The hottest Hiring Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Business Topics

Mercenaries versus Missionaries in the startup world

Respectful Leadership • 163 implied HN points • 14 Jun 25
💼 Business Leadership Startup Innovation Team Building Hiring
  1. In the startup world, it’s important to hire people who are passionate about the mission, known as 'missionaries.' They care deeply about making a difference.
  2. Hiring based on resumes alone isn't enough. It's better to focus on why candidates are motivated and their true potential.
  3. Embracing ambiguity can actually lead to innovative solutions. Startups should encourage working freely without strict guidelines.

A Tech Interview that Doesn't Suck

Jacob’s Tech Tavern • 2186 implied HN points • 02 Dec 24
🕹 Technology Software Engineering Hiring Interviews Skills
  1. Hiring great team members is really important because it affects everyone's work speed. Good hires help the team, while bad ones slow everyone down.
  2. Many tech companies rely on LeetCode tests to screen candidates, but this method might not show true skills. There could be better ways to assess coding abilities.
  3. Finding a more effective hiring process can improve how companies choose candidates, leading to better outcomes for teams. It's all about making informed decisions.

NonZero is Hiring!

Nonzero Newsletter • 327 implied HN points • 07 Jan 25
💼 Business Media Journalism Social media Hiring Content creation
  1. NonZero is expanding and looking to hire new team members, including a full-time journalist and part-time social media specialist. They want people passionate about important global topics.
  2. The organization aims to cover a wide range of subjects, like technology, psychology, and international relations, to foster collaboration and reduce conflicts. Their mission is about helping people find common ground.
  3. They encourage creative applicants who can bring unique skills to support their mission. If you think you can help, even in ways beyond their listed jobs, they welcome your ideas.

Don't just apply, opt-in

Creating Value from Nothing • 662 implied HN points • 27 Jan 25
💼 Business Hiring Recruitment Company Culture Career development Employee engagement
  1. Candidates can experience the company culture firsthand by attending events like the Super Weekend. This allows them to see what working there is really like.
  2. Meeting actual customers and solving real-world problems helps potential hires understand the company's mission and approach better.
  3. The company commits to hosting regular Super Weekends to attract talented individuals and let them see how great the team is. It's a chance for candidates to really opt-in rather than just applying.
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One trick to better your freelancing

Kenny’s Sub • 179 implied HN points • 25 Mar 24
💼 Business Freelancing Hiring Contracts Client Relations
  1. Hiring others can really help your freelancing business. It lets you see how different people work and what good service looks like.
  2. The way freelancers respond to your messages says a lot about them. Good communication is key and helps you decide who to hire.
  3. Keep your job postings clear and ask simple questions. This helps filter out freelancers who aren't paying attention to what you need.

Duct Tape

Lessons • 196 implied HN points • 05 Apr 23
💼 Business Leadership Management Team Building Hiring Organization
  1. Building a team after finding success is like patching holes in a leaky bucket.
  2. Prioritize hiring anchor leaders based on long-term importance and areas where duct tape won't suffice.
  3. Use duct tape solutions like interim leaders to fill temporary gaps while focusing on key leadership searches.

The Clipboard Hiring Bounty Program

Creating Value from Nothing • 79 implied HN points • 01 Nov 24
💼 Business Hiring Recruitment Talent Acquisition Incentives Networking
  1. Clipboard is offering a $2,500 reward for anyone who refers a successful hiring candidate. This encourages people to share more job possibilities with their networks.
  2. Hiring is crucial for any company, and Clipboard wants to improve how they discover and attract talent.
  3. They prefer a larger number of candidates over just one perfect match, aiming to widen their search for top talent.

Webflow's Playbook for Hiring Engineers in the AI era | with Akash Jain (Senior Engineering Manager at Webflow) & Sargun Kaur (CEO at Byteboard)

platocommunity • 59 implied HN points • 08 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Engineers AI Hiring
  1. Hiring engineers in the AI era can involve a non-binary approach, offering more flexibility in recruitment processes.
  2. The post discusses engineering leadership, providing in-depth and actionable insights on topics like architecture, engineering efficiency, migrations, and developer productivity.
  3. Access to the full article about Webflow's playbook for hiring engineers in the AI era requires a paid subscription.

