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Or... find people worth less than $1mm. It's strange that people even talk about recruiting top (and I mean top) engineers when I can count on one hand the numb

Or... find people worth less than $1mm. It's strange that people even talk about recruiting top (and I mean top) engineers when I can count on one hand the number of startups I've ever seen that'd justify that kind of talent (think John Carmack level). The vast majority of startups are business process improvements (think AirBnb, think Uber) where there's no freaking way you'd really need a Carmack on your team. I disagree with the point about finding talented but under-recognized people. I've seen companies do this, and in this market they will get discovered, it's only a matter of time - and the switching cost of jobs right now is nearly zero. If you're going to lure ridiculously undervalued people away, only to continue to undervalue them (just not as badly), you're going to get a lot of attrition.

balls187 13y ago
> I disagree with the point about finding talented but under-recognized people....If you're going to lure ridiculously undervalued people away, only to continue to undervalue them I agree with this point, though I don't think that not-offering them 10% of your company is undervaluing them. I'd like to believe that most people who are undervalued at BigCo's are because they either lack the self-promoting skills, or haven't yet found the right environment to be successful.
- potatolicious 13y ago
  > "though I don't think that not-offering them 10% of your company is undervaluing them." I didn't say anything about 10% ;) This may or may not be what you're suggesting, but I've seen this time and time again in NYC - find someone with talent making $45K in the Midwest and dazzle them with visions of the Big City and... $80K. I've heard of the same things happening in SF as well. These guys never stay put, once they're in your local talent pool the recruiters will set upon them like sharks. It'll be a few months at most before someone comes in with a price adjustment on your engineer's services. In this market, with a supply this short, any arbitrage opportunity is going to be highly temporary.
  - balls187 13y ago
    And I didn't say companies should recruit and under-value ;) But to your point, yes bringing someone over, only to under pay them is only going to hurt you, as you said--the switching cost is nearly zero, and these days having stints on your resume that are 1-2 year at most, isn't a big deal.
  - hapless 13y ago
    The big problem with recruiting out of the Midwest is that nearly anyone with a marketable skill in the Midwest has stayed there by choice. It's not as if Midwestern engineers are unaware that working on the coast is an option. It is almost certainly an option considered and rejected. .

balls187 13y ago

> I disagree with the point about finding talented but under-recognized people....If you're going to lure ridiculously undervalued people away, only to continue to undervalue them I agree with this point, though I don't think that not-offering them 10% of your company is undervaluing them. I'd like to believe that most people who are undervalued at BigCo's are because they either lack the self-promoting skills, or haven't yet found the right environment to be successful.

potatolicious 13y ago
> "though I don't think that not-offering them 10% of your company is undervaluing them." I didn't say anything about 10% ;) This may or may not be what you're suggesting, but I've seen this time and time again in NYC - find someone with talent making $45K in the Midwest and dazzle them with visions of the Big City and... $80K. I've heard of the same things happening in SF as well. These guys never stay put, once they're in your local talent pool the recruiters will set upon them like sharks. It'll be a few months at most before someone comes in with a price adjustment on your engineer's services. In this market, with a supply this short, any arbitrage opportunity is going to be highly temporary.
- balls187 13y ago
  And I didn't say companies should recruit and under-value ;) But to your point, yes bringing someone over, only to under pay them is only going to hurt you, as you said--the switching cost is nearly zero, and these days having stints on your resume that are 1-2 year at most, isn't a big deal.
- hapless 13y ago
  The big problem with recruiting out of the Midwest is that nearly anyone with a marketable skill in the Midwest has stayed there by choice. It's not as if Midwestern engineers are unaware that working on the coast is an option. It is almost certainly an option considered and rejected. .