If you're spending more than 50% of your time on sourcing candidates, it's time to consider bringing in help, such as a recruiter.

Consider hiring a technical recruiter only after you've made your first hire, as understanding the hiring process yourself is crucial.

Hiring should be your top priority when necessary, and you must be prepared for a lengthy recruitment process to attract the best talent, as they often have many options.

Hiring a professional recruiter early on can significantly improve the quality of hires and cultural fit within the company.

When hiring, think of the process as a funnel with three parts: sourcing, screening, and closing.

Hiring in the early stages of a startup is often unscalable and requires significant effort to sift through potential candidates.

Hiring referrals become increasingly important as the company grows, serving as a key source of talent.

Proactive recruitment means reaching out to potential candidates, similar to how you wouldn't just wait for customers to find your product; you need to actively engage your network. I believe in proactively reaching out to potential candidates on platforms like LinkedIn, meetups, and GitHub to find strong fits for your company.

Treat recruiting like a product, where candidates are your customers. Be actively involved in the process to show your commitment to potential hires.