Finding people to be on your team as you start a new business is a difficult process.

Working in a startup can be a hard gig. Benefits are skinny, salaries are low or deferred, hours are long, and there is always the risk that the company may run out of operating capital or go down the tubes. You want team members who believe in the mission of the company and are willing to devote much of their time and energy to seeing the mission fulfilled.

The ideal employee has an MBA from Harvard, has proven experience in your market, endless enthusiasm and plenty of money to put into the company. Unfortunately, in most cases that person doesn't exist. So you end up with someone who is something less than ideal who can still - hopefully - make a meaningful contribution to a successful startup.

Following are a few guidelines in recruiting people to work with you.

• Is the candidate willing to defer or lower some salary in favor of stock options? Ask the candidate what his monthly financial needs are for housing, food, clothing, transportation, education and recreation. Does he believe in the company enough to work for that minimum amount plus stock options in the future?
• Ask the candidate about his parents, spouse and children. Meet them if you can. It will give you some insight into how he will react if he has to choose between his home life and extra time at the company.
• Find candidates who are not averse to risk-taking. And here's a hint: People who are used to working in large companies with big safety nets are not good candidates.

• Find candidates who are not averse to risk-taking. And here's a hint: People who are used to working in large companies with big safety nets are not good candidates.
• Don't hold candidates up to higher standards than those to which you are willing to commit yourself.
• Ask specific questions: "How did you manage a product introduction?" "What did you do when you knew the company would run out of funds at a specific date?" "How did you select your advertising firm or your PR firm?" "How did you handle personality conflicts on the job?"
• Check references - especially former employers - immediately after the first interview if you are serious about the candidate.
• Avoid the platitudes such as, "Why do you want to work for this company?" Again, you need to stay specific: "What is your best business accomplishment so far in your career?"
• Make sure the candidate knows that there is an initial review period before they are a permanent member of the team.
• Have a list of specific questions that you want to ask every candidate. Don't rely on spontaneous questions that change from candidate to candidate. Asking them all the same questions will help you to compare and rank the candidates for your team.
• Hire enthusiastic people whom you like and trust.

Building a company can be an emotional roller-coaster, taking you to both extraordinary highs and devastating lows. Make sure you hire team members who will contribute to the company's successes and not give up when things get tough.