Joining us today is the Head of Talent Acquisition at Buf, Ben Caggia. Ben started by studying medicine, even going as far as taking the MCAT, before realizing that he is actually more passionate about talent acquisition. We get an understanding of Ben’s love for the trenches, why you should find a job aligned with your passions and interests, how to make the shift from individual contributors to management, and what he believes are the attributes of a great manager. As a bonus, Ben tells us why it’s important to ask the right questions at interviews and how you should trust your gut to guide you towards the right company. This conversation goes against the grain compared to previous episodes, in the best way possible!
Key Points From This Episode:
- How he is spending his office time: hands-on with roles.
- What recruiters struggle with when not completely backed by the company.
- A combination of building the pipeline and understanding exactly who you are looking for.
- How he is grateful for all the support he received at Buf.
- What Buf as a company does, and Ben’s role in it.
- Buf as a utopia for engineers.
- Ben’s professional background and how he ended up in talent.
- His love for being in the trenches.
- How he made the decision that medicine wasn’t for him.
- Finding a job that aligns with your passions and interests.
- Making the shift from individual contributor to management.
- Wanting to help people as the cornerstone to the decisions he’s made.
- The attributes of a good manager, according to Ben.
- Whether there’s a cap on being the IC if you don’t want to pursue management.
- How to know if you are speaking to the right companies: trust your gut.
- Why it’s important to do the research and ask the right questions at interviews.
Tweetables:
“I'm a little bit spoiled at Buf. The team is incredibly involved in recruiting. They recognize how valuable it is as a function.” —@BeNYCtech [0:01:50]
“There's elements of it that just aren't fun. That's why you get paid to do the job. But it's about finding the job that you're most excited in that aligns with your passions and interests, where it doesn't actually feel like work. Even the bad parts are bearable.” —@BeNYCtech [0:16:54]
“I knew pretty early on that I had my sights set on management. I think it's the hardest leap to take in your career.” —@BeNYCtech [0:18:11]
“I think a good manager is ultimately one that's a servant to their reports, and somebody that's a shield, and is constantly looking at ways to improve their workflows and make their lives a little bit easier.” —@BeNYCtech [0:19:32]
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: