Hiring the best means spotting non-obvious talent and filtering for 11 concrete traits-hunger, humility, EQ, and more-so startups can build strong teams despite limited resources.
Startup CTOs often feel forced to chase the most famous candidates, but real constraints demand a different approach. The article shows that the most valuable hires are those who slip under the radar, like David-a physics graduate with no ops experience who proved his worth through a take-home project and became a senior engineer at Stripe. This story illustrates that talent can be discovered by looking beyond pedigrees and focusing on actual problem-solving ability.
The core framework is a list of eleven traits that consistently predict success in early-stage teams: non-obviousness, not-too-junior, not-too-senior, hunger, humility, high EQ, team-centricity, competence, high-agency problem-solving, cross-disciplinary empathy, and tolerance of uncertainty. By filtering candidates for these attributes, founders avoid the trap of over-valuing resumes and instead build teams that can thrive in chaotic, resource-constrained environments.
The piece also ties the traits to a practical hiring process: give candidates real work, watch how they absorb feedback, and evaluate cultural fit over résumé fluff. It argues that mastering this approach empowers CTOs to consistently hire strong contributors without relying on luck or massive budgets, ultimately improving team performance and scaling potential.
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