Learning operations & hiring, the tech-enabled agency model, Bangkok, ...

Play Permissionless • 119 implied HN points • 17 Apr 23
💼 Business Operations Hiring
  1. Learning new skills like hiring and operations can be challenging but rewarding, especially during the initial phases.
  2. When hiring, it's essential to focus on quality over cost, especially in the beginning. Western-educated talent may require higher pay but can deliver better results with less micromanagement.
  3. Running a tech-enabled agency model can be a successful business approach. Leveraging internal tools for client success can be more impactful than turning them into public SaaS products.

Navigating Culture in a Scaling Startup

Suzan's Fieldnotes • 58 implied HN points • 17 Apr 23
💼 Business Startups Leadership Scaling Hiring Culture
  1. Startups thrive in chaos and rapid change, which can be exciting for those who enjoy a fast pace and quick growth.
  2. Communicating effectively in a rapidly scaling startup requires balancing speed and quality, ensuring team-wide understanding and coordination.
  3. Guiding culture during rapid growth involves hiring for cultural fit, seeking feedback from peers, and finding leadership support that empowers and believes in you.

The Difference Between Success & Failure: Good Hiring

The Green Techpreneur • 8 implied HN points • 07 Feb 25
💼 Business Entrepreneurship Hiring Management Investment Strategy
  1. Having the right team is crucial for a company's success. It's not just about skills; it's about finding people who fit well together and share a common passion.
  2. Hiring based on experience alone can be misleading. It's more important to look for motivation and energy, as these qualities can drive real success.
  3. Every employee matters, no matter their role. When building a business, listen to everyone's input, as everyone contributes to the company's success.

A quip on hiring

Nate is Learning • 39 implied HN points • 11 Jul 23
💼 Business Hiring
  1. Impressive resumes can help, but using the right words matters too.
  2. Adaptation and contribution in a new environment are key.
  3. One's true abilities are revealed when actions are required.

New Wave 🌊 One Year In 🎂 Hiring 🔥

Venture Prose • 99 implied HN points • 28 Feb 22
💼 Business Investments Venture Capital Hiring Founders Startups
  1. New Wave venture firm achieved impressive results in just one year: 10 investments, 22M€ deployed, 6 rounds announced, and 265M€ raised by portfolio companies. Their IRR stands at 500% and TVPI at 3x.
  2. New Wave focuses on seed deals and carefully selects companies on the critical path between Seed and Series A, emphasizing building strong equity stories with founders.
  3. New Wave is looking to hire individuals with key attributes such as the ability to sift through data effectively, form and defend opinions thoughtfully, and cultivate strong relationships.

I know why 'developers' job rejection emails hurt.

kelsey’s Substack • 6 HN points • 21 Mar 24
💼 Business Hiring Feedback Legal Improvement
  1. Companies often send generic rejection emails to job candidates without offering detailed feedback, which frustrates engineers who are job hunting.
  2. Legal risk is often cited as a reason for not providing feedback, but in reality, offering honest technical feedback can actually reduce legal risks by showcasing transparent evaluation based on skills.
  3. Candidates may not always appreciate feedback, especially if it is not well-constructed. However, by making changes in how feedback is worded and emphasizing key areas, companies can turn feedback into a positive learning experience for candidates.

From Heuristics to Precision

Sunday Letters • 19 implied HN points • 02 Jul 23
🕹 Technology AI Networking Data Hiring
  1. Networking is really important because personal connections help match jobs with the right people. Good networks can filter out the best candidates easier than sifting through tons of data.
  2. Large language models (LLMs) can help improve hiring by analyzing resumes with more depth and precision. This could lead to better and fairer hiring processes.
  3. We are seeing a new kind of precision in handling data that will change how we think and work. While it can improve job fits, it might also raise concerns about privacy and control in other areas.

