Diversity Hiring

How I failed at my startup

Eguruvu was a company founded with the goal of helping students better prepare for college preparatory tests. The founders ran into several missteps in execution due to personal bias and lack of market research. They attempted to sell the product to private boards & institutions and government agencies, but ran into operational challenges and lack of commitment to adopt the new system from administrative staff. The lack of experience in selling and go-to-market cost them the company. The two main takeaways from this experience were to never do it alone and to roll out and develop products incrementally.

Effective Hiring Practices: Asking the Right Questions

Finding the right talent for a job requires asking the right questions and conducting interviews in a way that makes candidates feel comfortable. It is important to look for a technical fit, but also a match in values and learning potential. To gain insight during interviews, it is recommended to take several unorthodox approaches, such as identifying and double-downing on risky matters, prompting candidates with open-ended topics, focusing on fewer topics in detail, asking how they would hire for the role, and encouraging them to come up with a question. Additionally, feedback should be asked for in order to improve the interview process.

How to Maximize Employee Retention in Engineering Teams

High churn rates can have a significant impact on product-based companies, so it is important to find ways to retain employees. The author, a CTO, has adopted several management techniques to reduce the churn rate, such as a 4-step interview process, an onboarding process that normalizes knowledge gaps and is generous with adaptation time, and a management approach that gives ownership of the work, explains the reasoning behind goals, conducts regular check-ins, and provides flexible working hours. The key tips for high retention are to not micromanage, lead with empathy, and trust employees.

The Secret To Product Growth is Your People

When scaling a product team, it is important to consider both the product and the people. Hiring the right people is key, and it is important to find a balance between visionaries and realists. It is also important to structure the team correctly, and to empower people to work on the product end-to-end. Finally, bringing in fresh perspectives in the form of juniors can help to assess the product and processes.

Creative Recruitment Strategies to Hire Great Candidates

This article discusses the challenge of building a diverse team in a highly competitive landscape. It outlines the steps taken to actively source candidates, such as closing the public job posting and introducing monthly “Sip ‘n Source” events. It also discusses inclusive hiring practices, such as requiring candidates to speak to at least one non-male interviewer, offering adjustments to the interview process, and providing feedback surveys. The article concludes with the lessons learned, such as the importance of feedback, hiring based on trajectory, and the benefits of a diverse group.