Summary of Building an Engineering Team by Ammon Bartram and Harj Taggar

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00:00:00 - 01:00:00

Building an engineering team can be a challenge, but it is important to focus on hiring people who are skilled and have the right mix of skills for the company. Additionally, it is important to be aware of the false negative rate and to make sure that candidates enjoy the interview process.

  • 00:00:00 Ammon Bartram and Harj Taggar discuss strategies for building an engineering team, beginning with personal networks. They note that personal networks are the best way to hire engineers early in a startup's development, as you are able to ask yourself two questions about potential hires: do they have the skills you need and can you trust them? Next, they discuss different ways to find engineers, with emphasis on LinkedIn, GitHub, and job boards. Taggar concludes the video by discussing how to make offers and close deals, emphasizing the importance of taking time for coffee, phone calls, and interviews.
  • 00:05:00 Hiring an engineer can be a daunting task, but a process that includes using personal networks can make the process considerably easier. A strict process of listing potential engineers, messaging them, and meeting in person can help find the best candidate for the job.
  • 00:10:00 Building an engineering team can be a challenge, but using a marketplace like Aircast can help. Aircast requires a hiring marketplace, but offers several competitors in the field. The main downside of using a marketplace is that it can be competitive, and expensive. LinkedIn and GitHub are two other options for finding engineers, but they can be less competitive and more expensive. It is important to focus on making your job listings unique and interesting in order to get the best candidates.
  • 00:15:00 Ammon Bartram and Harj Taggar discuss the benefits of using recruiters for a startup, focusing on when to hire one and the types of recruiters available. They also mention the importance of hiring in a rhythm, and say that if a startup is spending more than 50% of its time on recruiting, it is time to consider hiring an additional staffer.
  • 00:20:00 The video discusses the process for screening and evaluating potential engineers, starting with a resume screening, followed by phone screens, and an on-site interview. Once a decision has been made, the candidate is offered a job.
  • 00:25:00 Ammon Bartram and Harj Taggar discuss the importance of hiring engineers who are skilled in the areas that matter to the company. They suggest screening out candidates who do not have the skills that the company desires, and conducting interviews that are more reliable than random data.
  • 00:30:00 Ammon Bartram and Harj Taggar discuss the importance of hiring engineers who have the right skills for your company, and how to reduce noise in interviews by using structured interviews.
  • 00:35:00 The video discusses how to build an engineering team by Ammon Bartram and Harj Taggar. One important guideline is to avoid questions that require a leap of insight from the candidate. Other advice includes asking questions that are relatively straightforward and lead to a solution. The rule of thumb is that you can ask yourself whether a question can be given away. Finally, the video provides four tips for reducing noise during an interview.
  • 00:40:00 Building an engineering team is important, and hiring people who are skilled but lack traditional credentials can be a valuable asset. In order to minimize the risk of hiring a bad person, it is important to consider the false negative rate and calibrate on the maximum skill each candidate brings. Additionally, making sure candidates enjoy the interview process can increase their chances of acceptance.
  • 00:45:00 Ammon Bartram and Harj Taggar recommend screening out candidates early in the hiring process to reduce the number of false negatives. They also recommend hiring for skills that are important to the company, rather than focusing on specific technical skills.
  • 00:50:00 Ammon Bartram and Harj Taggar talk about how to build an engineering team, with tips on how to be fast and responsive, have a good bedside manner, and avoid common mistakes.
  • 00:55:00 The video discusses how to build an engineering team, with advice on how to be open and collaborative, as well as how to be aware of the importance of compensation when making offers. The presenter also discusses the importance of understanding stock options, as well as the tax implications of various types of options.

01:00:00 - 01:10:00

The video discusses how to assess an applicant's technical skills and find a technical co-founder. He recommends role-playing a bad interview, which allows the interviewee to be critical and incentivizes them to be honest. He also recommends giving the interviewer a chance to critique their own performance.

  • 01:00:00 Building an engineering team is difficult, and most large companies have checks and balances in place to prevent damage done by new hires. Startups, however, are more meritocratic, and new hires can rise quickly depending on their skills and experience. Hiring practices at start-ups focus narrowly on assessing a candidate's technical skills, rather than looking at their personality or background.
  • 01:05:00 The presenter discusses how to assess an applicant's technical skills and find a technical co-founder. He recommends role-playing a bad interview, which allows the interviewee to be critical and incentivizes them to be honest. He also recommends giving the interviewer a chance to critique their own performance.
  • 01:10:00 The video discusses the 95% success rate for hiring top performers, which does not match up with the experience of being a hiring manager. The number comes from surveys asking companies about their successful hires.

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