4 ms·

The easiest way to figure this out is simply to look at the founding members previous work. It's no different than hiring an employee. Past work is the best tel

by snide 13y ago

The easiest way to figure this out is simply to look at the founding members previous work. It's no different than hiring an employee. Past work is the best tell against future success. Granted this is tougher with higher level dudes, as it's hard to ascertain credit in success, but it usually works.

prostoalex 13y ago
So choosing between - Harvard dropout - couple of Stanford grad students - seasoned guy who started a major national bookstore chain third sounds like a winner?
- shard 13y ago
  You can throw in there the senior VP of an investment firm. The answer depends on whether you are trying to maximize expected value or the probability of hitting a black swan event.
sdoowpilihp 13y ago
Effective hiring is incredibly difficult, and "past work" is never a sure fire indicator of ones aptitude for your companies' needs. A person hiring needs to consider how a candidate will fit within a work environment and get along with the current team (an otherwise very nice and highly skilled person sometimes just doesn't mesh with the way a team likes to work, not out of unwillingness on anyone's part, but simply out of the fact that we all have habits). Are they the sort of person that can hit the deadlines we need and doesn't mind the stress and extra hours involved? Will they be comfortable with our business philosophy and practices? What kind of outlook do they have on their career? What at this point in their life is important to them (career? kids? sailing around the world?) Hiring is messy, mainly because it involves humans. Past work may be a good chaff filter, but it's by far not the only consideration to finding a good candidate for your needs.
- snide 13y ago
  That's true, but I never said sure fire. I'm just saying if I'm looking to work for a startup as a non-founder, the first thing I'd want to know is... what did the founders do before this? If it's related and was successful that's going to give me more confidence than just about anything else.
boxerbk 13y ago
If you feel you can reliably judge this, you should open a VC fund.

by snide 13y ago

prostoalex 13y ago

So choosing between - Harvard dropout - couple of Stanford grad students - seasoned guy who started a major national bookstore chain third sounds like a winner?

shard 13y ago
You can throw in there the senior VP of an investment firm. The answer depends on whether you are trying to maximize expected value or the probability of hitting a black swan event.

sdoowpilihp 13y ago

Effective hiring is incredibly difficult, and "past work" is never a sure fire indicator of ones aptitude for your companies' needs. A person hiring needs to consider how a candidate will fit within a work environment and get along with the current team (an otherwise very nice and highly skilled person sometimes just doesn't mesh with the way a team likes to work, not out of unwillingness on anyone's part, but simply out of the fact that we all have habits). Are they the sort of person that can hit the deadlines we need and doesn't mind the stress and extra hours involved? Will they be comfortable with our business philosophy and practices? What kind of outlook do they have on their career? What at this point in their life is important to them (career? kids? sailing around the world?) Hiring is messy, mainly because it involves humans. Past work may be a good chaff filter, but it's by far not the only consideration to finding a good candidate for your needs.

snide 13y ago
That's true, but I never said sure fire. I'm just saying if I'm looking to work for a startup as a non-founder, the first thing I'd want to know is... what did the founders do before this? If it's related and was successful that's going to give me more confidence than just about anything else.

boxerbk 13y ago

If you feel you can reliably judge this, you should open a VC fund.