# Startup Handbook: Hiring Employees  tags: #hiring #startups #employeeonboarding - URL: https://www.julian.com/guide/startup/hiring ## 📇 At a Glimpse ## In-depth Summary # The Ultimate Guide to Startup Hiring 🎯 ## Core Hiring Principles 🌟 ### 1. Key Candidate Qualities ⭐ 1. **Curiosity** 🧠 - Less likely to quit during tough times - Continues learning regardless of circumstances - Creates infectious enthusiasm - Inspires mastery in others 2. **Essential Traits** 💫 - Quick learning ability 📚 - Resourcefulness 🛠️ - Ethics and trustworthiness 🤝 - Strategic thinking 🎯 - Team collaboration skills 👥 ## Assessment Strategies 📋 ### 1. Evaluating Curiosity 🔍 Key Questions to Ask: - Self-improvement initiatives 📈 - Tool exploration and optimization 🛠️ - Learning aspirations 🎓 - Industry engagement methods 📱 ### 2. Hiring Process Blueprint 🗺️ #### Outbound Recruitment Strategy 🎯 1. **Primary Sources** 🔄 - Existing customers 👥 - LinkedIn Sales Navigator 🔍 2. **CEO Direct Outreach** 👔 - Personal messaging approach 📨 - Above-market salary (25%+) 💰 - Emphasis on autonomy & experimentation 🚀 - Personal connection points 🤝 - Concise messaging (5-6 sentences) ✍️ #### Screening Process 🔍 1. **Initial Call** 📞 - Focus on exciting candidates - Company selling point presentation - Building enthusiasm 2. **Candidate Reflection** 💭 Key Questions: - "What makes this opportunity a no-brainer?" 🎯 - "Potential 6-month exit reasons?" 🚪 3. **Vetting Process** ⚖️ - Strategic project assessment 📊 - Tactical skills evaluation 🛠️ - Comprehensive reference checks 📋 ## Implementation Timeline 📅 ### Final Assessment Process 🎯 1. Candidate identification 🔍 2. CEO personalized outreach 👔 3. Enthusiasm-focused initial call 📞 4. Candidate concerns collection 📝 5. Project-based evaluation 📊 6. Reference verification 📋 ## Key Success Metrics 📈 - Top 10% performance indicators 🏆 - Strategic thinking capability 🧠 - Tactical execution skills 🛠️ - Team fit and inspiration potential ✨ This framework ensures a comprehensive approach to hiring that prioritizes curiosity, learning ability, and long-term potential while maintaining high standards for both technical and soft skills. 🎯💫 --- ## Quotes for Emphasis > “Curiosity is infectious. It compels other employees to care more about their own mastery.” ## Highlights - Most people still don't know how to hire. Cutting to the chase: **curiosity** and the **ability to learn quickly** are the two most important for strategic startup hires. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01j93vtbegwfe2g0hmtkvay791)) - Hiring principle #1: Hire people who are curiou ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01j93vtkkb71ctp48pdrwaq25q)) - Curious employees are less likely to quit when things are bad: no matter what, they still learn a lot. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01j93vtw9wtcy3rkjhs5gmq9j0)) - Curiosity is infectious. It compels other employees to care more about their own mastery. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01j93vv37kp0k1r23vefez1bt8)) ### New highlights added November 26, 2024 at 12:18 PM - To assess whether a candidate is curious, I might ask: • In your current job, what have you done to further your skills? Either at work or in your free time? (I'm looking for proactive work.) • What are the interesting tools you've been playing with to make your job easier? (Curious people are constantly tinkering and learning.) • What are the work-related skills you want to learn but haven't yet? • What do you do to stay on top of updates in your industry? ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01jdjd8ddj7cymkx0h9x1s5y2m)) - • They’re curious. • They learn quickly. • They’re resourceful. • They’re ethical and trustworthy. • Their actions are intentional and strategic. • They play well with others. Even better, they inspire others. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01jdjd9q22tp7gd7mnh170eqy9)) - Hiring principle #2: Make the job description a pitch ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01jdjd7w2y7hf0q0g7kwm504dm)) - Hiring principle #3: To hire the best, go outbound ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01jdjdah7dzk45t0p9d5g8bg4g)) - Here's my final principle for hiring: **most great talent is still employed, not searching, and is unlikely to come to you.** ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01jdjdamc4r16s97s6wnpkx1zn)) - **bound.** I search for great candidates in two ways: ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01jdjday15wc4ptgkbq804jk6p)) - **My own customers**: ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01jdjdb10vdsed0r0abvwcn6gb)) - LinkedIn ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01jdjdba4scb0grdcz9nc89g6t)) - use LinkedIn Sales Navigator to find candidates with precisely the background I’m looking for, e.g. senior paid acquisition at a CPG company. