I hired 32 people and fired 10 of them.
We are growing like crazy, but I made every mistake in the book.
*Non-obvious* lessons from early hires👇
We are growing like crazy, but I made every mistake in the book.
*Non-obvious* lessons from early hires👇
1. Noone gives a shit about you until everyone worships you.
This goes for investors, users, and especially job seekers.
The competition for good talent is even more brutal than for market share, and until you are unknown...
YOU LOSE!
This goes for investors, users, and especially job seekers.
The competition for good talent is even more brutal than for market share, and until you are unknown...
YOU LOSE!
So even before you start hiring, make yourself known.
The easiest way to do that is to build in public. It will help you to attract attention from everyone.
You can also start being smart-ass in media and local communities.
The easiest way to do that is to build in public. It will help you to attract attention from everyone.
You can also start being smart-ass in media and local communities.
So even before you start hiring, make yourself known.
The easiest way to do that is to build in public. It will help you to attract attention from everyone.
You can also start being smart-ass in media and local communities.
The easiest way to do that is to build in public. It will help you to attract attention from everyone.
You can also start being smart-ass in media and local communities.
3. Pitch the candidate.
If this is a great candidate, they have offers from many companies.
Make them want to work for you so bad, they'll stop talking to other companies at all.
If this is a great candidate, they have offers from many companies.
Make them want to work for you so bad, they'll stop talking to other companies at all.
4. Don't compromise
I know how painful it is that everything moves soooooooo sloooooow and you need someone to do the job so bad.
If you compromise on your standards to hire faster, in 99% you'll regret it.
I know how painful it is that everything moves soooooooo sloooooow and you need someone to do the job so bad.
If you compromise on your standards to hire faster, in 99% you'll regret it.
5. "We want candidates to shares our values" is the dumbest thing.
How are you going to make sure they have the same values during the 10-40 hours you spend with them before hiring?
A lot of bad people are excellent liars
A lot of good people don't interview well
How are you going to make sure they have the same values during the 10-40 hours you spend with them before hiring?
A lot of bad people are excellent liars
A lot of good people don't interview well
6. Spend as much time as you can with candidates
• We did a 2-month project before hiring our CTO
• Consulted 1 year with the head of sales before hiring him
We do long paid test projects with all our hires. We get to know them professionally and their work ethics.
• We did a 2-month project before hiring our CTO
• Consulted 1 year with the head of sales before hiring him
We do long paid test projects with all our hires. We get to know them professionally and their work ethics.
7. Hire for potential, not past experience.
Early hires are usually jacks of all trades. If they are good, they learn, grow with you, and 🚀you.
Our best hires:
• CMO was a copywriter without experience
• CTO had a different tech stack
• all 22 people are like that
Early hires are usually jacks of all trades. If they are good, they learn, grow with you, and 🚀you.
Our best hires:
• CMO was a copywriter without experience
• CTO had a different tech stack
• all 22 people are like that
8. Ignore "don't hire friends and family"
- my co-founder is one of my old best friends
- head of client success is my wife
best decisions ever
Just hire the best people regardless of prejudice
- my co-founder is one of my old best friends
- head of client success is my wife
best decisions ever
Just hire the best people regardless of prejudice
9. Onboard well.
Have dosc in place, spend time with them until they feel comfortable. Then trust them to own the project and don't micromanage
Otherwise, they'll become demotivated and will burn out soon.
Have dosc in place, spend time with them until they feel comfortable. Then trust them to own the project and don't micromanage
Otherwise, they'll become demotivated and will burn out soon.
10. Sense of ownership is the best gift an early employee can give you.
How to achieve this? Give them permission to have ownership.
They'll contribute like you have no idea.
It's also the best way to keep employees from being hunted.
How to achieve this? Give them permission to have ownership.
They'll contribute like you have no idea.
It's also the best way to keep employees from being hunted.
11. Create a healthy psychological environment
Early-stage startup is stressful not only for founders.
• Always celebrate their wins
• Take all the blame on yourself
• Be their busboy - everything they need
• Give a lot of feedback
Early-stage startup is stressful not only for founders.
• Always celebrate their wins
• Take all the blame on yourself
• Be their busboy - everything they need
• Give a lot of feedback
12. Fear overqualified hires
A superstar, who was successful in a $100m company, might fail in yours:
- CMO needs data and big budgets
- Head of sales needs a steady stream of leads and a strong brand.
- VP of engineering can't the first engineer
- etc.
A superstar, who was successful in a $100m company, might fail in yours:
- CMO needs data and big budgets
- Head of sales needs a steady stream of leads and a strong brand.
- VP of engineering can't the first engineer
- etc.
If you want to read more threads like this follow me @volodarik
I share a lot about running an early-stage startup and our experiments/monthly stats.
I share a lot about running an early-stage startup and our experiments/monthly stats.
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