Startup Hiring Archives - Serious Startups

How To Hire A Programmer If You Can’t Code

I’m one of those founders who can do everything besides code. Marketing? A breeze. Accounting? Accounted for. Operations? Cake walk. Code? I’ll be right back!

Not being able to code has put a damper on my ability to hire the right programmer and further grow my businesses. I have hired three programmers who all seemed fantastic and brilliant during their interviews, but ultimately couldn’t deliver. I always blamed the programmers (it was their fault for misleading me about their true abilities). But then again, maybe the fact that I’ve had the same experience three times means that it had more to do with me than I would like to admit. As a founder, you need to be able to correctly assess the programmer you hire. But the question still remains, “How can I hire a programmer if I don’t have a programming background?”

For people who are code illiterate, I just might have unlocked the secret to hiring the best programmer available.

STEP 1: CONSULT PROGRAMMER FRIENDS

The first thing I did was reach out to friends who are programmers for other companies or who currently lead a team of programmers. One friend of mine, Ravi Patel, was generous enough to sit down with me and explain the hiring process he uses. I was able to get a better sense of how to approach first-round interviews, ask key questions, and judge responses. This was a great way to get my feet wet before the interview process started.

STEP 2: ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS

If you ask the wrong questions in an interview, you have no clear way to accurately measure the programmers’ ability. To avoid this, here are some questions to guide you:

“Tell me a little about yourself and your background.” I like to get to know the person, to learn how they first started programming, and hear some of the things they have built. While they share their stories, try to see if you can picture yourself and your team working with them on a daily basis.
“What hours do you prefer working? During what times are you most efficient?” This question helps me get a sense of how the programmer works. I personally need a programmer to be available during 9-to-5 hours, mainly to help our staff with any problems they might have. However, I don’t mind if they work whenever they are most productive.
“What are your current time commitments?” It’s important to know what else they are currently working on to see if they can truly commit. Only hire programmers who can commit to your company 110 percent.
“Do you see yourself as a project manager, a developer, or both?” This question can be a little tricky to answer. I want a project manager who can help me design new features and interfaces. I want a developer who can follow exact directions so they can build what we need. I prefer hiring programmers who can do both.
“How would you manage a team of programmers?” The key things to look for here are leadership skills and whether they can lead by example. I don’t want a programmer to take the back seat once they have a team to manage. They shouldn’t be afraid of getting their hands dirty.
“How you would fix these issues?” This is a make-it-or-break-it question. Provide a few examples of problems you’ve encountered in the past. Present them with the exact same problems to see how they would fix them. Their answers should be similar to the solutions you used, or better. If they can’t give a concise answer, that’s usually a good indicator that they are not the right person for the job.
“I need this done over the next couple of weeks. What steps will you take to finish them on time?” Present them with a few things that need completing urgently and a few things that need doing over the next few weeks. Listen to how they plan to finish each thing and ask them for an approximate time frame.
“What would you do to ensure that our servers are up 100% of the time?” If our servers crash, we lose money, our clients lose money, and most importantly, we lose clients. If the programmer I’m looking to hire has some database and server knowledge, they need to explain to me how we can maintain 100 % uptime and what flags we can implement to give us alerts on any impending server crashes.
“If I need something that you have never done before, how would you approach it?” I ask this question to see how they approach situations that they have typically never been presented with before. Usually, I look for how they would research a solution and if they are the type of person who enjoys a challenge.
“Here is what I expect from you.” Let the applicant know from the outset what you expect from them. Tell them how much commitment you expect: if you want them to be available during weekends, if they need to be available at odd times in case of big issues, what they are expected to build, etc.

STEP 3: BRING IN THE EXPERTS

These questions give me a better sense of who the top three or so programmers are. After I select my top candidates, I ask the same friends to help me interview them for the second round. During this stage, we ask more technical questions to better expose the talents of the finalists. If you don’t have any friends who can help, try contacting a nearby programmer through LinkedIn as a consultant. After you receive feedback from an expert, you should be in a good position to pick the right candidate for your team.

As a friend once told me, a decent programmer you get along with is much better than a brilliant programmer you can’t stand. The decent programmer can always learn through experience and research, whereas the brilliant programmer probably can’t change his personality enough to suit.

