Jake Huber's Linkedin Analytics

I've wasted $300k on bad hires. Here are 5 red flags I now look for: 1. Frequent job changes without growth ↳Occasional moves are fine (esp with all the layoffs the last 2yrs), but a pattern of short stints is concerning. It often signals performance issues or missing quotas in sales roles. 2. Misalignment with company stage ↳Someone who's only worked at large enterprises may struggle in an early-stage startup environment. Look for relevant experience. 3. Lack of preparation ↳Did they research your company? Do they have thoughtful questions? Preparation shows genuine interest and initiative. 4. Rudeness or poor communication ↳How candidates treat everyone in the process, from recruiters to interviewers, is telling. Rudeness is a major red flag. 5. Misalignment with mission/values ↳Can they articulate why they want to join your company specifically? Passionate, aligned candidates will stand out. What other red flags do you look for when hiring? Share your thoughts in the comments! ___ 🤝 Hiring? I'll match you with an hourly recruiter from co's like Uber, Dropbox & Spotify to run the hiring process for you (no commissions). Check out 𝗩𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗘 𝗦𝗖𝗔𝗟𝗘𝗥 in my bio to learn more.

“I haven’t talked to this many high-quality candidates before. It’s a little overwhelming!” - Ryan, Founder at Nurseio I remember Ryan telling me that on one of our weekly calls. He was now had the “good problem” of having too many high-fit candidates to choose from. But that wasn’t the case when he initially reached out to me... Ryan needed help finding his startup's next sale leader. They didn't have a recruiter on their team and couldn't justify bringing someone on full time. So the heavy lift of sourcing and interviewing landed on Ryan and his team. And that's where Venture Scaler came in... We built a pipeline of sales executive talent and closed a key sales hire in 6 weeks. ___ 👉 Need help with hiring? Let's chat! Or check out 𝗩𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗘 𝗦𝗖𝗔𝗟𝗘𝗥 in my bio to learn more.

The 5-step framework I used to jump from IC to managing 50 people at Uber: It's called a North Star Exercise. Here's how it works: 1. Define your dream job - Imagine the pinnacle of your career - Be specific: industry, company stage, role details 2. Research real job listings - Find 3-5 postings matching your dream job - Print them out (yes, actually print them) 3. Analyze the gap - Compare your current skills to job requirements - Identify 2-3 key areas you're lacking 4. Create an action plan - Seek opportunities to gain missing skills - Make career decisions based on closing the gap 5. Execute and iterate - Regularly revisit your North Star - Adjust your plan as you progress My personal example: - North Star: COO at a high-growth, multi-geography startup - Gap identified: Managing multiple departments, scaling teams - Action: Chose a role at Uber building a team from 0 to 50 people - Result: Landed a Regional GM position overseeing a team of 30 across multiple locations This framework works. It's how I went from individual contributor to managing 50+ people in less than two years. Want my full North Star Conversation template? Comment "DREAM JOB" below and I'll send it your way.

The job intake form is your secret weapon for hiring A-players. I started using this at Uber and never looked back. Most founders wing the hiring process. They have a vague idea of what they want, but never clearly define it. The result? Misalignment, wasted time, and bad hires. An intake form changes everything: - It forces you to clearly define the role and ideal candidate - It aligns the hiring manager, recruiter, and interviewers - It becomes the "source of truth" throughout the process - It sets clear expectations for candidates from day one - It dramatically increases your odds of making a great hire The best part? It takes less than 30 minutes to create. Here's what to include: 1. Role overview and key responsibilities 2. Must-have skills and experience 3. Nice-to-have qualifications 4. Salary range and equity details 5. Interview process and timeline 6. Culture fit indicators 7. Ideal profiles and search keywords Curious to see an example? DM me and I'll send you my battle-tested intake form template. Your future hires (and sanity) will thank you. ___ 🤝 Hiring? I'll match you with an hourly recruiter from co's like Uber, Dropbox & Spotify to run the hiring process for you (no commissions). Learn more at venturescaler.com

Waiting for applicants to find you? That's how you miss out on A+ talent. Make this change: As a startup, you can't just rely on inbound applicants—you need to go find great talent. Think like a pro sports team: They don't wait for players to come to them. They send scouts to find hidden gems and future superstars. Here's how to level up your outbound sourcing game: 1. Identify target companies with the talent you want 2. Build a list of ideal candidates based on skills/experience 3. Craft personalized, ego-boosting outreach messages 4. Focus on what they want in their career, not just your needs 5. Make the first call conversational, not an interview The key is to make candidates feel special. Show them you've done your homework and are specifically interested in THEM. Remember: The best people often aren't actively looking. You have to go find them and convince them your opportunity is worth exploring. What other outbound sourcing tactics have worked for you? Share in the comments! ___ 🤝 Hiring? I'll match you with an hourly recruiter from co's like Uber, Dropbox & Spotify to run the hiring process for you (no commissions). Check out 𝗩𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗘 𝗦𝗖𝗔𝗟𝗘𝗥 in my bio to learn more.

