Comments on: How to Improve Hiring at Startups http://www.bothsidesofthetable.com/2010/03/27/how-to-improve-hiring-at-startups/ Entrepreneur turned VC Mon, 14 Nov 2011 23:37:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: William http://www.bothsidesofthetable.com/2010/03/27/how-to-improve-hiring-at-startups/comment-page-2/#comment-12860 William Sun, 04 Apr 2010 20:00:52 +0000 http://www.bothsidesofthetable.com/?p=2223#comment-12860 Excellent post. Two other things that are important for me:<br><br>I will always pepper them with questions about topics they should know something about, but where it's impossible to know everything. I'll then dig into one of their responses, seeing how deep their knowledge goes. This is partly to judge smarts and experience, but mainly to tell what happens when they don't know something. If they can't comfortably say, "I don't know," then I never hire them.<br><br>The other is to, if possible, make them do some actual work. For developers, my last step is a 3-hour pair programming session working on some toy problem that I use on all the final candidates. This not only lets you eliminate the bluffers, but it lets you find the occasional rock star with poor self-promotion skills. Excellent post. Two other things that are important for me:

I will always pepper them with questions about topics they should know something about, but where it's impossible to know everything. I'll then dig into one of their responses, seeing how deep their knowledge goes. This is partly to judge smarts and experience, but mainly to tell what happens when they don't know something. If they can't comfortably say, “I don't know,” then I never hire them.

The other is to, if possible, make them do some actual work. For developers, my last step is a 3-hour pair programming session working on some toy problem that I use on all the final candidates. This not only lets you eliminate the bluffers, but it lets you find the occasional rock star with poor self-promotion skills.

]]> By: William http://www.bothsidesofthetable.com/2010/03/27/how-to-improve-hiring-at-startups/comment-page-2/#comment-5628 William Sun, 04 Apr 2010 20:00:52 +0000 http://www.bothsidesofthetable.com/?p=2223#comment-5628 Excellent post. Two other things that are important for me:<br><br>I will always pepper them with questions about topics they should know something about, but where it's impossible to know everything. I'll then dig into one of their responses, seeing how deep their knowledge goes. This is partly to judge smarts and experience, but mainly to tell what happens when they don't know something. If they can't comfortably say, "I don't know," then I never hire them.<br><br>The other is to, if possible, make them do some actual work. For developers, my last step is a 3-hour pair programming session working on some toy problem that I use on all the final candidates. This not only lets you eliminate the bluffers, but it lets you find the occasional rock star with poor self-promotion skills. Excellent post. Two other things that are important for me:

I will always pepper them with questions about topics they should know something about, but where it's impossible to know everything. I'll then dig into one of their responses, seeing how deep their knowledge goes. This is partly to judge smarts and experience, but mainly to tell what happens when they don't know something. If they can't comfortably say, “I don't know,” then I never hire them.

The other is to, if possible, make them do some actual work. For developers, my last step is a 3-hour pair programming session working on some toy problem that I use on all the final candidates. This not only lets you eliminate the bluffers, but it lets you find the occasional rock star with poor self-promotion skills.

]]> By: William http://www.bothsidesofthetable.com/2010/03/27/how-to-improve-hiring-at-startups/comment-page-2/#comment-5627 William Sun, 04 Apr 2010 15:00:52 +0000 http://www.bothsidesofthetable.com/?p=2223#comment-5627 Excellent post. Two other things that are important for me:<br><br>I will always pepper them with questions about topics they should know something about, but where it's impossible to know everything. I'll then dig into one of their responses, seeing how deep their knowledge goes. This is partly to judge smarts and experience, but mainly to tell what happens when they don't know something. If they can't comfortably say, "I don't know," then I never hire them.<br><br>The other is to, if possible, make them do some actual work. For developers, my last step is a 3-hour pair programming session working on some toy problem that I use on all the final candidates. This not only lets you eliminate the bluffers, but it lets you find the occasional rock star with poor self-promotion skills. Excellent post. Two other things that are important for me:

I will always pepper them with questions about topics they should know something about, but where it's impossible to know everything. I'll then dig into one of their responses, seeing how deep their knowledge goes. This is partly to judge smarts and experience, but mainly to tell what happens when they don't know something. If they can't comfortably say, “I don't know,” then I never hire them.

The other is to, if possible, make them do some actual work. For developers, my last step is a 3-hour pair programming session working on some toy problem that I use on all the final candidates. This not only lets you eliminate the bluffers, but it lets you find the occasional rock star with poor self-promotion skills.

]]> By: Phillip Morelock http://www.bothsidesofthetable.com/2010/03/27/how-to-improve-hiring-at-startups/comment-page-2/#comment-12904 Phillip Morelock Thu, 01 Apr 2010 04:57:42 +0000 http://www.bothsidesofthetable.com/?p=2223#comment-12904 I absolutely agree. Hiring is the beginning of a relationship, and you don't want to have other people negotiate and position on your behalf at the beginning of your relationship. Take the time to guide the candidate, make the offer yourself, and close the deal all the way to start day. It pays off.<br><br>I've had more than one "turf" fight with recruiters / HR about this point, but it absolutely matters. I absolutely agree. Hiring is the beginning of a relationship, and you don't want to have other people negotiate and position on your behalf at the beginning of your relationship. Take the time to guide the candidate, make the offer yourself, and close the deal all the way to start day. It pays off.

