Where to find a good CTO for your startup?

[babul]

What do you think is the best way to find a good CTO for your startup? ...especially after you have been established for a little while?

A friend recently asked me this question. Usually my response is to search through the people you know or have worked with and respect. Failing that to search through your extended network and base the decision upon the recommendations people get and, provided the person is able to and willing, on a trial-run period with whoever you decide to take on.

Otherwise I suggest using a specialised/alternate recruitment method to explore the niches as this works well e.g. posting an ad on your blog or an ad using SnapTalent or registering a need on YouNoodle generates excellent leads compared to the more traditional agency methods.

However, her startup is fairly established and is having problems finding suitable people. I have included text from her blog below which provides an overview with what she is looking for (from http://www.birthofastartup.com/).

Any comments, suggestions, and feedback on the experiences and thoughts of the others here is most welcome.

Thanks.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Skimbit now has a good size team (Joe the amazing Marketing Director and Matthieu the incredible Operations Manager), but what we really need now is a CTO.

We have a team of developers offshore, but we would like someone to really champion Skimbit from a technical perspective, with experience in scaling web applications, and in building innovative services. As we are a small team, the CTO would also have to be a lead developer (so experience with Javascript, AJAX libraries and PHP essential), and probably be involved in some front end development work too. But aaah, isn’t that the joy of working for a start-up, you can be a jack-of-all-trades, and be truly an integral part of building something special.

Let me know if you or anyone you know would be appropriate. The candidate doesn’t need to have been a CTO before, but is ready (and experienced enough) to be one now, at least."

[prakash]

I think what your friend's startup really needs is a VP of engineering/ Chief Architect.

Once that is taken care of you can figure out what type of CTO you would like to hire. Based on a paper I read, there are 4 types of CTO's between which to choose from:

1. CTO as “Infrastructure Manager”

2. CTO as “Big Thinker”

3. CTO as “Technology Visionary and Operations Manager”

4. CTO as “External-facing Technologist”

Here's a link to that paper: [pdf]

http://www.brixtonspa.com/Career/The_Role_of_the_CTO_4Models...

Have you searched linkedin for current VP's, Dir. & Engineering managers? Or do you know highly technical people in other companies that can introduce you to such people?

[phomer]

CTO's come in a couple of different favors, generally ranging from being very technical to be very 'executive'. At worst they're just an extra layer of management, at best they're the visionaries behind the products. Some code, some just talk. The cost for a good one is usually 'equity'.

[babul → phomer]

This is why I advocate, where possible, try-before-you-buy. It is an important decision and very costly to correctly.

With regard to people in technically expert roles (CTO\CIO\etc\etc) they really must be able to walk and talk. The hardest part is getting super-talented people on board, and equity or performance related incentives in such cases is a neccessity.

[tptacek]

"CTO" is a pure vanity title. It's a little silly to go looking for "the right CTO". Your friends want an evangelist product marketing manager, not a "CTO".

[babul → tptacek]

I have yet to meet a marketing manager that builds/codes his product(s).

Maybe I should meet more marketing managers?

[tptacek → babul]

Lots of CTO's don't build products, either.

[bigtoga → tptacek]

How so? He said, "...we would like someone ... with experience in scaling web applications, and in building innovative services." What marketing manager has that XP?

[osipov]

Don't hire into a CxO position the way you hire a technical staff member. Imagine you are a shareholder and ask yourself where do want your company to be in x years. Then find a person who has experience in generating that sort of change for an organization

[tpimental]

CIO.com has a pretty cheap ($300) job posting section. I don't think it gets much more targeted than that.

http://www.cio.com/solutions/careers/wanted/1

[tptacek → tpimental]

CIO != CTO. CIO's actually do stuff.

[subwindow]

Hire a lead developer. If they have the chops, promote them to CTO.

For a startup, there really isn't any other way unless you or your investors know somebody.

[trevelyan]

you need to define offshore. start-ups are all about execution and disconnection between those road-mapping and those executing is a major issue. if this is China i can help you get in touch with people who can help. contact info at the bottom of this page:

http://adsotrans.com/readme.html

[bigtoga]

Did they raise money? Angels/VCs would be my first choice for referrals since networking is so powerful.

[babul → bigtoga]

Yes. But there are many dangers to this (many a horror story of VC self-interests in appointments) and in my experience it is better to search your closest circle first before moving to the next degree of seperation.

[andr]

Get a hacker who didn't get in YC.

[run4yourlives → andr]

As a CTO?

Most won't be interested, they rest won't be any good. :-)