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01jdjdbnf52n57r1v3s96rpsyj)) - My hiring process ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01jdjdc3hykbdybvqcvc5yyzer)) - Then I message each candidate as the CEO (not a recruiter). The message looks like this: ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01jdjdcebdpmg6kyr10xp8p09m)) - I surprise them with a salary that’s at least 25% above market. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01jdjdcjkyhtr0kj7ak5268tf5)) - (No, this doesn’t preferentially attract job-hoppers who just want more money. I’ve done this many times and it’s simply needed to get candidates to pay attention and overcome their fear of leaving their current employer.) ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01jdjdd04y5q8ep4mq31fehcje)) - The next sentence explains why it's fun and rewarding to work at my startup. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01jdjdd5g5d8h9ffmc7bep7rgm)) - **autonomy** and **experimentation**. **Those qualities let them explore their curiosity.** ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01jdjdd8zrnrn7ysrhd7gsvhtn)) - I then point out what their LinkedIn resumé has in common with our company or with me personally. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01jdjddkdmjq18jr6d845bbsec)) - I keep the message to 5-6 sentences. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01jdjddre7gg2j37078gycjt82)) - Call screening **1.** I use my first phone call with a candidate to get them excited—not to grill them. They’re often employed, so they hold the cards and I’m the one who needs to sell. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01jdjde6xvebcd3571r50n8zs1)) - **2.** If we both like the interaction, I’ll ask them to sleep on the opportunity for a couple nights before emailing me their answers to these two questions: 1. What has to be true for joining our company to be a no-brainer? (This helps me pitch them more effectively on subsequent calls.) 2. If you were to leave six months after joining us, what do you think are the most likely reasons why? (This gives me a roadmap for ensuring they’re a fit and for retaining them.) ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01jdjdfgb1kbtqnx8fm1rwbckc)) - **3.** When they respond with their concerns, address those truthfully via email. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01jdjdgn2j198w9a2285c78837)) - **4.** Do a second call where you ask all your vetting questions. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01jdjdgq9nv7e6067fm3tv2yc7)) - As a reminder, I generally look for people who are **curious, intentional, ethical, and resourceful.** ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01jdjdgxw3tfdg091wv1cv9gas)) - Candidate vetting ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01jdjdhwzpa3hmwm94pxq44gp2)) - I give top candidates a brief paid project to assess their **strategic thinking** (e.g. prioritization, planning) and the **tactical skills** needed for the role (e.g. copywriting, data analysis). The project also assesses whether they move fast and get things done. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01jdjdmc40p2eqegs2sy9wb9d1)) - **2.** To assess a candidate's tactical skills, I pay for a brief deliverable. If they’re making ads, for example, I’ll ask them to make ads for the business. If they’re writing for the blog, they’ll write a sample blog post. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01jdjdm2bn8xw2g56yy4z67s65)) - **3.** Finally, I do reference checks. I try to talk to at least one person who worked above them, beside them, and below them. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01jdjdkdbc797z9tt6ftfy7zgk)) - Is this candidate in the top 10%, 35%, or 50% of folks they’ve worked with? ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01jdjdkkbhvg07cnesa503cjxa)) - Recap My hiring process looks like this: 1. Identify candidates via LinkedIn Sales Navigator and my own audience. 2. Have the CEO message each candidate with a compelling salary range, why the company is worth joining, and why they're a good fit. 3. Use the first call to sell to candidates. Get them excited. 4. Ask them to email you what would make joining a no-brainer and the most likely reasons they'd quit. Address those concerns if you can. 5. Vet the candidates with strategic and tactical projects. With a strategic project, have them walk through a decision-making process. With a tactical project, have them do the actual work they'd do on the job. 6. When doing reference checks, look for how many people go out of their way to say the candidate is among the best they've ever known. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01jdjdmzhs098ttnkt2ag7xx6n))