Turning subjective evaluations into objective data is the key to consistent, unbiased hiring. Here's how to create an interview scoring rubric that actually works: 1. Define 5-7 core competencies and values essential for the role 2. Create a 1-5 scale for each, with clear definitions of what each rating means 3. Assign specific competencies to each interviewer based on their expertise 4. Have interviewers score candidates immediately after each interview 5. Compare scores in a debrief session to surface discrepancies The magic happens when you force interviewers to justify their ratings with specific examples. "I just didn't get a good vibe" becomes "They scored a 2 on communication because they struggled to clearly explain their past project work." Implement this, and watch your hiring decisions become dramatically more consistent and defensible. What other tactics have you found effective for removing bias from interviews? Drop a comment below and let's build on this. ___ 🤝 Hiring? I'll match you with an hourly recruiter from co's like Uber, Dropbox & Spotify to run the hiring process for you (no commissions). Check out 𝗩𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗘 𝗦𝗖𝗔𝗟𝗘𝗥 in my bio to learn more.

Does your growing startup need a r̶e̶c̶r̶u̶i̶t̶e̶r̶ Erin? The founders who work with us—they get it. They get how we’re different and a better fit for them: - Startup-friendly flexible terms - Expert recruiters (like Erin) - Zero commissions Our client results speak for themselves: - 6x more applicants - 90% cost savings - 4x faster hires And not only that, they talk about us with their founder friends. Fun fact: Marisa came from a referral from another one of our clients! ___ 👉 Need help with hiring? Let's chat about getting you your Erin!

I doubled my team's productivity with a 30-minute weekly meeting. Here's the exact process: 1. Schedule a "retro" meeting ↳Gather your entire team (10-20 people). ↳Block 30 minutes, same time every week. ↳No excuses for missing it 2. Ask these 3 questions: ↳What went well this week? ↳What didn't go well? ↳What will we do differently next week? 3. Give everyone a voice ↳Go around the table ↳1-2 minutes per person. ↳No interruptions. 4. Capture action items ↳Assign owners to issues raised ↳Set clear next steps ↳Follow up in the next retro 5. Bonus question: "What will you experiment with next week?" ↳Encourages innovation and promotes a bias towards action Why this works: - Catches issues early before they become problems - Scales learning across the team - Increases engagement and ownership - Gives you a pulse on team morale - Builds trust through transparency I've used this at Uber with rapidly growing teams. It's deceptively simple, but incredibly powerful. ___ 📬 Found this useful? Try my newsletter + Scale OS for more tactics to scale your teams smarter (link in bio & my featured section)

Your job descriptions are costing you top talent. Here's how to fix them: Most JDs read like a laundry list of requirements. But A-players aren't looking for a list of tasks - they want to know how they'll make an impact. Here's how to reframe your JDs to attract rockstars: 1. Focus on outcomes, not responsibilities ↳Don't say: "Manage our email marketing campaigns" ↳Do say: "Drive 30% growth in our email subscriber base" 2. Highlight ownership and autonomy ↳Don't say: "Report to the Head of Marketing" ↳Do say: "Own our entire content strategy and roadmap" 3. Showcase growth opportunities ↳Don't say: "2+ years of experience required" ↳Do say: "Opportunity to build and lead a team within 12 months" 4. Emphasize your mission and values ↳Don't say: "Join our fast-growing startup" ↳Do say: "Help us revolutionize healthcare access for millions" 5. Turn your JD into a landing page ↳Advanced tip: Create a dedicated page that sells your company culture, perks, and the role's impact. Include team photos, videos, and employee testimonials. Remember: You're not just filling a role, you're selling an opportunity. Frame it that way. Agree? Disagree? What's worked for you in attracting top talent? Share below 👇 ___ 🤝 Hiring? I'll match you with an hourly recruiter from co's like Uber, Dropbox & Spotify to run the hiring process for you (no commissions). Check out 𝗩𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗘 𝗦𝗖𝗔𝗟𝗘𝗥 in my bio to learn more.

