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Growing the Team

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From the business perspective, one of the most important stages for a technology company involves scaling up the team. Whether it is done to meet current demand or in anticipation of future demand, whether it is handled through cash flow or done through some sort of investment in the future, the risk associated with expansion is massive. Few companies truly respect these risks, with results ranging from loss of control, dilution of the passion that drove the initial team, or much worse. 

From the perspective of the individual, joining a team can be equally risky. Particularly at the stage when a company is experiencing growth, it is dangerous to assume that the business side is carefully managing the transition, and important to recognize the responsibility you have in ensuring that this new relationship will be a successful one. 

Far too much of this dance is left to chance in most cases. Hiring people is not the core business of most tech companies, and individuals are too often focused on the allure of a job rather than the advancement of their careers. In both cases, far more emphasis needs to be placed on determining whether there is a mutual respect for how the work is done. 

The majority of software companies, despite any suggestions to the contrary, have a culture for getting things done in their organizations that overrides any set of standard procedures that may be on the shelves. In some places this culture works better than others, and in any organization the approach that may be formally established is heavily laced with individual attitudes, team relationships, and organizational politics. Few businesses recognize this culture as an essential part of the workplace, and fewer actively manage this culture as a differentiator for success. 

When growing the team, while there is value in weeding through the mass of resumes to determine if the appropriate skills are in place (though to my mind, many of the key attributes sought in interviews, especially at the junior/intermediate stages, are easily trainable skills), it is important to acknowledge the existing culture and determine what the candidate’s impact on that culture will be. Is there evidence (beyond the well rehearsed answers in an interview) that the candidate will respect the existing approach to getting work done, and can work in a co-operative environment? How many of the person’s responses are framed in terms of “I achieved this…” vs. “We achieved that…”? Noting that they had a stake in previous relationships, what is their perspective of what happened in the past? It can be a warning flag if all previous positions turned sour because of the ‘other guys’, even if that flag is an indicator that their poor selection process is now pointing a finger in your direction. Hire for attitude. 

When joining a team, dive deeper than what is shown on the corporate website, and recognize that this is far more than ‘getting a job’ – at any level – and that it is your responsibility to determine whether the environment is going to be compatible with your needs. As an employer, my fondest memories of interviews are those where the candidate left me feeling wrung out afterwards – the deep, probing questions were coming my way; they did their best to understand how things were done and whether there was a fit, rather than passively answering questions with responses that they thought would advance them through the gates. Alas, there have only been a couple of these in my experience. 

Sitting down with a prospective employer is your golden opportunity to understand the cultural fit. The allure of the paycheck will pale over time to other issues, and it is these that are critical to investigate (surveys show that salary is typically 6th or 7th on people’s minds). While the company’s products may be part of the original attraction, remember that you will spend far more time in the process of building the products rather than in the glory of having shipped them – in some companies, the time building of the products can approach 100%. Do they have a reasonable approach to getting things done, and to what degree is it formalized, adhered to and managed in an ongoing fashion. To what degree does culture, individual attitudes and relationships play in how things get done? How does this change when the going gets rough, and how often does this going actually get rough? How much influence will you have in this environment? 

Just as employers will check references and other sources in their due diligence, you need to do the same to get past the rehearsed answers that are often a part of the interview ritual. There is great value in candidly asking to chat with a relatively new or junior member of the crew to get their perspective of how things are done, and clients or past employees can provide rich insights as well. 

Consider your current role (or past roles if you are currently hunting), and ask yourself ‘what aspects of this position’ are consuming my day?’ – for many, it is not the skills that you bring to bear or the products the company ships, but the team practices, relationships, and culture that determine your satisfaction and ultimately the company’s success. These are the elements that are of critical importance as you grow a team, or become part of that team. 

-Jim Brosseau of Clarrus Consulting Group

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