S2 #1 Lessons Learned
Hiring Insights for Early Founders: 6 Lessons from 2024
As the CEO of 1st10, this past year, I spoke with tons of founders, early engineers, and investors about the intricacies of building early engineering teams.
So, in our first episode of the second season of the 1st10 Podcast, I sat down with my co-host and colleague Alexis to discuss the lessons we both learned over the past year recruiting for early-stage startups. If you are a startup founder, you should pay close attention to these lessons because it can significantly impact the success of your startup - particularly in your formative stages!
1. Attracting Talent is Challenging
One of the most profound realizations we both had was about the difficulty of attracting top talent. Many founders underestimate the complexities involved in the hiring process. It is not merely about posting a job description; it requires a strategic approach to identify and engage with potential candidates. The landscape is competitive, and without a clear understanding of the market dynamics, startups may struggle to find the right fit for their teams.
2. The Hiring Expertise of a Founder Matters
The effectiveness of a startup's hiring process is often directly correlated with the hiring expertise of its founders. If a founder lacks experience in the domain, it can hinder the startup's ability to build a strong engineering team. In simple words, a founder can only attract talent that is at or below their own level of expertise. So, it helps to invest time in building up your own expertise before launching your own startup because the right hires can, honestly, make or break a startup.
3. The Myth of the Full Stack Engineer
This is a bit controversial but, honestly, the notion of the "full stack engineer" is a MYTH. And Alexis and I are both willing to fight anyone who says otherwise! While the idea of a single individual proficient in both front-end and back-end development is appealing, the reality is that such candidates are rare. If you are a startup looking for a full stack engineer, STOP. Don’t chase the mythical unicorn. Instead, focus on hiring individuals who excel in specific areas and foster collaboration and learning within the team.
4. Talent is Not Found on LinkedIn
This might not come as a surprise but the best talent for early-stage startups is often NOT found on traditional networking platforms like LinkedIn. Many skilled engineers, particularly those with 2 to 7 years of experience, are engaged in dynamic environments, often discussing opportunities within their networks rather than on established job boards. That means, as a founder (or a recruiter) you must think creatively about sourcing talent, leveraging personal connections, and industry events to identify potential candidates.
5. Candidates are Choosing Stability
Last year saw a bunch of companies consolidate their headcounts through layoffs, citing bloat due to pandemic-era hiring. Add to that the upheaval caused by introduction of AI and AI-based tools in various tech sectors. As a result, candidates seem to be preferring to go for risk-averse opportunities. That means, as a startup, you are competing with FAANG for the same talent. You can still attract good talent but you better have a damned good story to sell the candidate!
6. Passion for Product and Domain
Finally, for candidates, passion for the product and domain is as vital as technical skills in early-stage startups. Candidates who are genuinely excited about the mission and vision of the company are more likely to contribute meaningfully to its success. As founders, look to prioritize cultural fit and shared values when building your team.
Yes, the journey of building an early engineering team is fraught with challenges, but there are clear ways in which you as a founder can enhance your hiring strategies and set your startup on a path to success. If you want to talk more about it, hit us up - we’ll be glad to brainstorm on how we can help YOUR startup find the best engineers!
About Us:
1st10 was founded on the simple philosophy that there is nothing more important to the success of your startup than the first ten engineers you hire. Because the first ten will impact the next ten and any wrong misstep can be the difference between success and failure. 1st10 works with visionary founders and exceptional engineers to build world class engineering teams.
1st10 was founded by Boris Epstein, original founder of Binc, the firm best known for pioneering embedded recruiting in Silicon Valley. Binc built early teams for Pinterest, Ripple, Stripe, Square, Airbnb, Reddit, Tesla and many more. Binc was acquired by Robinhood in 2021.