Finding Great Candidates
Goal: Identify candidates we'd be thrilled to have on the team. Not "can do the job" — candidates we're excited about.
"Our first 100 people are our cultural co-founders."
What Makes Someone Great (Universal Traits)
These traits apply to EVERY role. A candidate missing any of these is unlikely to be great.
1. High Agency
What it is: Takes initiative. Makes things happen. Doesn't wait for permission or perfect conditions.
How to spot it:
- Started something from nothing (project, company, community, initiative)
- Identified problems and solved them without being asked
- Phrases like "I noticed X wasn't working, so I..." or "I proposed..."
- Built things with limited resources
- Career moves that show they created opportunity vs. waited for it
Red flags:
- Passive language ("I was assigned to...", "My manager asked me to...")
- No examples of self-initiated work
- Lots of "we" with no clear individual contribution
- Job history of only joining established teams/processes
2. Grit & Resilience
What it is: Perseveres through hard things. Doesn't quit when it gets difficult.
How to spot it:
- Shipped something hard (long timeline, technical challenges, organizational friction)
- Stayed with a problem until solved vs. moving on when stuck
- Built something despite obstacles (funding, team, technical, market)
- Career shows persistence (didn't job-hop at first sign of difficulty)
- Specific stories of overcoming setbacks
Red flags:
- Lots of short stints without clear upward moves
- Vague explanations for leaving ("it wasn't a good fit")
- No examples of pushing through difficulty
- Blame-shifting to circumstances
3. Evidence of Impact
What it is: Demonstrable results. Outcomes, not just activities.
How to spot it:
- Metrics at ANY scale: "10x'd revenue", "reduced costs 60%", "shipped to 5M users"
- Promotions and increasing scope over time (trajectory)
- Concrete examples: "built X which did Y"
- Results even in resource-constrained environments
- Would their bosses rate them 8+ and hire them again?
Red flags:
- Vague: "worked on", "contributed to", "helped with"
- No metrics even for senior roles
- Flat trajectory (same level/scope over years)
- Titles without corresponding impact stories
4. Technical Depth
What it is: Everyone should code, build, or have deep technical understanding.
How to spot it:
- GitHub/portfolio with real projects
- Technical blog posts or writing
- Can explain complex systems simply
- Specific technical choices and tradeoffs mentioned
- For non-eng: deep understanding of how things work, technical curiosity
Red flags:
- Avoids technical detail
- Can't explain their technical work
- No evidence of building things
- Relies entirely on others for technical decisions
5. AI-Native
What it is: Uses AI tools daily, understands implications, sees opportunities.
How to spot it:
- Mentions specific tools: Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, Copilot
- Built something with AI or integrated AI into workflow
- Understands AI capabilities and limitations
- Excited about AI, not fearful
- Uses AI to accelerate their own work
Red flags:
- No mention of AI tools
- Seems unaware of AI capabilities
- Treats AI as novelty vs. fundamental shift
- Behind the curve on modern tools
6. Communication Excellence
What it is: Writes clearly, explains complex ideas simply, collaborates well.
How to spot it (their APPLICATION is a sample!):
- Clear, structured writing
- Gets to the point
- Explains technical concepts accessibly
- Good questions in interviews
- Public writing/speaking if available
Red flags:
- Rambling or unclear application
- Can't articulate their own work
- Jargon-heavy without substance
- Poor writing quality
7. World-Class at Something
What it is: Top 1% in at least one domain. Demonstrable excellence.
How to spot it:
- Recognized expertise: patents, publications, talks, awards
- Deep mastery evident in how they discuss their domain
- Built something impressive in their area
- Others seek them out for this expertise
- "The person you call" for X
Red flags:
- Average across the board
- No area of clear strength
- Jack of all trades, master of none
- Can't point to what they're best at
8. Interesting Person
What it is: Curious, diverse interests, unique perspective. Someone you'd want at dinner.
How to spot it:
- Unusual background or path
- Hobbies/interests outside work
- Asks interesting questions
- Learns continuously
- Brings different perspective to problems
Red flags:
- One-dimensional
- No interests outside work
- Generic responses
- Nothing memorable about them
Role-Specific Traits
Beyond universal traits, each role has specific requirements. Customize these for your open roles.
Engineering Roles
- Shipped production code at scale
- System design thinking
- Code quality/testing discipline
- Open source contributions (bonus)
- Technical leadership/mentorship (for senior)
Operations Roles
- Process creation and optimization
- Cross-functional coordination
- Tool fluency (spreadsheets, project management, automation)
- Clear documentation habits
- Handles ambiguity well
Customer-Facing Roles
- Empathy and patience under pressure
- Clear communication of complex concepts
- Problem-solving with limited information
- Relationship building
- Crisis management experience
Creative/Marketing Roles
- Portfolio of shipped work
- Data-informed creativity
- Speed without sacrificing quality
- Platform-native understanding
- Measures and iterates
How to Use This Framework
Option 1: Manual Screening
When reviewing a resume or application:
- Score each universal trait (1-5 scale)
- Note specific evidence for each score
- Flag red flags explicitly
- Assess role-specific fit
- Make a verdict: Must Interview / Worth Exploring / Pass
Use this template for each candidate:
## [Candidate Name] — [Overall Score]/100
### Universal Traits Assessment
| Trait | Score (1-5) | Evidence |
|-------|-------------|----------|
| High Agency | | [specific quote or observation] |
| Grit | | [specific quote or observation] |
| Impact | | [specific quote or observation] |
| Technical | | [specific quote or observation] |
| AI-Native | | [specific quote or observation] |
| Communication | | [specific quote or observation] |
| World-Class | | [specific quote or observation] |
| Interesting | | [specific quote or observation] |
### Role-Specific Fit
[Assessment against role requirements]
### Why We'd Be Thrilled
- [Specific exceptional signals]
### Questions to Probe
- [Specific areas needing verification]
### Verdict
[Must Interview / Worth Exploring / Pass]
Option 2: Batch Screening with Claude
For processing multiple candidates:
- Gather applications (export from your ATS or collect manually)
- Ask Claude to evaluate each candidate against the framework
- Request a ranked summary with verdicts
- Deep-dive on top candidates
Example prompt:
I have [X] candidates for [Role]. Please evaluate each against our hiring framework:
- Score universal traits (1-5)
- Note role-specific fit
- Give verdict: Must Interview / Worth Exploring / Pass
- Rank top 5 with reasoning
[Paste applications or link to files]
The Bar
"90% confidence that this person can do a job only 10% of candidates could do."
We're not asking "can they do the job?" We're asking "would we be thrilled to work with them every day?"
- Must Interview: Multiple strong signals across traits, world-class at something, high skill AND will
- Worth Exploring: Promising but questions remain — needs interview to resolve
- Pass: Missing must-haves, too many red flags, or just "fine"
When in doubt, pass. Better to miss someone good than hire someone mediocre.
Customization
To customize this skill for your company:
- Add your roles: Create
references/your-roles.md with role-specific traits for your open positions
- Adjust traits: If a universal trait doesn't apply (e.g., AI-Native for non-tech company), modify the framework
- Set your bar: Adjust scoring thresholds based on role seniority and market conditions