Shahzil (Shaz) Amin is the founder and CEO of Blue Track Media, a performance-based online advertising company that specializes in customer acquisition through multiple digital channels. His first company was formed after high school and his latest one, Plugged Inc., focuses on selling and manufacturing headphones. He’s always looking meet new people and learn from their experiences. His hobbies include playing sports, eating wings, and laughing.

The Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) is an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs. In partnership with Citi, the YEC recently launched #StartupLab, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses via live video chats, an expert content library and email lessons.

3 Best Practices For Startup Hiring

hiring It’s really hard to teach someone how to hire, how to manage, and how to lead. Like many things, it’s usually best to learn on the job, practice, and improve after making a lot of mistakes along the way. The problem is, as a startup, you can’t afford to make a lot of mistakes when hiring. You also can’t afford to wait too long to hire when the business is scaling quickly.

I thought I’d share my top three best practices when making a first hire (and in some cases, any hire). As a caveat, this is coming from a first-time entrepreneur, who has never directly hired anyone in the past, and generally believes in the goodness of man/woman.

For a senior hire, hire someone with experience. For a junior hire, hire the smartest person you can find. If you’re lucky, find someone who has smarts and experience. Our first hire was someone who actually had retail/online/consumer experience. This is something that I have had for exactly 2.5 years (since the company was founded). My co-founder and I knew what we were good at, but also knew our weaknesses. It was critical for us to find a person that could bring all the industry expertise and knowledge we could no longer fake. Our first intern (and eventual hire) was someone with exactly zero work experience. She was willing to work in whatever role we needed her for that particular day. She is also very smart. Although her role has changed over time, she was exactly the utility player every startup needs.
Take your time. Every single person we have eventually hired, including our first employee, has gone through a trial period with us before joining full time. This is not always possible, especially for a hyper-growth company. The point is that you want to take your time with your first critical hires. The people who don’t agree or understand this philosophy are people you don’t want to hire. People truly passionate about a company in its early stages and truly passionate about filling a role for that company will be patient and understand the reason for a “trial period.” It’s not because you think they are mediocre or not the best possible candidate. It’s because when people believe in something, they’re willing to fight for it. That goes both ways, and is important to understand.
Fit is as important if not more important than anything else. Startups equal tight quarters, big personalities, too much to do, and too little time. If you have a virus in the mix, it can be devastating to a startup’s success — whether it’s a bad case of the chicken pox or a bad teammate. Find people you like to work with, because you are going to be spending more time with them than your girlfriends, boyfriends, wives, husbands, friends, and so on. Everyone does not have to be identical or like the same things. That can be a problem as well. Instead, they should fit together like a jigsaw puzzle — as complementary sides that work as a whole.

Side note: I have no clue if chicken pox is caused by a virus, but I thought it had a nice ring to it and I will check Wikipedia shortly.

The theme here is to hire with caution. New hires (and especially your first hire) can make or break your company. It should not be taken lightly. Building a team is one of the most important things you can do as a founder. If you’re good at it, it might be all you do one day. If you have the slightest sense that your first key employees are not going to get the job done or do not have the fortitude to survive a startup environment, cut your ties and fire fast. Personal relationships are the most important things I have in my life. But as a founder, I understand that I am running a business. It is bigger than myself. I have investors, customers, vendors, and suppliers to worry about. If something is not working out, fire, rinse, repeat, and build until you get it right.

This post originally appeared on The Huffington Post.

Raaja Nemani is Co-Founder and CEO of BucketFeet, a Chicago-based e-commerce company that creates artist-designed footwear. Raaja’s international travels—which include a trek through the Himalayas and a dive with great white sharks—inspired him to launch BucketFeet with co-founder Aaron Firestein in 2011, as a platform to celebrate artists from all over the world. Now selling in over 10 countries, Bucketfeet has built an artist network of 1,000 artists from over 30 countries. Raaja injects his love of design and global community into BucketFeet’s mission, which aims to find a different artist to design every pair of shoes and provide consumers original footwear that stands out and tells a story.

