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How to write a job description to hire a startup developer - YouTube
Channel: MyCTOFriend - Tech startup tips for entrepreneurs
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Hi, and welcome to MyCTOfriend, the place
where non-technical founders build successful
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startups by improving their tech management
skills.
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I’m Amaury, and today I’m going to answer
a question from Aurelien, the lead developer
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of a health-related tech startup.
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His question is: “How do I write a job description
to hire a startup developer?”
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Before answering this question, let’s add
a bit of context.
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Aurelien was first working as a freelancer
for the CEO and is now becoming an associate
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and taking on the CTO role.
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Currently closing their second round of funding,
they are hiring two developers to accelerate
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product development.
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So to answer his question, let’s go over
my recommendations for startup job descriptions.
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First, we agree that as a startup, we might
not be able to provide the type of high salary
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a large company would offer.
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Therefore, we have to show off the more advantageous
aspects startups can have.
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Startups have a lot to offer.
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Every day is different with a new challenge
to overcome, so employees usually learn
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a lot in a startup.
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Plus, we tend to have cool and flexible work
environments, with options like working remotely.
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So let’s see what makes a good job description.
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Here is the list of what you need to put together.
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1) Job description title
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2) Project overview
3) Company description
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4) Team organization
5) Challenges
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6) Required skills
7) Expected mindset
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8) What’s in it for them (aka salary)
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To review each part one by one, let’s say
you need a full-stack developer with Node.js
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as a backend skill and React plus React Native
as a framework as a frontend skillset.
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The very first part, is obviously the job
description title.
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It needs to be specific, with the main technology
and framework skills required.
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This title needs to catch the developer‘s
attention.
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So be specific with the startup environment,
the required knowledge and the position.
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Full-stack Node.JS/React JS are the skills,
lead developer is the position, and fast-growing
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startup is the environment.
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What’s the overall project
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Improve the current website platform developed
in React JS
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Create the mobile version of the platform
under React Native
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Then you need to explain what’s the overall
project.
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These are not the specifications, of course,
but the current state of the project and what
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needs to be developed.
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Never mislead the candidate.
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Explain what he will be working on upfront.
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For example, improve the current website platform
developed in React JS, then create the mobile
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version of the platform under React Native.
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And maybe add, 5% to 10% of your time will
be for customer support.
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Lots of startups use developers for customer
support to create a connection between the
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customers' needs and the technical team.
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3.
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Company description
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Our company is providing the services X, Y,
Z
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Our clients range from SMEs to large companies
in the health/sports industry
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We already have a working product with a handful
of corporate clients
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We aim to get 35 more clients by the end of
the year
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Next, the company description.
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Describe what service or offer the company
is providing and in which market.
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It’s important to understand who your developer
is going to serve.
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They need to have a minimum interest in that
market, and a good candidate should inquire
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about that market before applying for the
position.
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It can be something like, “Our company is
providing the services X, Y, Z.
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Our clients range from SMEs to large companies
in the health or sports industry, and we already
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have a working product with a handful of corporate
clients.
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We aim to get 35 more corporate clients by
the end of the year.”
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Obviously, be as detailed as possible to attract
the right people.
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4.
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Team organization
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Who they are going to work with
What their responsibilities will be
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How goals are constantly set
How the project is organised
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Then describe the team organization.
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People need to know who they are going to
work with, what their responsibilities will
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be, how goals are constantly set and how the
project is organized.
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It could be something like:
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You will work directly with the CTO and the
CEO of the company.
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You will contribute to the roadmap definition
and work on the development independently
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under agile scrum organization.
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The daily scrum meeting will be held by a
quick chat every morning.
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You will need to participate weekly in a few
remote meetings with the entire team.
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5.
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Challenges
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Making our current platform more reliable
Developing new features
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Creating a mobile application
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Building a startup is all about overcoming
challenges.
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Share what the company’s challenges are
and consequently, what the team’s challenge
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will be.
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For example:
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The challenges our company will face in the
next 6 months are prioritized as follows:
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1) Making our current platform more reliable,
2) Developing new features, and 3) Creating
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a mobile application.
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6.
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Required skills
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Required knowledge (technologies, languages,
etc.)
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Level
Project management skills
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Writing and communication skills
Expected previous experience
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Required degree
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Now that the mission is clear and the challenges
well-described, it’s time to share the required
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skill set to tackle them.
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This is the core of the job description.
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Make sure you state the required knowledge
(technologies, languages, etc.), at what level,
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the project management skills, the writing
and communication skills, the expected previous
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experience and the required degree.
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Share everything that might be of use.
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And this brings us to next point, the mindset
or the culture you want to communicate.
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7.
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Expected mindset
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#COMMITTED #FOCUSED #HAPPY #HARDWORKER #LIKESACHIEVEMENT
#GOODTEAMPLAYER #GEEK #FUN #WELLORGANIZED
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The project is not everything.
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And especially these days, the people we work
with are very important too.
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So in this part, I recommend you to share
a bit of your personality, giving people the
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reason to work with you and learn from you.
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Sometimes, the exact words may not exist.
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I personally like to express this part with
hashtags like: #COMMITTED, #FOCUSED, #HAPPY,
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#HARDWORKER, #LIKESACHIEVEMENT, #GOODTEAMPLAYER,
#GEEK, #FUN and #WELLORGANIZED.
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8.
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What’s in it for them
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Salary
Extra benefits
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Work environment
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First impressions matter, but last thoughts
are very important as well.
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This last part of the job description is like
a sales page.
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You will describe: the salary, the extra benefits
and the work environment.
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The work environment can be something like,
“You will be working in a well-designed
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startup bootcamp in the center of Paris.”
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Sell the current level of the team and the
opportunity for them to learn a lot.
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That’s also part of the environment.
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It can also be the flexibility.
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For example, “Although our company has offices
in Paris, you will be free to work in a fully
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remote environment, with only two days of
in-person meetings per month.”
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Again, salary is not the only factor when
getting a job.
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In fact, it has become less and less important.
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While things like the team, the environment
and the challenge, are now the number one
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criteria when getting a startup.
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For example, this project’s CTO, Aurelien,
is currently working from Panama while searching
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for a remote developer.
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He enjoys a fully remote lifestyle and works
on very interesting projects.
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Many developers would love to quit their 9-to-5
jobs to get another job like that.
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And to finish your job description, add a
personal touch!
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Something like, “So if you frequently wake
up in the morning with new ideas and you want
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to have the opportunity to feed your creative
mind with a promising project, this job is
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definitely for you.”
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Add as much personal touch as you can in your
job description.
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It’s time to sum up and answer Aurelien’s
question.
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Here again are the multiple parts you need
to cover in order to build an attractive job
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description and get the right candidate for
you:
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Job description title
Project overview
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Company description
Team organization
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Challenges
Required skills
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Expected mindset
What’s in it for them (aka salary)
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Personal touch
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Now if like Aurelien, you have a specific
question for your project, just go ahead and
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ask on myctofriend.co/ask.
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I will do my best to answer your question
by video or redirect you to any existing content
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that will answer it.
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I publish a new video every week, so subscribe
now and learn how to be better at tech management
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and build your startup successfully.
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Also be sure to go through our other content
here at myctofriend.co to learn more from
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real startup growth experiences.
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I will be waiting for your questions, and
I look forward to seeing you in other videos.
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Cheers.
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