Kathy Copic, founder of Fieldwork Partners, specializes in advising early-stage companies on technical hiring and project management. She shares insights on maintaining multiple interview touchpoints to assess candidates thoroughly. Kathy emphasizes crafting job descriptions that highlight a company's mission and first projects to attract passionate applicants. She also advocates for dynamic interviews and structured work trials, ensuring both parties gauge fit. Additionally, she discusses innovative strategies for building diverse teams and the importance of recognizing entrepreneurial talent.
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volunteer_activism ADVICE
Hiring Similarities
When hiring technical talent, don't get intimidated.
Most hiring processes are similar, regardless of technical background.
insights INSIGHT
Impact of Early Hires
Early hires significantly impact a startup's trajectory.
Their technical skills and cultural influence shape the company's future.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Prioritize Communication
Focus on communication skills when hiring early technical team members.
This is crucial for cross-functional collaboration and building a strong team.
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Kathy Copic is founder of Fieldwork Partners, where she works closely with early stage companies on scoping technical projects, getting early ML models into production, and helping them hire. She was interviewed by Lindsay Pettingill, Investment Partner at Village Global, during this masterclass for Village Global founders.
Takeaways:
Maintain at least three interview touchpoints to thoroughly evaluate candidates — rushing the process means missing vital signals about how well candidates understand your business and culture.
Write job descriptions that focus on company mission and concrete first-90-day projects rather than generic skill requirements — this attracts candidates who are genuinely excited about your specific opportunity.
Look beyond prestigious company names and degrees — strong candidates often demonstrate their passion through side projects, nonprofits, or other entrepreneurial pursuits.
Foster interactive interviews where you're comfortable interrupting candidates — their response to dynamic discussion reveals more about their communication style and fit than scripted questions.
Structure work trials carefully to benefit both parties — the best candidates are evaluating your team and work environment just as much as you're evaluating them.
When competing with large tech companies, emphasize the concrete impact individuals can have in your startup rather than trying to match compensation packages.
Build diverse teams by implementing clear interview rubrics, providing guidance on legal considerations, and equipping interviewers with specific talking points about why diversity matters to your company.
For references, consider asking peers rather than managers when candidates are currently employed, but use references extensively to validate your assessments.
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