diverse teams to key accounting metrics and strategy. I was surprised by how weak I was at certain tasks in English or how strong I actually was in other areas. Hult gave me opportunities to try new things and meet people from places I never thought I would have friends. . My internship experiences gave me the chance to broaden my view of different cultures and different companies. I had the opportunity to work and live with people whose values differed from people in my home country. I thought that this would be difficult, but it gave me the chance to reflect on my own values and assess if they were a result of my home country environment or if they were intrinsically mine. . Diederick ter Kulve (@diederick.terkulve) Netherlands Masters in International Business . â€Å"I’m from an engineering background and needed a whole new skill set for the industry I wanted to switch to. I learned a lot about myself and how I deal with being out of my comfort zone. I learned both soft and hard skills, from how to work in very diverse teams to key accounting metrics and strategy. I was surprised by how weak I was at certain tasks in English or how strong I actually was in other areas. Hult gave me opportunities to try new things and meet people from places I never thought I would have friends. . My internship experiences gave me the chance to broaden my view of different cultures and different companies. I had the opportunity to work and live with people whose values differed from people in my home country. I thought that this would be difficult, but it gave me the chance to reflect on my own values and assess if they were a result of my home country environment or if they were intrinsically mine. . Diederick ter Kulve (@diederick.terkulve) Netherlands Masters in International Business . Say a big hello to our Bachelor of Business Administration program cover star, Elisa Orus Plana âÅ" ¨ . â€Å"I’m excited for the future—especially that I cant predict whats going to happen. Maybe Ill end up in Mexico working for a trading company or maybe in Africa, developing my own business. Everything is possible, and the options are constantly changing. I love the idea that Im never going to be stuck doing the same job until the end of my life if I dont want it to be like this. . Hult really supports me and my ambitions and truly believes that we deserve to be considered as professionals as well as students. Here, I get to express not just my opinions but all elements of myself. From my creative side with the Fashion Society to my finance and business sides in Trading Club and the Management Consulting Club. We get a different type of learning here. Not just essential knowledge and theory, but practical skills and mindset. The school is always evolving. We’re encouraged to innovate and to always look for new ways of doing traditional things. We learn how to be more confident and become aware of how we can impact our environment. The school aims to help you become a better version of yourself and to stand out from the crowd.â€Å" . Elisa Orus Plana French Bachelor of Business Administration Class of 2021 Say a big hello to our Bachelor of Business Administration program cover star, Elisa Orus Plana âÅ" ¨ . â€Å"I’m excited for the future—especially that I cant predict whats going to happen. Maybe Ill end up in Mexico working for a trading company or maybe in Africa, developing my own business. Everything is possible, and the options are constantly changing. I love the idea that Im never going to be stuck doing the same job until the end of my life if I dont want it to be like this. . Hult really supports me and my ambitions and truly believes that we deserve to be considered as professionals as well as students. Here, I get to express not just my opinions but all elements of myself. From my creative side with the Fashion Society to my finance and business sides in Trading Club and the Management Consulting Club. We get a different type of learning here. Not just essential knowledge and theory, but practical skills and mindset. The school is always evolving. We’re encouraged to innovate and to always look for new ways of doing traditional things. We learn how to be more confident and become aware of how we can impact our environment. The school aims to help you become a better version of yourself and to stand out from the crowd.