All of our Hiring executives articles

Starting Up

The Not So Cookie-Cutter Approach to Company Building — 8 Lessons from Zapier

Wade Foster, founder and CEO of Zapier, shares his contrarian takes on building a billion-dollar company — from fundraising advice, go-to-market strategy, and hiring mistakes.

Management

Add More Rigor to Your Reference Calls With These 25 Questions

When approached with craft and care, reference calls can be a massively influential piece of the hiring decision.

Management

Hire Better Managers: 35 Interview Questions for Assessing a Candidate

We asked top hiring managers and startup leaders to share their favorite questions for interviewing management candidates.

Management

Tips for Recruiting: How to Hire the Right Person

We've combed the Review archives for the best advice on how to hire the right person for your startup — including tips on writing the job description, asking better interview questions, and checking references.

People & Culture

20 Underrated Qualities to Look for in Candidates — And 50+ Interview Questions to Suss Them Out

We've rounded up a curated set of attributes you may be overlooking in your hiring process — and the interview questions you can use to surface them.

People & Culture

When it Comes to These Company Building Blocks, Borrow From Others — Advice From Thumbtack’s CEO

As Thumbtack CEO Marco Zappacosta tells it, sometimes your company is a special flower, and sometimes you should borrow from others. He shares his advice for how to tell the difference.

Starting Up

Starting a Company in a Space You’re Not an Expert in — This Founder Shares 6 Lessons

From the importance of founder naivety, to seeking out the doubters, to rigorously assessing founder/market fit, Irving Fain shares his lessons from building a company in a space he wasn't an expert in, as well as other takeaways from the earliest days at his startup, Bowery Farming.

Engineering

Hiring a VP of Engineering? Use This Framework from Shopify’s VPE to Get it Right

After more than 20 years in tech, eight companies, and thousands of hires, Shopify's Farhan Thawar shares his go-to-framework for snagging a VP of Engineering. From the skills that are most important to the questions to ask and red flags to watch out for, his advice will help founders dive several l

Management

NerdWallet’s CEO on Navigating the Shift from First-Time Founder to Seasoned Exec

NerdWallet co-founder and CEO Tim Chen reflects on the arc of his journey as founder after more than a decade of company building. He shares the six mindset shifts he needed to make to transition from entrepreneur to executive as his startup scaled, weaving together a collection of lessons that will

PR & Marketing

So You Think You’re Ready to Hire a Marketer? Read This First.

As First Round’s Marketing Expert in Residence, Arielle Jackson often helps early-stage founders navigate the search for a full-time marketer of their own. From the when and the why to the who and the how, Jackson offers a crash course on every aspect of the marketer hiring process.

Management

Assembling an Executive Leadership Team is Daunting — Let Thumbtack’s CEO Help

Recruiting and hiring executives is difficult for any leader, but especially first-time or early-stage founders who may not have enough knowledge to test candidates for skill in their area of expertise. Thumbtack CEO Marco Zappacosta has been there — and has a roadmap that'll help.

People & Culture

The Three Secrets to Executive Recruiting I Learned at Apple, Yahoo and More

Jennifer Rettig brings her recruiting expertise from Target, Apple, Yahoo, and — most recently — Looker, to share the tactics that will find your company the best executives.