I've had more than one “turf” fight with recruiters / HR about this point, but it absolutely matters.

]]> By: Phillip Morelock http://www.bothsidesofthetable.com/2010/03/27/how-to-improve-hiring-at-startups/comment-page-2/#comment-12915 Phillip Morelock Thu, 01 Apr 2010 04:55:01 +0000 http://www.bothsidesofthetable.com/?p=2223#comment-12915 I like the thought here, but the "big-company-trained-HR" meter in my head is going off. What if you meet the wife/husband and that ends up being the reason you don't hire the candidate? Is this legal? Is it appropriate? And, considering I always try to be really frank with people who make it far in the process but don't get the job -- what do you tell them??<br><br>This is very interesting and I admit this angle is something I never would have considered. Would appreciate guidance on the sticky legal/personal front. I like the thought here, but the “big-company-trained-HR” meter in my head is going off. What if you meet the wife/husband and that ends up being the reason you don't hire the candidate? Is this legal? Is it appropriate? And, considering I always try to be really frank with people who make it far in the process but don't get the job — what do you tell them??

This is very interesting and I admit this angle is something I never would have considered. Would appreciate guidance on the sticky legal/personal front.

]]> By: Phillip Morelock http://www.bothsidesofthetable.com/2010/03/27/how-to-improve-hiring-at-startups/comment-page-2/#comment-5625 Phillip Morelock Wed, 31 Mar 2010 23:57:42 +0000 http://www.bothsidesofthetable.com/?p=2223#comment-5625 I absolutely agree. Hiring is the beginning of a relationship, and you don't want to have other people negotiate and position on your behalf at the beginning of your relationship. Take the time to guide the candidate, make the offer yourself, and close the deal all the way to start day. It pays off.<br><br>I've had more than one "turf" fight with recruiters / HR about this point, but it absolutely matters. I absolutely agree. Hiring is the beginning of a relationship, and you don't want to have other people negotiate and position on your behalf at the beginning of your relationship. Take the time to guide the candidate, make the offer yourself, and close the deal all the way to start day. It pays off.

I've had more than one “turf” fight with recruiters / HR about this point, but it absolutely matters.

]]> By: Phillip Morelock http://www.bothsidesofthetable.com/2010/03/27/how-to-improve-hiring-at-startups/comment-page-2/#comment-5626 Phillip Morelock Wed, 31 Mar 2010 23:55:01 +0000 http://www.bothsidesofthetable.com/?p=2223#comment-5626 I like the thought here, but the "big-company-trained-HR" meter in my head is going off. What if you meet the wife/husband and that ends up being the reason you don't hire the candidate? Is this legal? Is it appropriate? And, considering I always try to be really frank with people who make it far in the process but don't get the job -- what do you tell them??<br><br>This is very interesting and I admit this angle is something I never would have considered. Would appreciate guidance on the sticky legal/personal front. I like the thought here, but the “big-company-trained-HR” meter in my head is going off. What if you meet the wife/husband and that ends up being the reason you don't hire the candidate? Is this legal? Is it appropriate? And, considering I always try to be really frank with people who make it far in the process but don't get the job — what do you tell them??

This is very interesting and I admit this angle is something I never would have considered. Would appreciate guidance on the sticky legal/personal front.

]]> By: philsugar http://www.bothsidesofthetable.com/2010/03/27/how-to-improve-hiring-at-startups/comment-page-2/#comment-12861 philsugar Mon, 29 Mar 2010 18:20:45 +0000 http://www.bothsidesofthetable.com/?p=2223#comment-12861 The only thing I expect to get out of a reference is a referral to another reference.....second level references really show the true picture.<br><br>Totally agree about the process (why piss people off) and the deep dive (amazing how many people will take credit for something but not be able to remember the gory details) The only thing I expect to get out of a reference is a referral to another reference…..second level references really show the true picture.

Totally agree about the process (why piss people off) and the deep dive (amazing how many people will take credit for something but not be able to remember the gory details)

]]> By: philsugar http://www.bothsidesofthetable.com/2010/03/27/how-to-improve-hiring-at-startups/comment-page-2/#comment-5624 philsugar Mon, 29 Mar 2010 13:20:45 +0000 http://www.bothsidesofthetable.com/?p=2223#comment-5624 The only thing I expect to get out of a reference is a referral to another reference.....second level references really show the true picture.<br><br>Totally agree about the process (why piss people off) and the deep dive (amazing how many people will take credit for something but not be able to remember the gory details) The only thing I expect to get out of a reference is a referral to another reference…..second level references really show the true picture.

Totally agree about the process (why piss people off) and the deep dive (amazing how many people will take credit for something but not be able to remember the gory details)

]]> By: Ravi Kannan http://www.bothsidesofthetable.com/2010/03/27/how-to-improve-hiring-at-startups/comment-page-2/#comment-12876 Ravi Kannan Mon, 29 Mar 2010 11:19:38 +0000 http://www.bothsidesofthetable.com/?p=2223#comment-12876 Thanks Mark. Will like to ping you with details and get your thoughts. Can I? Thanks Mark. Will like to ping you with details and get your thoughts. Can I?

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