4 Rules of Hiring
First I have extremely limited experience in hiring. When it comes to startups I’m a first-timer and I’ve only brought on 3 people to the team. But when I went looking for simple advice on startup hiring, it was mainly targeted at bringing on people for start-ups already established, or had advice that was over-the-top and sometimes convoluted.
This is a simple checklist that has worked for me.
1. Are you going to work harder
2. Are you going to be proactive
3. Are you going to get out of the way of your ego
4. Are you going to take chances
Beyond functionality fit, most good people have the first two. But for some reason having the first two also seems to conflict with 3. And you have to be a special person to have 4. By definition, more than most people don’t.
If you’re an early-stage startup and you’re thinking about bringing on your next person, what do you think about?
Soundtrack whilst blogging this article – The Postal Service: Give Up
I have been thinking about this a lot. Especially since I have friends who I would love to hire, but don’t know if it would be wise, and we are getting funding in two months and will be hiring.
Do you take a chance on someone you believe in, or do you hire the “already proven” guy? Tough choice. I am not sure which one I am going to go with yet. Probably the proven route.
A rub though is that the proven guy is incredibly expensive. And the unproven guy doesn’t have limitations built into his head by having been around the block (a benefit and a detriment).
I like your four points though. I just may put that list on the table and say “explain yourself to me with regards to these four points.” I think just hearing them go over it would be very helpful.
Matt
July 18, 2010 at 2:46 pm
proven people are incredibly expensive and they influence what kind of culture you have at your start-up. at blank label, we’ve got a really young team and we’re all fairly inexperienced. you throw in someone with a corporate background, kind of funks the chemistry a little.
i do use those four points as a primer. if they don’t pass that, they don’t move onto the more technical and background questions.
best of luck with the venture, hope to be reading/ hearing about it!
Fan Bi
July 20, 2010 at 5:27 pm