Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition’s Post

In a year of transformation for the tech industry, project-based work is gaining popularity thanks to its inherent flexibility. Learn why companies are reallocating budgets for specific projects rather than traditional full-time roles.

In a year of transformation for the tech industry, project-based work is gaining popularity thanks to its inherent flexibility. Learn why companies are reallocating budgets for specific projects rather than traditional full-time roles.

All edTech companies should hire former educators! Schools don't run like typical businesses, and that's where teachers and admins bring something special to the table. Current educators trust someone who’s been in the trenches, who knows the challenges of the school day, and who can speak their language. We understand the dynamics of a school day, the challenges administrators face, and how decisions impact both students and staff. Honestly, all companies should hire former educators, especially in sales + CS roles. Teachers break down complex ideas, adapt on the fly, and connect with diverse audiences-- all skills that are transferable. Whether it’s navigating a tough sales call or supporting a school in their journey, teachers bring empathy, resilience, and a unique perspective. Please consider them as many look to transition into new roles. #SmartPass

Hiring top-tier engineering talent can be hard. It’s even harder when you don't know what you're looking for. But, If you’re trying to build a world-class team, you need to be looking for world-class players. Here's what to look for: 1. Problem-solving skills 2. Curiosity 3. Ability to learn 4. Communication skills 5. Passion And if you are a startup, you need to be looking for something extra: 6. Flexibility 7. Willingness to work outside their comfort zone 8. Self-directed learning Remember, you might need to make compromises. But, don't compromise too much. Hire the best, or else someone else will.

Let's be honest, job titles only tell part of the story. There's a mistake I've seen companies make: they start with the title. They identify a role they want to hire, for example, a Head of Engineering. They kick off a search, post an advert, and even meet a handful of candidates. A few are too senior, a couple aren't senior enough, some aren't technical enough. So they change the requirements. A waste of everyone's time 🤦🏿♂️ The question is, would you write the title and then the story, or would you write the story and then the title? Before picking a title, get clear on: ➤ What a person needs to accomplish in the role ➤ The key problems you're trying to solve by hiring for this position Here's an example for a Head of Engineering position: ↪ We're looking for someone to lead the development of our new payments platform ↪ They will have full management responsibilities for a team of 6 Software Engineers initially, and will scale the team to 20 within two years ↪ Initially, hands-on 70% of the time, reducing as the team grows during the next two years The increased clarity means people can judge the alignment of a role based on the mission and objectives rather than simply the title. It also saves everybody a lot of time! #Hiring #Engineering #Leadership #Recruitment #HiringAdvice Kioni Talent

Everyone's putting on a brave face, but let's be honest - software development is in a rough spot. Investments are frozen, clients are hesitant, yet hope persists. The question on everyone's mind: What can we do? My two cents - build our own product and hire only the ones you really need. Companies that rely solely on client work will always face challenges in terms of both autonomy and stability. Needs change on a daily basis. Deadlines shift. One day you rock, the other day they don't need you anymore. But if we build our own products, we can at least have autonomy and some level of stability in our business. And my second point is, we should all take a strategic approach to hiring. Having a strong development team in such dynamic times and industry is crucial. There's nothing worse than hiring just to play big and show our worth, while our employees can't rely on us.

I was so overworked I thought I needed to hire help. It turns out I needed something else. I needed systems. After investing the time to find and train the person. The problem wasn't the workload. It was my lack of replicable processes. Not having clear systems had me all over the place: • Wasting time replanning projects • Always starting from scratch. • Unable to track things • Constantly stressed without control So I thought the solution was... to get people with experience. It didn't matter either. As long as I wasn't clear on where I wanted to go. Nobody could support the business in getting there. It's easy to get overwhelmed and feel like we need help. But hiring before having systems for them to perform, will: • Will waste more time, • Cost more money, • And cause more stress. (this is for both sides) So after trying things out with 10 people, I decided to do something different: 1. I defined the work 2. Turn it into a replicable system 3. Developed training around it 4. Defined what skills the role needed 5. Looked for somebody who had them 6. And improved the process as the person took over And it worked! So what changed? The way I saw my role as the founder and now manager. Any lessons from hiring your first employees? #productizedservice #agencyowner #brandingagency

When looking for staff aug partners, total cost and tech stack alignment are only some of the factors to think about. You must also look into: ✅ Can they provide useful insights into how to optimize your processes? ✅ Are they familiar with the challenges of your particular product/industry? ✅ Will you be working with the same engineers throughout the entire project? ✅ Can they adequately implement feedback? The right partner can take your team to the next level. The wrong one can be a landmine of hidden costs (time & resource-wise). 💣 👨💻 #softwaredevelopment #hiring

In a year of transformation for the tech industry, project-based work is gaining popularity thanks to its inherent flexibility. Learn why companies are reallocating budgets for specific projects rather than traditional full-time roles.

Thinking of hiring a tech agency, but feeling uneasy? I've seen this countless times. CEOs and founders often worry about: 🔹 Losing project control 🔹 Overspending 🔹 Getting trapped in long contracts 🔹 Receiving misaligned results These concerns are valid. I've watched projects derail when companies rush into agency partnerships without proper planning. But here's the truth: working with an agency can be transformative when done right. The secret? It's about setting clear expectations, maintaining open communication, and implementing proper oversight. With the right approach, an agency can offer: 🔸 Fresh perspectives 🔸 Specialized skills 🔸 Extra capacity They can help you move faster and achieve more without the commitment of full-time hires. Remember, it's not about handing over control. It's about strategically expanding your team's capabilities. 🌟 DM me if you'd like to discuss how to approach agency partnerships with confidence.