5 Tips for Hiring Only the Best Startup Talent

Prior to launching my own startup, I spent a few years in the VC world. During that time, I regularly coached startup founders on how to best approach everything from cash flow issues to PR to acquisition strategies. When all was said and done, however, what I always found most fascinating were the elements of company growth, particularly in terms of human capital.

While technology may allow us to scale businesses exponentially (once we have identified the appropriate formula), hiring the right talent is still the most fundamental aspect of building a thriving business. The HR function of being a startup founder is perhaps the role we are least equipped to play. But it is, in my opinion, the most important.

Here are five tips for attracting and retaining talent that will support your vision, complement your strengths, and ultimately make your life easier – not harder:

1. Do some recon. If this were a potential date, you’d stalk that person (oh please, you know you would). Most talented people, unless they are fresh off the school boat, have a legacy. Chances are you can get to solid references via LinkedIn or your personal networks. Put on your CIA-slash-journalist hat and contact people your candidate has either worked with in the past or currently work with. Ask open-ended questions that allow references to draw their own conclusions without being forced into a yes or no answer.

2. Put them to work. Want to understand how someone will operate within the framework of your company? Give them a small project and see if they can hit a deadline. If it’s a developer related role, invite them to participate in an impromptu company hackathon. You get a pretty good idea of someone’s true colors after they are pulled out of their comfort zone. If excuses continually come up then they most likely aren’t the right fit. It’s not you. It’s them. Keep in mind, simply interviewing someone isn’t enough, and your gut can be wrong more often than you realize.

3. Are they are a culture fit? Startups don’t often have a defined culture. But it’s there. During the nascent stages of building a company, it’s extremely important that new hires understand the pace, values, and vision of the company – even if unspoken. Lou Gerstner is famous for giving powerful insights on hiring. In one of my favorite talks, I watched him draw a 2×2 matrix, where Talent/Ability made up one axis, and Culture/Fit made up the other axis. In a startup, anyone who isn’t outstanding in both can quite literally derail your efforts. No matter what, resist the urge to hire the genius who is also a “cultural disaster.” It will rip your company apart.

4. Assess characteristics and traits. You want personal characteristics that mimic business traits. If you’re hiring someone as your startup CFO to run a shoestring budget, it would be nice if they didn’t enjoy lighting their own money on fire. Again, these are all subjective – $72 biscuits are made for a reason after all. Make it easy on yourself. Find someone that lives/breathes/eats the traits that you want your business to exude. Three things I look for:

Special talent: What is the one capability they possess that no one else does? What is the skill that will enable them to provide leadership in a particular area of the company?
Willing to contradict you: This is crucial. Leaders can be wrong…frequently. When the team doesn’t step up to let the leader know, the business fails.
Smarter than you: Always hire A+ players. If you don’t for reasons you can control, then congratulations, at least now you know you’re a C player yourself.

5. Love ‘em or leave ‘em. In the end, humans make the world go ’round, and no matter how disruptive or groundbreaking your tech, people still run the show. Building a great team is imperative to early company success. If someone isn’t a fit, it’s time to say goodbye. Nicely, but quickly.

Sharam Fouladgar-Mercer is the co-founder & CEO of AirPR, a technology platform to increase PR performance. He was an Entrepreneur in Residence at Shasta Ventures and a Senior Associate at Sierra Ventures. He served as a Board Observer at Makara (sold to RedHat), and began his career as a technologist at Appian. Sharam graduated with honors with a BSE in Computer Science from Princeton and an MBA from Harvard.

The Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) is an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs. In partnership with Citi, the YEC recently launched #StartupLab, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses via live video chats, an expert content library and email lessons.

15 Interview Questions To Ask Your Next Startup Hire

Question: What’s one must-ask interview question for your first few startup hires?

Will You Make Copies?

“At startups, everyone needs to pitch in, including doing the occasional administrative task. By asking prospective hires if they will make copies, you can identify those who have the “do whatever it takes” attitude that will help your startup succeed.”

– Bhavin Parikh | CEO, Magoosh Test Prep

Past Experience Takes Precedence

“I would want to know, first and foremost, that the hire has had success in the startup environment before. It’s a unique culture that requires a certain mindset and approach.”

