3 ms·

I’m not sure I’d look for someone talented. I’d look for someone who’s done it before. Early stage software development is tricky, but not unique. I think som

I’m not sure I’d look for someone talented. I’d look for someone who’s done it before. Early stage software development is tricky, but not unique. I think someone who’s done the role before would be more valuable than someone smart. They are also easier to find and screen.

djbusby 3y ago
I a tech-type and multiple founder I second this. A good software dev at Google or Amazon is likely not great for early stage. Basically, early on you have to load up tech-debt just to ship something (it's the one you'll throw away) and that's hard because it works against the discipline of the trade.
ChrisMarshallNY 3y ago
I'd second this. I'm actually the type of person that you'd want, but I'm not looking for work. You want someone that can deliver product, and that type of person does not grow on trees. Experience will be the main factor. Maybe not as old as I am, but I have known a lot of folks in their late thirties and early forties, that have the requisite experience. These folks are the ones that are finding themselves frozen out of the job market, these days, and would probably be open to the relatively unstructured environment of an early startup (when, previously, they were not, but mortgage payments have a way of opening us up to compromise). Unless, of course, your "product" is the company, itself. In that case, someone that plays to investor preconceptions may be more along the lines of what you want.
nerder92 3y ago
Yes, this is exactly my feeling. I've chatted with talented and smart people but the always miss something, and that something is probably what are you describing here. Where do you usually look for this kind of ppl?
- FigurativeVoid 3y ago
  Well you mentioned that you are a dev. I have probably 12 people that I have worked with that I would hire blindly to work with me again. That should be your first pool. After that, your usual sources should be fine. If you need help with ops, find someone that has done it before. I would be very specific in your job application. Don't say, "We are looking for an ops expert." Say, "We are looking for an ops engineer with experience deploying .NET core web applications to azure." From there, you should be able to verify if they have done it.

djbusby 3y ago

I a tech-type and multiple founder I second this. A good software dev at Google or Amazon is likely not great for early stage. Basically, early on you have to load up tech-debt just to ship something (it's the one you'll throw away) and that's hard because it works against the discipline of the trade.

ChrisMarshallNY 3y ago

I'd second this. I'm actually the type of person that you'd want, but I'm not looking for work. You want someone that can deliver product, and that type of person does not grow on trees. Experience will be the main factor. Maybe not as old as I am, but I have known a lot of folks in their late thirties and early forties, that have the requisite experience. These folks are the ones that are finding themselves frozen out of the job market, these days, and would probably be open to the relatively unstructured environment of an early startup (when, previously, they were not, but mortgage payments have a way of opening us up to compromise). Unless, of course, your "product" is the company, itself. In that case, someone that plays to investor preconceptions may be more along the lines of what you want.

nerder92 3y ago

Yes, this is exactly my feeling. I've chatted with talented and smart people but the always miss something, and that something is probably what are you describing here. Where do you usually look for this kind of ppl?

FigurativeVoid 3y ago
Well you mentioned that you are a dev. I have probably 12 people that I have worked with that I would hire blindly to work with me again. That should be your first pool. After that, your usual sources should be fine. If you need help with ops, find someone that has done it before. I would be very specific in your job application. Don't say, "We are looking for an ops expert." Say, "We are looking for an ops engineer with experience deploying .NET core web applications to azure." From there, you should be able to verify if they have done it.