Developer
Ask me before you hire a developer.
Hiring a developer feels like progress. More often than founders think, it does not resolve uncertainty, an experienced builder executes what is already clear. If the direction is still uncertain, execution gets fast in the wrong direction. A short check assesses whether role, level, scope and candidate fit what the product actually needs now.
Check this before you commit
What I check first.
- 01
Is it clear which specific problem this hire should solve?
- 02
Does the level match the work, junior with clear tasks, senior for judgement calls?
- 03
Is the scope small enough for weeks rather than months?
- 04
Who owns product calls, you or the developer?
- 05
What is the plan in three months if the hire is not working?
Common patterns
What I see happen most often.
- Founders hire with the thought: we will sharpen the scope as we go.
- A junior in a team of one accidentally becomes the product manager.
- An unclear brief produces code that has to come back out.
- "We can always change it later" is technically true and organisationally expensive.
What the conversation produces
What you leave with.
- 01
A sharper description of the role and the first brief.
- 02
A check on level and candidate profile that fits your stage.
- 03
Clarity: hire, wait and sharpen first, or shape the hire differently.
Further reading
Articles on this challenge.
- 6 min read
Before You Hire a Developer, Read This First
A developer does not resolve uncertainty. What to sharpen before you bring someone on, and the questions to answer first.
- 6 min read
Why Hiring a Developer Does Not Solve a Product Problem
If the product problem is unclear, a developer simply builds the wrong direction faster. What has to be clear first, and what experienced perspective can prevent.
- 8 min read
The Founder’s Guide to Hiring a Developer
Hire for the decisions your product needs, not for the longest list of technologies.
Ready to talk?
Do you really need to hire yet?
Many startups think they need a developer when the real bottleneck is somewhere else.