Hiring is very similar to dating. It starts with two people sitting talking. Maybe lead to a new conversation. There has to be mutual interest to work, but there are usually those who pursue and who is persecuted. Eventually, if all goes well, both parties make a decision that affects their daily lives. Obviously, there are differences (as far as I know, most people have more jobs than life partners), but in essence these are highly competitive and deeply interpersonal markets. And in startups today, especially for go-to-market And engineering, the competition is intense.
“It’s a total war of hiring,” said Rhys Hughes, GV’s executive partner. “Of course there is AI’s’ hilarious’ bonus, the great talent auction and all the things that make it competitive. Now, with our portfolio companies, I’m spending a lot of time with them in this proactive approach. If a founder tells me ‘I’m open to a nomination’, I answer: ‘You’re already late.
I talked to six founders and talent leaders of venture capital firms, and there was consensus – we are in a new era of hiring for startups. Before, it was a game of “growth at any cost”, characterized by dizzying increases in the number of employees. These days are over, replaced by pressure for companies to keep lean teams of exceptional people – which are often already established in their careers.
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“The biggest thing I noticed is that people now care much more about the density of talent than the growth in the number of employees,” said Atli Thorkelsson, VP of the Redpoint talent network. “I think what feeds this is as follows: today there are more things you can automate, especially in engineering and various other functions. You can automate a lot of junior level work, so what you really are looking for is a higher level thinking. There is a culture, or ethos, now – whether true or not – that building the next really cool product can be harder than building the great Saas products from the past.”
Thorkelsson and RedPoint have launched a report this year that showed that while the demand for mid -level and senior talents is high, the demand for initial level talents is quickly falling into startups. This is naturally linked to AI – as technology develops and changes rapidly, historical and adaptability import more than traditional credentials.
“For a while, I was really focused on: Have you done that before?” Said Garrett Lord, co -founder and Handshake CEO. “Now, after hiring hundreds and hundreds of people, I learned that it’s more about agility of learning, judgment and work ethics than you spent four years in the goal.”
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Lord has sought potentials hired around the world – recently even met a potential executive in Dubai. He says the competition for talents in AI is as intense as conventional wisdom suggests.
“If you have any connection with or have worked on one of the AI companies, there are Seed funds that just write a check for you on time,” said Lord. “You can have your own business. You can go to a large company and profit from public restricted actions. Not in the goal style, but with significantly larger money than many have seen.”
So if you find a great candidate, don’t hesitate.
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“My advice to founders is that when you find a candidate you like and this first meeting is well, bet on it,” said Paula Judge, accel’s talent VP. “Start sending messages immediately and build the relationship. Show how you will work together. Figure that you are already working together. Show how it will be. This is the dance. This is how people and companies differ. People say ‘I accepted this job for less money because I really liked people.’ Candidates want to do their best job. ”
To compete, you have to start early, said Curly, Cofunder and Co-CEO of Pigment.
“I think about it like what sports teams do to find future stars,” she told Fortune by email. “They watch 16 -year -olds who show potential and accompany so far. I try to do the same every day.”
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This is an essential point, said Hughes of GV – just like in sports recruitment, the long game matters.
“The best founders build talent relationships long before they need them,” he said. “So when they call them, this person answers because you invested time. This will be the currency that will matter the most for our companies while hiring and growing.”
And, of course, as in dating, hiring is just the beginning: since someone enters, it’s more difficult and more important than ever, said Jen Holmstrom, a partner of Notable Capital.
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“After you bring them inward, how to make sure this talent remains invested?” said Holmstrom. “Do they feel they have autonomy, space for acting, that are reliable? Do you have to create an environment to retain them, keeping them with you on the journey. And that responsibility is the founder. It’s the leadership team. And it’s not easy.
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