I doubled my team's productivity with 2 simple questions. Here's how: 1. "When do you actually need this by?" Forces the requester to consider true urgency vs. arbitrary deadlines. Often buys you more time than initially given. 2. "Should I prioritize this over X, or can either wait?" Makes them choose what's truly important. Gives you permission to deprioritize less critical tasks. Results: - 40% reduction in "urgent" requests - 25% increase in on-time project delivery - Happier, less stressed team The magic is in reframing the conversation. You're not pushing back - you're collaborating on priorities. Pro tip: Use these questions consistently. Your team will start considering urgency before even approaching you. ___ 📬 Found this useful? Try my newsletter + Scale OS for more tactics to scale your teams smarter (link in bio & my featured section)

7 ways to make A-players choose your company over competitors: Candidates are evaluating YOU just as much as you're evaluating them. Here's how to win over top talent during the interview process: 1. Highlight growth opportunities ↳Show how they'll develop new skills and expand their capabilities in this role. Paint a picture of their career trajectory. 2. Showcase your rockstar team ↳Strategically involve your most impressive team members in interviews. Create FOMO about missing the chance to work with them. 3. Quantify the full package ↳Go beyond just salary. Break down the total value of equity, benefits, perks, etc. Most candidates underestimate this. 4. Tell your equity story ↳Explain how they'll share in the company's success. But don't overpromise - be transparent about current valuation, strike price, etc. 5. Set clear expectations ↳Keep candidates in the loop on timeline and next steps. Radio silence breeds doubt and anxiety. 6. Extend a verbal offer first ↳Align on all the details before sending anything formal. This is their chance to negotiate without awkwardness. 7. Celebrate enthusiastically ↳Once they accept, go all out welcoming them. Emails from the team, care packages, happy hours - make them feel valued from day one. Remember: Your hiring process is a preview of your company culture. Make it a great one. What other strategies do you use to win over top candidates? Share in the comments! ___ 🤝 Hiring? I'll match you with an hourly recruiter from co's like Uber, Dropbox & Spotify to run the hiring process for you (no commissions). Check out Venture Scaler to learn more!

“Oh no... We don’t even have 23 good candidates in our pipeline!” ~founder friend of mine They said this to me after I shared data showing you need to talk to 23 candidates to hire 1 great one. They also said they didn’t have the time to screen that many candidates. “Many early-stage teams underestimate how many candidates they need to speak to to make one hire. In our data we also saw that only 13% of inbound applicants even make it to the first screen. You will either need a lot of inbound, or more likely, you will have to fill the funnel with sourced candidates and referrals.” —Benji Encz, CEO of Ashby Hard Truth: Recruiting at your startup is a numbers game. You need volume to find the right candidate. For most startups, this means you’ll need to do your own outbound sourcing. At Venture Scaler we’ve helped startups like Pepper, Veho, Honey Homes and UpSmith with sourcing and making great hires. 👉Need help with hiring at your startup? Send me a DM! Or check out Venture Scaler in my bio to learn more.

Your first 10-20 hires will make or break your startup. I've seen both sides... Here's why values alignment matters more than skills at this stage: 1. Culture carriers: Early employees shape the DNA of your company. Hire people who embody your mission and values - they'll attract more like-minded talent. 2. Adaptability: Skills can be taught, but values are ingrained. In a fast-moving startup, you need people who can pivot quickly while staying true to the company's north star. 3. Motivation: When the going gets tough (and it will), shared values keep people committed to the vision. Money alone won't cut it. 4. Scalability: Values-aligned hires make better decisions autonomously as you grow. You can't micromanage at scale. 5. Brand ambassadors: Early employees are walking billboards for your company. Their genuine enthusiasm for the mission is contagious. How to leverage values in hiring: - Clearly articulate your values in job descriptions - Ask values-based interview questions - Give candidates opportunities to demonstrate value alignment - Have team members share how values play out day-to-day Remember: Skills get someone in the door, but values determine if they'll stick around and thrive. What are your non-negotiable values for early hires? Drop them in the comments! ___ 🤝 Hiring? I'll match you with an hourly recruiter from co's like Uber, Dropbox & Spotify to run the hiring process for you (no commissions). Learn more at venturescaler.com

Forget job titles. Start with the problem you need to solve and these 5 questions: Too many founders rush to hire without first clearly defining the problem they're facing. This leads to misaligned hires and wasted resources. Instead, ask yourself: 1. What specific challenge are we struggling with right now? 2. Is this a bandwidth issue or a skills gap? 3. What would success look like if we solved this problem? 4. How does this align with our key priorities and goals? 5. What specific responsibilities and outcomes do we need? Only once you've clearly articulated the problem should you design the role to address it. This approach ensures you hire for impact, not just to fill a seat. It forces clarity on what you actually need and avoids the common pitfall of force-fitting candidates into poorly defined roles. Remember: Great hires start with great role design. And great role design starts with a laser focus on the core problem you need to solve. What key problems is your startup facing right now? How might reframing them help you design better roles and make smarter hires? Let me know in the comments! And follow for more startup hiring insights. ___ 🤝 Hiring? I'll match you with an hourly recruiter from co's like Uber, Dropbox & Spotify to run the hiring process for you (no commissions). Learn more at venturescaler.com