Hiring for tech roles goes beyond simply evaluating technical skills — it's about building a cohesive, dynamic, and adaptable team. In my experience leading an in-house development team, I've found that every hire should essentially be a 'personality hire.' Not in the sense that everyone should share the same personality, but rather that each individual's personality should uniquely complement the team, enhancing both collaboration and innovation.
I often joke with my team that we're like a pirate ship — meaning every new crew member has to fit seamlessly onboard. To achieve this, I prioritize involving my existing team members directly in the hiring process. One of the most important stages is the panel interview, where three or four current team members discuss a candidate's code submission or project. This isn't just about technical competence — it's about how effectively the candidate communicates, collaborates, and integrates feedback. The crew's input at this stage is pivotal to our hiring decisions.
I also value candidates who are genuine tech hobbyists. A personal passion for technology — demonstrated through independent projects — is one of the biggest green flags for me. I've hired candidates whose hobbies ranged from building platforms for micro-financing loans in Africa to a student who created an AI-powered Raspberry Pi to auto-aim in a first-person shooter game. These side projects indicate not only a deep-seated enthusiasm for tech but also hint at an entrepreneurial mindset, creativity, and problem-solving abilities.
A truly strong tech team embraces diversity — not just in background but also in viewpoints and experiences. For instance, although I'm personally skeptical of platforms like Microsoft Power Platform, I ensure my team includes advocates for such enterprise solutions. This diversity balances my own preference for custom-built solutions, leading to richer, more informed decision-making. Similarly, diversity in age and professional experience — from developers fresh out of university to seasoned professionals in their 60s — has repeatedly proven invaluable, broadening perspectives and driving innovation.
Another critical component of my hiring philosophy is investing in junior developers, particularly those fresh out of university. By starting them in L1 support roles, where they interact with the most challenging and comprehensive aspects of our systems, they rapidly accumulate in-depth knowledge and troubleshooting experience. Interestingly, I've found that this challenging initiation shapes them into some of the strongest developers on the team, capable of navigating complex issues and thinking critically. I normally will have them start to train a replacement after about six months, and look to have them migrate off of support after about a year. However, the approach also gives us an amazing source of emergency talent who can move into just about any part of the team and hit the ground running because they'll already know the code base.
Ultimately, hiring is about looking beyond immediate requirements — it's about assembling a crew that complements each other perfectly. Like navigating a pirate ship through unpredictable seas, building a tech team requires adaptability, synergy, and foresight. By proactively envisioning how each candidate will evolve and contribute, we're not just preparing for today's challenges, but setting the course for tomorrow's success.