TECH WEEK by a16z’s Post

As Rakim famously said, ‘It ain’t where you’re from, it’s where you’re at.’ Hiring should be aligned with where your company is in its growth journey and culture, not just keywords on a resume. We work with startups and high-growth ventures to create hiring templates that help your team find the right talent for your specific stage and culture. If this resonates, let’s connect and discuss how we can support your hiring efforts. Schedule a time: https://lnkd.in/gDvuBFtV

🚀 Aligning Talent and Projects to a Company’s Stage: A Key to Success 🚀 Whether you’re hiring for an internal employee or selecting an external team to partner with your startup or an enterprise, one size does not fit all. The needs of a fast-growing startup are fundamentally different from those of a well-established enterprise, and it’s critical to align the talent and projects to the company’s specific stage of development. Here's why it matters: 1. Understanding Growth Dynamics Early-stage startups are laser-focused on speed, experimentation, and finding product-market fit. This requires versatile, hands-on talent who can wear multiple hats and pivot quickly as priorities shift. For them, it’s not just about expertise—it’s about the ability to adapt and solve problems in real time. 2. Scalability vs. Stability For mature enterprises, the focus shifts towards optimizing processes, ensuring scalability, and implementing sophisticated strategies for long-term growth. Here, projects are often more complex, requiring seasoned experts who can bring deep domain knowledge and execute against established roadmaps. 3. Matching Resources to Maturity Whether it's providing lean, agile support to startups or specialized skills to enterprises, the key is to match resources to where the company is in its journey. Misaligned talent can lead to missed opportunities or stalled progress. But when the right team is aligned to the right stage, the impact is transformative. Thanks to Sasha Orloff of Puzzle 🧩🚀 for this hot take on talent at #techweek #Consulting #Startups #Enterprises #TalentAlignment #GrowthStage #VioletX

In Diversify Tech this week, ✨ Spotlight is on Sarah Drasner 💼 Open roles from Hiro System and Rewiring America 🎯 How To Identify your Target Employer & Build a Job Search Scorecard ➡️ https://buff.ly/3wDRgbT #WomenInTech #BlackInTech #DiversityInTech #DiversifyTech

Every year I do an annual gathering of all the people who worked on my team when I led Network for Techstars. So many companies, leaders and managers think of former employees as transient. Reframe that view. Look at them as connections for life helping you in this role in the next (and you doing the same for them). Former employees are great sources of inspiration and mentorship, business development leads and rebound hires. A network doesn't end with employment. Your engagement with former employees shouldn't either.

John is one of the two people I consider to have been a mentor during my career. I worked with him for less than three months and will drop everything I am doing to share a beer with him, and I know he will answer my call at any point to give me advice. I've learned untold tactical advice from him, and he's helped me mature and grow immensely; but what I can give you for free is the two most important learnings I have from John Hill: 1. Your network is like your 401(k), you need to invest in it before you need it. Meet others relentlessly, and try as hard as you can to provide value to them. At some point you might need or want something from them, and withdrawls are much easier when you've made deposits. 2. Assume good intent. Conflict happens, and when you disagree with a colleagues actions you should consider their perspective and also consider that they likely believe they are taking the most rational action.

This is a vital lesson for any entrepreneur: never underestimate the power of your network 💪 . While money is crucial, it cannot purchase the intangible values that truly enrich a workplace—respect, care, and support. These are not just gifts; they are superpowers we bestow upon our colleagues. And when someone departs from a well-nurtured team, these superpowers don't vanish; they proliferate, enhancing every new environment they reach 📈. Always remember, every former team member is a lifelong connection, offering endless inspiration, mentorship, and trusted business opportunities. A network does not terminate with employment. Continually engage with your former colleagues and witness how it exponentially elevates your professional journey🚀.

Finding someone with the right technical skills is one thing. Finding someone who also gets your company’s culture? That’s a whole other challenge. When hires don’t mesh with your culture, productivity dips, and turnover rises, setting your team back. We get it. That’s why ThunderLabs goes beyond the CV. Learn how we get it right in our latest article. https://hubs.la/Q02ZVWHY0

Finding developers as a non-technical founder can feel overwhelming—I totally get it. At Lemon.io, we’ve spent years perfecting the art of identifying top-tier talent. Out of every 1,000 developers who apply to join our network, only a handful make it through our rigorous vetting process. In this workshop, I’ll share our playbook for non-tech founders: ✅ How to confidently vet, interview, and hire developers ✅ Real-life cases and actionable insights ✅ A proven framework to simplify your hiring process 📆 Date: December 12, 10 AM PT Drop a “+” in the comments, and I’ll make sure you’re on the guest list!

🚗This is super creative ad from 1998 and it's perfect analogy for talent discovery! The most original and creative candidates often take their own unique roads, far away from the "highway" of CVs flowing into traditional processes. That’s why they’re not always easy to spot. You can discover these standout talents through creative projects, niche groups, or Skill Challenges & hackathons—exactly what we’re building at ChallengeRocket.com 🚀 Pick those who decided not to get stuck in traffic but boldly drive their own paths. #recruitment

Your voice matters! DevITjobs - UK & US is conducting a survey to get a clearer picture of the current challenges and pain points in the UK IT job market. They're reaching out to everyone in the tech community – developers, engineers, product managers, and more. Your feedback will help DevITJobs to advise companies on how they can better approach hiring and improve their recruitment practices. The survey takes exactly 2 minutes and 46 seconds to fill out! This is your chance to make a real impact 💪 Complete the survey here: https://bit.ly/3VM6VyX