Comments on: How Do You Hire The Right People?

By: Francis

Francis — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 15:20:42 +0000

Ben, you're right. I wasn't thinking in “tech entrepreneur” mode. I can see how passion can be so important, especially for the type of industry we're in.

By: Francis

Francis — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 14:20:42 +0000

Ben, you’re right. I wasn’t thinking in “tech entrepreneur” mode. I can see how passion can be so important, especially for the type of industry we’re in.

By: Ben Yoskovitz

Ben Yoskovitz — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 12:29:37 +0000

Hey Francis – In some circumstances and industries passion isn't going to be important. I tend to look at things through the eyes of a technology entrepreneur in the software/web world … but if I was looking at manufacturing, for example, I'd say “fair enough, the factory workers don't really need passion.” Although if there's someone passionate at the top, doing things differently, challenging and disrupting their industry, the company will be more successful.

By: Ben Yoskovitz

Ben Yoskovitz — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 11:29:37 +0000

Hey Francis – In some circumstances and industries passion isn’t going to be important. I tend to look at things through the eyes of a technology entrepreneur in the software/web world … but if I was looking at manufacturing, for example, I’d say “fair enough, the factory workers don’t really need passion.” Although if there’s someone passionate at the top, doing things differently, challenging and disrupting their industry, the company will be more successful.

By: Francis

Francis — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 16:15:27 +0000

6-week interviews? Sounds very Google-esque . The process makes sense — this type of company believes that everyone they hire is key personnel and they tend to hire for the long run.

As for dispassionate companies not being successful for long, I have to admit that I'm a little skeptical. Could be because I've got large corporate companies with soul-crushing working environments in mind. Perhaps in such cases, the top-level decision-makers are passionate about their wheeling-and-dealing ?

By: Francis

Francis — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 15:15:27 +0000

6-week interviews? Sounds very Google-esque . The process makes sense — this type of company believes that everyone they hire is key personnel and they tend to hire for the long run.

As for dispassionate companies not being successful for long, I have to admit that I’m a little skeptical. Could be because I’ve got large corporate companies with soul-crushing working environments in mind. Perhaps in such cases, the top-level decision-makers are passionate about their wheeling-and-dealing ?

By: Ben Yoskovitz

Ben Yoskovitz — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 15:18:25 +0000

Francis - I can imagine dispassionate companies only attracting dispassionate people, cause a passionate person would die in that environment, but I don't think those companies can be successful for long.

That's not to say every employee at a passionate company drinks the Kool-Aid - that's a tough thing to pull off as a company grows. But setting the tone and culture early with the first few people means it's easier to weed people out later on.

I'm not sure you can separate culture and passion, if the culture is passionate then someone needs passion to come in. But, in speaking with a very smart fellow yesterday he said, "Sometimes you hire on pure talent, even the person isn't a believer, and then you convince them once they're on-board."

He also said, "I believe in the 6-week interview process, no matter how much you like the guy, or how hot the job market is."

How many people out there have gone through a 6-week interview process? *grin*

By: Ben Yoskovitz

Ben Yoskovitz — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 14:18:25 +0000

Francis – I can imagine dispassionate companies only attracting dispassionate people, cause a passionate person would die in that environment, but I don’t think those companies can be successful for long.

That’s not to say every employee at a passionate company drinks the Kool-Aid – that’s a tough thing to pull off as a company grows. But setting the tone and culture early with the first few people means it’s easier to weed people out later on.

I’m not sure you can separate culture and passion, if the culture is passionate then someone needs passion to come in. But, in speaking with a very smart fellow yesterday he said, “Sometimes you hire on pure talent, even the person isn’t a believer, and then you convince them once they’re on-board.”

He also said, “I believe in the 6-week interview process, no matter how much you like the guy, or how hot the job market is.”

How many people out there have gone through a 6-week interview process? *grin*

By: Francis

Francis — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 02:50:40 +0000

Ben,

"Iâ€™ve never hired in that type of situation, but I think the cultural fit still makes a huge difference."

Actually, I think you hit the nail on the head right there -- cultural symmetry is key to a good hiring, possibly even more important that passion.

Perhaps a passionate company would do well to hire a passionate employee whereas a dispassionate company would do well to hire a dispassionate employee. Does that make sense?

By: Francis

Francis — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 01:50:40 +0000

Ben,

“Iâ€™ve never hired in that type of situation, but I think the cultural fit still makes a huge difference.”

Actually, I think you hit the nail on the head right there — cultural symmetry is key to a good hiring, possibly even more important that passion.

Perhaps a passionate company would do well to hire a passionate employee whereas a dispassionate company would do well to hire a dispassionate employee. Does that make sense?