â€Å" . Elisa Orus Plana French Bachelor of Business Administration Class of 2021"> During the final days of 2019, you probably reflected on what you’ve accomplished this year—and even this decade—and what you’d like to achieve in 2020. Let us know in the comments below. During the final days of 2019, you probably reflected on what you’ve accomplished this year—and even this decade—and what you’d like to achieve in 2020. Let us know in the comments below. â€Å"The first time we did group work on the program, I went head-to-head with a colleague. It taught me a lot about how I see people, how people see me, and how conflict can be resolved in a kind and productive way. The best feedback you get, when delivered constructively, is the most critical because it really feeds into how you lead. I’ve completely reversed my leadership style—the result is so much richer and more powerful when you lead from behind and lead with strength. . Studying in tandem with working, whilst challenging, gave me the perfect platform to directly apply learning concepts into my business environment, the competitive landscape, and the real-estate industry as a whole. When I started the program, I was very happy in my corporate role. But my courage and aspirations grew to the point that I took on a whole new direction. Having my career coach, Joanna, as a sounding board allowed me to really be strategic and get to know myself. She coached me thro ugh all the interviews, the research, and the questions. It went in parallel with what I was doing academically and after six months everything just clicked. . I went into the EMBA knowing I had nothing to lose and I’ve come out with everything. Great strength, global friends, amazing learning, mentors from professors, a job I love, and the knowledge that I can set my mind to achieve anything and with the right support and resources I’ll get there.† . Kashani Wijetunga British, New Zealand Sri Lankan Associate Director Senior Strategy Consultant CBRE EMBA Class of 2019 . â€Å"The first time we did group work on the program, I went head-to-head with a colleague. It taught me a lot about how I see people, how people see me, and how conflict can be resolved in a kind and productive way. The best feedback you get, when delivered constructively, is the most critical because it really feeds into how you lead. I’ve completely reversed my leadership style—the result is so much richer and more powerful when you lead from behind and lead with strength. . Studying in tandem with working, whilst challenging, gave me the perfect platform to directly apply learning concepts into my business environment, the competitive landscape, and the real-estate industry as a whole. When I started the program, I was very happy in my corporate role. But my courage and aspirations grew to the point that I took on a whole new direction. Having my career coach, Joanna, as a sounding board allowed me to really be strategic and get to know myself. She coached me thro ugh all the interviews, the research, and the questions. It went in parallel with what I was doing academically and after six months everything just clicked. . I went into the EMBA knowing I had nothing to lose and I’ve come out with everything. Great strength, global friends, amazing learning, mentors from professors, a job I love, and the knowledge that I can set my mind to achieve anything and with the right support and resources I’ll get there.† . Kashani Wijetunga British, New Zealand Sri Lankan Associate Director Senior Strategy Consultant CBRE EMBA Class of 2019 . â€Å"It was now or never. I knew that I’d have likely stayed in my neighborhood for years to come if I didn’t take this opportunity. I’d not lived or studied outside of the U.S. before. So I left my job as a global strategist at an advertising agency and moved halfway around the world. I’ve come back a more culturally aware, well-versed person. I’ve realized that everything is a learning experience and an opportunity for growth. Ill definitely carry this mindset with me into the future. Technology and social media allow us to be different people in several places at once. Im excited to see how I can establish myself in whatever city Ill be lucky enough to call home and still maintain deep connections with people all over the world. I’m inspired by my classmates every day. Hearing some of their life stories and how getting this degree fits into their greater mission has been very humbling. My biggest challenge has been finding the ‘right’ path for me. There have been rooms Ive felt like I shouldnt be in, but now Im proud to feel as though I truly belong, wherever I am.† . Dwayne Logan, Jnr. American MBA Class of 2019 . â€Å"It was now or never. I knew that I’d have likely stayed in my neighborhood for years to come if I didn’t take this opportunity. I’d not lived or studied outside of the U.S. before. So I left my job as a global strategist at an advertising agency and moved halfway around the world. I’ve come back a more culturally aware, well-versed person. I’ve realized that everything is a learning experience and an opportunity for growth. Ill definitely carry this mindset with me into the future. Technology and social media allow us to be different people in several places at once. Im excited to see how I can establish myself in whatever city Ill be lucky enough to call home and still maintain deep connections with people all over the world. I’m inspired by my classmates every day. Hearing some of their life stories and how getting this degree fits into their greater mission has been very humbling. My biggest challenge has been finding the ‘right’ path for me. There have been rooms Ive felt like I shouldnt be in, but now Im proud to feel as though I truly belong, wherever I am.† . Dwayne Logan, Jnr. American MBA Class of 2019 . Happy New Year, Hultians! . Happy New Year, Hultians! .