We send the candidate a real job offer. It’s pegged to the 50th percentile (higher than half of salaries at companies our size for that position) and has a generous stock grant. Then we give a little speech. It goes like this: We think you’re a fantastic developer/marketer/glassblower, and we’re really excited to make you an offer. We do it a littl

Hiring a perfect team means finding perfect fits along just two scales: you want people who are ideal for the work you want them to do, and ideal for the culture that you are building.

Decisions within 10 business days.

No autoresponders. Every email comes from a person. You don’t need an autoresponse when a human responds right away.

Candidates who come in through referrals are more likely to be hired, more likely to last out the year, and more likely to succeed in performance reviews. Referral candidates are simply better candidates.

Fourth, consider setting up a reward program for referrals. If it’s going to cost you $25K to pay a recruiter to fill the position, it’s not crazy to spend some of that on your team instead. Just a word of caution: reward programs can set up some weird dynamics. Your team may suddenly feel like they’re selling their friends out for a bonus instead

Third, give positive reinforcement for great referrals. On the first day when the new person starts, announce to the whole company who referred her and make a big deal of it.

When hiring someone for a role you don’t understand, try before you buy: make the role a temporary one and use a series of short-term contracts until you get a sense of what you’re looking for.

The “how much money do we need” number also is linked to your credibility as founders. If you are first-time founders without a strong track record, you should target raising $250K–$1M in a seed round. If you are the graduate of a top-notch accelerator or have an impressive reputation for success in your field, you can go much higher with your firs