Before Shapeshift, I was on a lot of hiring panels, and I wish I treated them with more care and thoughtfulness.
Now that I run my own startup, I feel much more accountable for a candidate’s success, because I understand the stakes of making a good hire.
And I also know that if the candidate doesn’t become an employee, I’m responsible, because I designed both the interview AND the environment they’d be working in.
I don’t do things perfectly, but here are the top hiring lessons I’ve learned building the team at Shapeshift:
1. Be crystal clear on the business reason for making this hire.
What business bet are we making by hiring this person? List out the exact tasks they’ll be responsible for, and what doing a good job means for them, and for the business.
2. Build your dream team, before you need them.
I learned this from an entrepreneur who has the phone numbers of everyone she respects in the industry.
She builds relationships BEFORE she needs to hire them -- and when they’re available she’s the first person they go to.
3. It is kinder to let B candidates go that it is to wait for A candidates to finish.
Sometimes it’s hard to know if a candidate is “good” until you’ve met a candidate that’s world class.
Even when there are candidates who have moved throughout the funnel, if there is someone you’re more excited about, let the others go.
Being decisive is more courteous, and it keeps the talent bar high.
Don’t treat people as back ups.
4. NEVER skip the backchannel
Confidential reference checks instantly separate good interviewers from good employees.
No hire is better than a bad hire, and good candidates have good networks.
5. Hiring is like love. You have to be intentional.
To hire good candidates, be a good boss.
Hiring doesn’t happen by itself. You need to constantly inject energy into your network and scout winners.
Marketing is hiring. Telling your story helps candidates learn what you’re about, even before the first interview. The best candidates do their homework.
Bonus: Try to treat people well.
Perhaps this part is obvious, but I struggle with this the most, because it’s hard for me to say no with kindness.
Here are the simple things:
Respect everyone’s time. Don’t do brain teasers. Don’t give them ridiculous homework. Make fast decisions and give fast updates. Thank every reference and update them on the final status.
Everyone is human and I’ve been relieved at how many times I’ve sent a rejection email and have been met with grace and understanding.
Finally, a startup is not just a product, it’s a group of people serving another group of people.
Building the right team might be the most important business decision of all, because all decisions come downstream of people.
To all the founders building their teams, good luck. Hope this helps.