g’day,
we touched on this in last week’s email.
(note: i’ve put all my previous newsletters up online)
whether you're part of a team,
leading a team,
or you're founding a company,
to build something special, you need a team of weapons around you.
everyone knows this.
so why do most people treat hiring like a lottery?
they chuck a job ad up, then act like passive fishermen.
waiting for a big fish to nibble.
but you don’t land a kraken with frozen prawns.
to land the best people, you need to ditch the rod and dive in with a speargun.
here are my rules.
rule 1: assume the best people aren’t looking for jobs
you need to find the best profiles (on linkedin or through word-of-mouth) and break through their defences in three moves:
a) catch their attention. cold emails and linkedin posts are everything. if you’re hiring engineers, find their emails on their github or public website. the subject line must drive the open. the short, cryptic email should be so good it commands a response (even if it’s a polite no).
b) sell them a short version of the vision, via email, and get them to a coffee or a call.
c) sell them the long version of the vision (of the company, and their life if they join).
rule 2: the best people need a long lead time
don’t push for them to quit their job right away:
plant the seed, and let it ferment.
build a connection: share links, ask for their thinking on a real problem you’re facing.
then keep the thread alive. ping it back and forth over time.
hard problems excite people. generic processes repel them.
rule 3: write a watertight job description (do not skip)
the JD should be brutally transparent around the role.
no sugar coating to win them over - you will pay for that with interest.
write it like a contract, with clear expectations:
what they own
what success looks like
what the job is not
the boring parts, in plain english
if you’ve sold the vision properly, the chaotic or mundane bits won’t matter.
rule 4: blind reference checks (extreme caution)
if you can, speak to one person they’ve worked with who wasn’t on their reference list.
you may uncover critical intel that helps you dodge a bullet, or gives you even greater conviction.
use linkedin mutuals if you have to – but handle this with extreme care.
they may not have told anyone they’re exploring other roles. keep it casual and protect their downside.
rule 5: close with speed
lack of momentum kills deals, and hiring is no different.
don’t let the trail go cold.
remember: the way you run your hiring process is how you run your product and your team.
no slow replies. no dropped balls. no vague next steps.
good fishing.
charlie
ps – reply with what you’re building, and the next role you need. i’ll spotlight a handful next week.