– Alexandra Levit | President and Founder, Inspiration at Work

Where’s Your Initiative?

“”Can you give me an example of when you demonstrated high initiative?” As a startup, you need people that will go above and beyond their role and produce amazing value for the company.”

– Jun Loayza | President, Ecommerce Rules

Completion Is Key

“How have you worked around resourcing and staffing limitations to accomplish a project? Startups are always trying to juggle multiple priorities and there’s never enough manpower to get stuff done. Asking about times where someone was able to come up with a project, idea, or initiative, and then oversee it to completion — despite obstacles — allows you to discover a lot.”

– Matt Mickiewicz | Co-Founder, Flippa and 99designs

Find Out About the Formative Years

“I always ask candidates to tell me about a difficult or challenging event from their childhood that they feel has shaped them into who they are today. It gives me insight into who they think they are as a person, what motivates them, and how they deal with unexpected issues that may arise.”

– Vanessa Nornberg | President, Metal Mafia

One Word: Why?

“Why do you want to join a startup? Understanding one’s motivation for pursuing a job, particularly an entrepreneurial one, is critical. Make sure your first few hires are risk-tolerant entrepreneurs like yourself, and that your objectives are aligned. You want people who aren’t going to bail at the first bump in the road.”

– Michael Tolkin | CEO, Merchant Exchange

Stump Them With the Obvious

“Ask them if this a job or is it a career. The two are very different from each other, and can sum up the persons work mentality.”

– Jerry Piscitelli | Owner / Inventor, Portopong LLC

Do You Get Seasick?

“I would ask the following: “If we had news that the company may go belly up in two weeks, what would you do?” This question will test the person’s stomach for the swaying seas of a startup. If they respond by indicating an “increased” level commitment, then you have a winner. If they allude to retreating and “playing it safe” they may not have the necessary fervor.”

– Kent Healy | Founder and CEO, The Uncommon Lif

What’s Your Favorite Movie?

“Startup hires need to be almost as passionate as you are about your vision. By asking, “What is your favorite movie?” you can see how they can passionately express themselves. Don’t hire those who are as dead a a door knob when they answer this question.”

– Nancy T. Nguyen | President & CEO, Sweet T Salon

Identify Their Personality

“Ask simple questions to determine the character of the potential hire. Some startup hires cannot handle the startup mode, not because of education and past experience, but simply because their character does not fit the type of environment one would find in startups. One question to ask is, “Do you want to be in a startup, or do you want to appear to be a in a startup?” It’s an honest question.”

– George Mavromaras | Founder and President, Mavro Inc. | Praetor Global LLC.

Make It an RPG

“Ask plenty of role-playing questions — the interviewee will project their motivation for applying to the startup. You’ll also get a deeper understanding of them as an individual and what they can bring to the table.”

– Justin Beck | Co-Founder and CEO, PerBlue

What Happens When You’re Wrong?

“Ask for an instance of when they were dead wrong about something. How they respond is telling — do they have the ability to admit it, ask for help and move on, or do they try to fix it themselves? Are they willing to admit it happens often? That’s a sign of not being afraid to fail.”

– Susan Strayer LaMotte | Founder, exaqueo

All Roads Lead to Success

“The first few hires in a startup are crucial, so make sure they’re on-board with your company’s vision, first and foremost. Ask where they see themselves in relation to the company five years down the road. Make sure they envision the company’s destination the same way you do, even if they see the path a little differently.”

– Nick Friedman | President, College Hunks Hauling Junk and College Hunks Moving

Let’s Talk Numbers

“Ask them how much they want to earn. First, this question usually catches people off-guard, which helps you evaluate how quickly they can adapt. Second, it allows you to see how flexible they are, as well as how committed they are to the company’s growth.”

– Nicolas Gremion | CEO, Free-eBooks.net

Change Is Constant

“How comfortable are you with change, and how do you handle it? If you run a startup, you need people who are flexible enough to grow with you. If someone doesn’t handle transitions and change well, you need to know that before you invest in them.”

– Brent Beshore | Owner/CEO, AdVentures

The Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) is an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs. In partnership with Citi, the YEC recently launched #StartupLab, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses via live video chats, an expert content library and email lessons.