Startup Secrets presents a lecture on how to hire A+ talent! Learn which questions to ask, and how to assess great employees and partners for your new startup.

1. Proprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and Confidential
Hiring A+ Talent
startupsecrets.com

2. Proprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and Confidential
Workshops
Full descriptions of each at
startupsecrets.com
1. What’s Your Roadmap to Success?
2. Building a Compelling Value Proposition
3. Turning Products into Companies
4. Culture, Mission and Vision
5. Hiring A+ Talent
6. Game-Changing Business Models
7. Go to Market Strategies
8. Getting Behind the Perfect Investor Pitch
9. Funding Strategies to Go the Distance
10. Have You Got What It Takes?
11. Mastering Mutual Mentorship

3. Proprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and Confidentialstartupsecrets.comHiring A+ Talent
 The most important capital = human capital
 You are what you hire
3
Why is this important?

4. Proprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and Confidentialstartupsecrets.comHiring A+ Talent
 A’s hire A’s
 B’s hire C’s
 C’s = Cost you your company
4
Hire Above Your Grade, Never Below

5. Proprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and Confidentialstartupsecrets.comHiring A+ Talent
Making the Wrong Hire
When you make the wrong hire and lose people, you lose…
 What they know
 Who they know
$25.05 billion per year in costs associated with knowledge loss from just 1% of employees
 As a startup, your organization risks disorganization
5
-The MIT Sloan Review

6. Proprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and Confidential
Hiring
IT’S ALL IN THE DETAILS…

7. Proprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and Confidentialstartupsecrets.comHiring A+ Talent
Three Key Assessments
 Can they be successful at the job?
 Will they really love the job?
 Will they fit and reinforce?
7
EKS IQ
CQ
Attitude
Aptitude
Ability

8. Proprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and Confidentialstartupsecrets.comHiring A+ Talent
Can They Be Successful at the Job?
 Do they have the EKS:
• Experience
• Knowledge
• Skills
 And where applicable, the IQ
• Intelligence
• Smarts
8

9. Proprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and Confidentialstartupsecrets.comHiring A+ Talent
Will They Really Love the Job?
 Can you:
• Find people’s passion?
 If people love what they do, they tend to do it well
 If they do it well, they tend to be successful
 Can you:
• Find a fit for what they love to do?
• Set them up for success?
9

10. Proprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and Confidentialstartupsecrets.comHiring A+ Talent
My First Interview Question
What are you passionate about?
10
…and sometimes my ONLY question!

11. Proprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and Confidentialstartupsecrets.comHiring A+ Talent
Will They Really Love the Job?
People who are really passionate about
their work tend to love what they do,
take pride in it, and the results and
rewards all follow.
This creates a self reinforcing
positive virtuous cycle of success.
11
Uncover
their
Passion
Love it
Do Well
Success
Reward

12. Proprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and Confidential
It Doesn’t Have to All Be About Work
“I never did a day’s work in my life. It was all fun.”
ThomasA. Edison

13. Proprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and Confidentialstartupsecrets.comHiring A+ Talent
Another Revealing Question
What would you choose to do if
today was your last day of work?
13

14. Proprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and Confidentialstartupsecrets.comHiring A+ Talent
Hiring Is More Than a Science
Beyond EKS and IQ…
 Think about what will set someone up for success in your situation / team /
organization
• Street smarts vs. Book smarts?
• Judgment vs. Intellect?
• Effort vs. Ability?
 Think about how to find a FIT…
14

15. Proprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and Confidentialstartupsecrets.comHiring A+ Talent
EQ: Emotional Quotient
 Inter-personal skills, connections and relationships are vital in a startup
 Three examples:
• “Speed teaming”
 Form and re-form rapidly – e.g., around problem solving
 Cross functional and interdisciplinary teams often best
• Customer intimacy
 Often vital in product development, support etc.
• Leverage: building relationships with key stakeholders
 Shareholders – for strong investor support
 Suppliers – for faster time to market
 Partners – for leveraging other’s capabilities
15

16. Proprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and Confidentialstartupsecrets.comHiring A+ Talent
 EKS: Experience, Knowledge, Skills
 IQ: Intelligence Quotient
 EQ: Emotional Quotient
• Fit with your team, etc.
 CQ: Cultural Quality
• Fit with your values, etc.
16
“the fit between personalities was so much more important
than just finding people who were very good”
Dick Costolo, Former CEO, Twitter
Wasserman, Noam. The Founders Dilemmas:
Anticipating and Avoiding the Pitfalls That Can
Sink a Startup. Princeton, NJ: Princeton Univ Pr,
2013, 216.
Startup Secret!
Hire for EQ and CQ

17. Proprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and Confidentialstartupsecrets.comHiring A+ Talent
Example Interview Questions
 IQ
• What is the most relevant experience, knowledge or skill you bring to this job?
• What is your favorite example of a problem you’ve solved, and how did you solve it?
 EQ
• What are you most proud of in your work interactions?
• What is it that you relate to in our company?
 CQ
• What do you value most?
• What have you most enjoyed in your previous jobs?
17

18. Proprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and Confidentialstartupsecrets.comHiring A+ Talent
 EKS: Experience, Knowledge, Skills
 IQ: Intelligence Quotient
 EQ: Emotional Quotient
• Fit with your team etc
 CQ: Cultural Quality
• Fit with your values etc
 QC: Quality Control
• Is each hire additive or dilutive to your culture?
• Is each hire multiplying or dividing your culture
18
Startup Secret!
Hire for EQ and CQ, and do QC

19. Proprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and Confidential
Everyone Wants A+ Players

20. Proprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and Confidentialstartupsecrets.comHiring A+ Talent
Hiring A+ Players
 What does that really mean?
 How can you apply it in practice?
20

21. Proprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and Confidentialstartupsecrets.comHiring A+ Talent
 Attitude
 Aptitude
 Ability
Note: Ability is really the broader sense suitability for the job
21
Attitude
Aptitude
Ability
Startup Secret!
Hire for the Three A’s

22. Proprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and Confidentialstartupsecrets.comHiring A+ Talent
Attitude
Examples of what to look for:
 Problem solving
• Fail fast, learn faster
 Persistence
• To get to the root of the problem, issue, or opportunity
 Participation
• Team
22

23. Proprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and Confidentialstartupsecrets.comHiring A+ Talent
+ Aware (self)
+ Authentic
+ Athlete
23
Attitude
Aptitude
Ability
Startup Secret!
Hire for the Three +A’s

24. Proprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and Confidentialstartupsecrets.comHiring A+ Talent
The“Golden Traingle”
 Can they be successful at the job?
 Will they really love the job?
 Will they fit and reinforce?
24
EKS IQ
CQ
Attitude
Aptitude
Ability

25. Proprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and Confidentialstartupsecrets.comHiring A+ Talent
The Tools
 EKS
• Resume
 Interviews
 IQ
• Proof, e.g.
 Problem solving
• e.g. engineers – code
 CQ
• Interactions, observation
 Trust the process
25
EKS IQ
CQ
Attitude
Aptitude
Ability

26. Proprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and Confidentialstartupsecrets.comHiring A+ Talent
Summary
 EKS, IQ = can they be successful at the job?
• Check with REAL references
 CQ, EQ (Cultural Quality, Emotional Quotient) = will they fit & reinforce?
• Do QC (Quality Control) for additive vs. dilutive to your culture
 Uncover their Passion = will they really love the job?
• Separate from needs
 Golden Triangle = all the above and A+ players:
• Look for 3As: Attitude, Aptitude, Ability
+++ Aware, Authentic, Athlete
26

27. Proprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and Confidential

28. Proprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and Confidential
250+ Warner Music Group
artist websites, 3 site templates,
total creative freedom

29. Proprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and Confidential30K Concurrent visitors during
Hurricane Sandy

30. Proprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and Confidential
add whole foods
340
Unique digital experiences built on a common
Drupal platform – empower store managers
to personalize their store site

31. Proprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and Confidential
Acquia Hiring
Acquia DNA
 Committed to Awesome
 Do the Right Thing
 Jump In and Own It
 Give Back More
 Inspire a Little Crazy
31

32. Proprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and Confidential
PIII
 Passion
 Integrity
 Intelligence
 Initiative
Acquia Hiring
32

33. Proprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and Confidential
3 Practical Startup Hiring Tips

34. Proprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and Confidentialstartupsecrets.comHiring A+ Talent
Tip 1: Hiring Known Quantities
Just hire people you know & have worked well with in past?
YES
• proven teaming, fit
“startups that relied relatively heavily on the founders’ personal
networks received valuations that were 37% higher than those
received by startups that barely tapped the founders’ networks”
-Wasserman
34

35. Proprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and Confidentialstartupsecrets.comHiring A+ Talent
Just hire people you know & have worked well with in past?
YES
• proven teaming, fit
NO
• every situation is different
 “vs. it worked like this in the past!”
• diversity of background can be good
 “think different”
Tip 1: Hiring Known Quantities
35

36. Proprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and Confidentialstartupsecrets.comHiring A+ Talent
Tip 2: Balance Youth and Experience
Youth or Experience? YES!
Youth what’s possible?
+
Experience what to consider
=
Success balance
36

37. Proprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and Confidentialstartupsecrets.comHiring A+ Talent
Tip 3: Listen, Don’t Sell!
 Find out what the candidate needs, wants, loves
37

38. Proprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and Confidentialstartupsecrets.comHiring A+ Talent
Tip 3: Listen, Don’t Sell!
 Find out what the candidate needs, wants, loves
 And FIT it to a position you have
38

39. Proprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and Confidential
Hiring Questions and
Interview Tips
for the Perfect FIT

40. Proprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and Confidentialstartupsecrets.comHiring A+ Talent
3 Steps
 3 steps
1. Questioning
2. Listening
3. Observing
40

41. Proprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and Confidentialstartupsecrets.comHiring A+ Talent
Cultural Quality (CQ) Questions
 What are you passionate about?
• What is the most fun you’ve ever had?
 (Intentionally open to understand work / life passions / balance)
 What have you most enjoyed in your previous jobs?
 What do you love doing day-to-day?
 (What would an ideal day look like?)
 If you could have changed one thing at your previous/current job, what
would it be?
 (Also - listen for why the person didn’t change it)
 What is it you think you’ll enjoy most about this job?
41

42. Proprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and Confidentialstartupsecrets.comHiring A+ Talent
Cultural Quality (CQ) Questions
Aspirations
 What do you aspire to in life?
• How are you pursuing them?
 What do you want or feel you need to learn?
• (To achieve those aspirations)
• (Listen for difference between want and need)
 What legacy do you hope to leave?
• (What do you hope to be remembered for?)
42

43. Proprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and Confidentialstartupsecrets.comHiring A+ Talent
Cultural Quality (CQ) Questions
Values
 What values do you believe in?
• How do you live those values?
 What do you value most?
 Personalize remaining questions for your values
• (e.g. What does Trust mean to you?)
43

44. Proprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and Confidentialstartupsecrets.comHiring A+ Talent
Cultural Quality (CQ) Questions
Other
 What does balance mean to you in your life?
 What else do you love about you life?
• (Listen for consistency in outside interests with answers regarding work ethics, style etc.)
44

45. Proprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and Confidentialstartupsecrets.comHiring A+ Talent
Cultural Quality (CQ) Questions
For Managers:
 What does management mean to you?
• (e.g. What is the role of management?)
 What environment do you like to create?
 How do you like to be treated?
• (Compare with answer to previous question)
 Who comes first, your customer or your team?
 Do you judge by effort or results?
 What do you celebrate / reward?
 What do you trust and what do you verify?
 If you were hiring me for this job, what other questions would you ask of me?
45

46. Proprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and Confidentialstartupsecrets.comHiring A+ Talent
Emotional Quotient (EQ) Questions
 What do people think of you?
• How accurate is their perception?
 How do you feel you still need to develop personally? (Look for self
respect and yet self awareness)
 What work relationships are you most proud of and why?
 What are examples of work interactions you are most proud of and why?
 What have you learned from your best and worst work relationships?
 What is it that you relate to in our company?
46

47. Proprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and Confidentialstartupsecrets.comHiring A+ Talent
Emotional Quotient (EQ) Questions
For Managers
 How would people describe your management style?
• (Compare with the CQ manager answers)
 How do you like to be treated?
• (Consistent with how you treat others?)
47

48. Proprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and Confidentialstartupsecrets.comHiring A+ Talent
Intelligence Quotient (IQ) Questions
NOTE: there are many sources of these and they need to be specific to the job. Try to find
practical instantiations and real world tests.
 What is the most relevant Experience, Knowledge or Skill (EKS) you
bring to the job?
 How do you experiment?
 In your previous role(s), what did you learn, prove and act on?
 What are examples of problems that arose and where did they lead you?
 What is your favorite example of a problem you’ve solved, and how did
you solve it?
48

49. Proprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and Confidentialstartupsecrets.comHiring A+ Talent
Final Questions
What else should we know about you?
You will be amazed at what comes out!
49

50. Proprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and Confidentialstartupsecrets.comHiring A+ Talent
3 Steps to Discern 3 Things
 3 steps
1. Questioning
2. Listening
3. Observing
 Can you hear and separate what your candidate
• needs ?
• wants ?
• loves ?
50

51. Proprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and Confidentialstartupsecrets.comHiring A+ Talent
Some Extra Tips:
 Agree your agenda
• “Get to know you” first
 (You are looking for CQ, EQ)
• Then evaluate IQ
 Break down EKS
 Help the interviewee get comfortable and enable them to be authentic
 If necessary take them for a walk or get out of the office
 Leave time to be questioned
• Learn from what is asked of you
51

52. Proprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and Confidential
info@startupsecrets.com

53. Proprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and ConfidentialProprietary and Confidential
Hiring A+ Talent
startupsecrets.com