Some of the best people will say all of the wrong things during an interview – you should hire them anyway

Respectful Leadership • 28 HN points • 29 May 23
💼 Business Hiring Workplace dynamics Communication
  1. Talented individuals may struggle to articulate their skills during interviews, but they still have a lot to offer.
  2. Formalities in work relationships are important, especially at the start, to avoid misinterpretations.
  3. Some people may not understand the difference between professional and personal relationships, so discretion is key when establishing boundaries.

Equal Ventures Hiring Insurtech/Fintech Associate

Equal Ventures • 39 implied HN points • 10 Aug 21
💼 Business Hiring Insurtech Investment Networking Venture Capital
  1. Equal Ventures is hiring an Insurtech Associate to focus on research, investments, and supporting founders in the insurtech space.
  2. Ideal candidates should have experience in consulting, equity research, or private equity, and a strong interest in startups and the venture ecosystem.
  3. Applicants are required to submit responses to specific questions along with their LinkedIn profile/resume for consideration.

Cultivating a Culture of Excellence

Fish Food for Thought • 15 implied HN points • 31 May 23
💼 Business Team Dynamics Metrics Hiring Goals Culture
  1. Empowering teams leads to fostering a culture of excellence by giving them real authority and accountability.
  2. Effective measurement systems are crucial in building a culture of excellence, focusing on metrics that truly matter to the business.
  3. Hiring, nurturing, and weeding out team members are strategic decisions that significantly impact an organization's future in cultivating a culture of excellence.

Turnaround #1

Turnaround • 79 implied HN points • 22 Jul 19
💼 Business Leadership Content Strategy Networking Design Hiring
  1. Thoughtful leaders and a supportive culture can successfully drive change in even giant corporations that have made big mistakes in the past.
  2. Empathy plays a crucial role in business success, as highlighted by Satya Nadella's focus on empathy in his book.
  3. Some books are meant to be read slowly and savored, with breaks to chew over the content and admire the writing.

DevRel: What to avoid, when to hire, and how to succeed

Developer GTM – by Calyx Consulting • 1 HN point • 12 Mar 24
💼 Business Marketing Hiring Measurement Team Building Content creation
  1. DevRel's impact can be measured, but setting up measurement can be costly. Focus on project-level success metrics and 'north star' metrics like Developer NPS and retention through the funnel.
  2. Hire DevRel when existing work like tech writing or evangelizing is becoming overwhelmed due to company scale. DevRel should adapt to the company's changing needs.
  3. DevRel reporting structure varies: in a company with a developer tool, it may report to marketing; for non-core tech, product or engineering. Executive support and understanding the role are key.

Shipt: Moving from startup to mature product organization

Behind the Product • 1 HN point • 13 Feb 24
💼 Business Management Product Feedback Analytics Hiring
  1. The shift from project-led to product-led culture is important for growth and longevity.
  2. Structuring a product and tech organization around market segments and operational functions is crucial for a multi-sided marketplace like Shipt.
  3. Emphasizing outcome-focused and metrics-driven problem-solving, and actively seeking and incorporating customer feedback are key priorities for Shipt's product organization.

How to hire engineering talent without the BS

The Incrementalist • 2 implied HN points • 02 Mar 23
💼 Business Hiring Interviewing Technical Skills Recruitment
  1. Assessing engineering talent should focus on real-world problem-solving skills rather than memorization or speed.
  2. Conducting effective technical interviews involves being transparent about the process, asking questions that reflect the job's demands, and ensuring consistency among interviewers.
  3. Show empathy during interviews, guide the candidate through the process, and provide timely feedback to create a positive candidate experience.

Programmer For Hire

Synystron Synlogica • 0 implied HN points • 05 Feb 24
💼 Business Programming Software Engineering Remote work Technical Skills Hiring
  1. The programmer is available for hire at a special discounted rate of $10k per month as a full-time, remote contractor.
  2. The programmer has expertise in systems programming, software performance & scalability optimization, and concurrency/multi-threading safety.
  3. The programmer prefers projects involving Golang, Linux, backends, CLIs, high performance & massive scale, with a culture focused on productivity & happiness.