Your future 10x engineer isn’t actively job seeking
What founders get wrong about engineering talent
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I met a founder for the first time last week. New face, novel problem space, fresh team, yet we ended up in the same place most scaling founders find themselves: “Where the hell are all the good engineers, and why can’t I seem to find any of them to hire?” Her experiences with a string of lackluster candidates left her wondering if skilled engineers still existed in the first place.
Before we proceed, let’s get two things out of the way. First, talented engineers do still exist — we run a community full of them. Second, her startup isn't striking out on hiring because it's mediocre: the growth numbers are impressive, market validation is clear, and the founding team is technically superb. So what gives?
The problem is in the approach. We see founders make a fundamental mistake time and time again when looking to scale: underestimating how much of the best engineering talent moves through private networks and trusted referrals. Great engineers are strategic, selective, and discreet about where they end up next.
To illustrate this point, here’s how the last 10 great engineering placements I’ve seen came together:
4 were made when a close friend flagged a new, good-fit opportunity to an engineer that was quietly exploring options while still employed
2 happened when a former manager/colleague reached out about a new project they were working on
1 came from an engineer reaching out to the founder he had met 8 months ago at a dinner
3 were made through our showcases & bespoke matching program (shameless plug)
Shockingly, 0 of those 10 placements happened through a greenhouse application or a Linkedin DM. This is not because engineers are unnecessarily secretive during their job search. Rather, it’s a testament to the simple reality that if an engineer has enough leverage to pick where they want to go, it’ll probably be a place where they can already trust the people there. They get to avoid awkward recruiter conversations, maintain privacy at their current role, and get some intel about team dynamics from someone who actually knows what they’re talking about. Plus, great engineers get 15 recruiter emails a week — talking to a friend or old coworker is much more pleasant.
For founders, this means the traditional recruiting playbook is fundamentally broken when it comes to finding senior engineering talent. Successful hiring requires building long-term relationships with engineering communities and having people in your network who can make credible recommendations about your company and future team members. You have to show up where engineers spend their professional energy and build a reputation for quality work. The engineer engaging with your open source project now might be job searching next year, and having already experienced your team’s technical standards and communication style can give you significant influence.
More significantly, when talent moves through referrals and reputations, how you treat your current team directly impacts your ability to hire future talent. Engineers will hear about your company culture through back-channel conversations with people they trust. We've seen these talks convince engineers to accept lower equity packages in exchange for better work environments, and we've also watched engineers walk away from lucrative offers after learning about toxic management. Your current engineering culture is your most powerful future hiring strategy. Make it visible: highlight team wins and rituals online, invite candidates to meet future teammates during the interview process, and treat your engineers well enough so they become natural advocates for you.
For jobseekers, it’s worth staying connected to the communities you trust. These are the people who will tell you “the startup sounds cool but the founder is impossible to work with” or “my friend who works there has never been happier in a role”. More importantly, don’t just maintain these relationships when you need something — be the person who is genuinely helpful when others are exploring opportunities and contributes meaningfully to projects. The best job opportunities will find you through these connections, often when you're not even actively looking.
Whether you're a founder or a jobseeker, the Founders You Should Know community is one of the best places to connect with your next teammate. Not a FYSK member yet? Apply here to get access to our community slack, opt-in to hearing about (& being matched to!) open roles from founders we trust, and be the first to know about our upcoming showcases. If you’re a founder interested in getting involved, reach out — we're happy to chat and see if there's a mutual fit.