When Steve Jobs ran Apple, the company’s recruiting stance was to hire only A players. The idea was that A-level people would hire more A-level people, resulting in an A-level organization. I know personally that this was not true. I worked there as a third-party ISV. Apple often hired ‘Apple-type’ people who were not necessarily A players. Mainly, they knew how to interview in the ‘Apple-way’.
In an early startup a decade ago we brought in an engineer from a well known (albeit only to engineers) project. A true A Player. But what we learned is that engineers who were A List in _personality_ really wanted to work with him and by extension us…. Even if they were B or C in skill. This is important because we attracted great talent at a market discount, some of which have gone on to lead other startup teams. One mistake I see a lot is hiring purely for skill instead of for harder to pin qualities like ownership and ambition and ability to accept vulnerability.
A-Level Culture, A-Level Company
In an early startup a decade ago we brought in an engineer from a well known (albeit only to engineers) project. A true A Player. But what we learned is that engineers who were A List in _personality_ really wanted to work with him and by extension us…. Even if they were B or C in skill. This is important because we attracted great talent at a market discount, some of which have gone on to lead other startup teams. One mistake I see a lot is hiring purely for skill instead of for harder to pin qualities like ownership and ambition and ability to accept vulnerability.