Module 02 · Identifying Hiring Needs
Archetype: Early Stage SWE Profile
The person you’re actually looking for. Before you write a job spec or start sourcing, get crystal clear on the four attributes that define a great early-stage engineer.
Product Minded & User Understanding
Thinks about the user and the business, not just the code. Asks “why are we building this?” before asking “how”.
- Talks about users and outcomes, not only frameworks
- Has opinions on product decisions — and can defend them
- Prunes scope ruthlessly to ship value sooner
Bias Towards Building
Defaults to action. Ships scrappy v1s, learns from real usage and iterates — rather than waiting for perfect specs.
- Side projects, hacks or shipped personal work
- Comfortable with ambiguity and incomplete briefs
- “I built a quick version” is a phrase they use often
The Early-Stage Engineer
Generalist Technologist Skillset
T-shaped: genuine depth somewhere, working competence everywhere. Frontend, backend, infra, data — whatever the product needs this month.
- Has owned features end-to-end, from DB to deploy
- Picks up new tools quickly without ceremony
- Not precious about stack — chooses what fits the problem
Entrepreneurial
Acts like an owner. Cares about runway, customers and distribution. Might have founded something before — or clearly wants to one day.
- Previously a founder, founding engineer or first hire
- Asks about business model, market and metrics in interviews
- Motivated by equity, ownership and mission — not just salary
How to use this profile
Use these four attributes as your filter at every stage: write outreach that speaks to them, design interview questions that surface them, and score every candidate against them. Nobody is a perfect 4/4 — but exceptional early-stage hires are strong on at least three.