One-Sentence Reality Check

Your first hire will shape how your company works, communicates, and scales; choose wrong, and you’ll multiply the chaos.

It’s just … different

Hiring in a startup is wildly different from corporate life. There are no HR playbooks, no training departments, and no safety nets. As a mid-level manager stepping into startup leadership, your first few hires will either supercharge your momentum, or drag it down. This article outlines what to look for, how to avoid common pitfalls, and how NITM helps you hit the ground running.

What Changes from Corporate Hiring?You’re Hiring Generalists, Not Specialists

Startups need team members who can flex across roles, marketer, ops, support, not just do what’s on the resume.Culture Fit Isn’t a Buzzword

It’s existential. A bad hire at this stage can derail focus, morale, and product direction.**

Speed Over Perfection**

You don’t need a "perfect" candidate. You need someone who can solve problems today and grow into tomorrow.**Hiring Tips That Matter****Red Flags to Watch Out For**

Avoid early hires who:

• Need a lot of structure to get started
• Show resistance to wearing multiple hats
• Over-index on pedigree but lack practical results
• Avoid hands-on tasks or default to management talk
• Lack curiosity about new tools, especially AI and automation
• Have trouble communicating asynchronously or working independently. A strong early team is built on self-starters who value momentum, not formality.Before You Hire: Start Cultivating

Finding great people often starts long before you need them. Build relationships early, stay curious, and let hiring be a natural extension of your network.**

Where to Find Great Hires**

Our experience has shown that finding talent isn't just a one-time search, it's an ongoing discipline. Constantly be on the lookout. Think beyond job boards:

• Reach out to former coworkers you trusted in past roles
• Network actively, events, forums, and LinkedIn DMs matter
• Contact authe thors of thoughtful GitHub repos or technical blog posts
• Tap friends-of-friends who come highly recommended

 Great early hires often come from serendipitous connections, not cold resumes.

What Makes a Great Startup Hire

Once you're ready to make the ask, here’s what separates a good early hire from a great one.Qualities of a Great Startup Hire

Look for candidates who are:

• Passionate about your product or mission
• Energetic and optimistic under pressure
• Comfortable with ambiguity and iteration
• Experienced enough to be autonomous, but not rigid
• Eager to get their hands dirty and contribute beyond their title
• Curious learners with an interest in AI, automation, and fast-adapting toolsets
• Flexible communicators who can thrive in async and low-process environmentsTest for Adaptability

Use scenario interviews and trial projects to assess how a candidate thinks and reacts to startup-style ambiguity. We recommend using a compensated trial project as a way to vette real world ability.**

Check Bias Toward Action**

You want doers, not status meeting all-stars. Look for side projects, startup experience, or build-first mindsets.Make Onboarding Lightweight but Effective

Set up a simple Notion wiki, onboarding checklist, and intro calls. Skip the bureaucracy, keep the clarity.Look for Curiosity, AI Affinity, and Creative Productivity

Strong early hires are often curious generalists with an emerging command of AI tools, who value progress and structure but leave space for experimentation and creativity.**

Actionable Takeaway:**

Audit your next hire for three things: adaptability, initiative, and alignment with your startup’s current velocity, not some imaginary future org chart.Quick Team Health Check (Yes / No)1. Can your current team cover both customer-facing and internal responsibilities? 2. Does each team member have clear ownership of a domain? 3. Are you documenting decisions and systems as you grow? 4. Can you onboard a new hire in under a week? 5. Do your hires align with your product roadmap, not just your job descriptions?≥ 3 “No” responses → Time to pause and restructure before your next hire.# The NITM Advantage

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Technical Vetting:Malcolm helps you vet engineers or technical cofounders, saving you from painful misfires. -

Org & Ops Setup:**

We help set up roles, process documentation, and lightweight tools to onboard and enable your team. -**

Fractional Support:Need design, infrastructure, or dev support before full hires? We can fill those gaps while you scale up.

Additional Resources**

• How to Hire the First Employees for Your Startup (Stripe)
• The First 5 People You Should Hire at Your Startup (Business News Daily)
• 3 Traits to Look for in Early-Stage Startup Hires (Unusual Ventures)
• Hiring for a Startup: The Complete Guide (Founder Institute)
• How to Conduct a Great Working Interview (First Round Review)
• [The No BS Guide to Hiring for Startups (Lenny Rachitsky)

](https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/no-bs-guide-to-hiring)

Conclusion

Your first few hires will build the foundation of your startup’s execution culture. Hire slow, set clear expectations, and don’t be afraid to start lean with interim help until the right full-time team emerges.**

What’s Next?**

This article is part of a 12-article series designed to help mid-level managers transition into startup leadership.**

Previously:**Scaling Smart: Infrastructure Considerations Before Your Startup Takes Off**Next Up:**

-Startup Leadership 101: Coaching, Mentoring, and Growing Your New Team-Securing Funding for Pre-Series A Ventures: What Corporate Managers Need to Know