Team•6 min read
Hiring Guide for Startups | 2026
How to hire your first employees. Roles, process, and compensation.
First Hire Framework
First 5 Hires
- Engineer(s) — Build the product
- Sales/Growth — Get customers
- Support — Keep customers
- Marketing — Build awareness
- Operations — Run the business
Hiring Process
1. Define the Role
- Clear description
- Key responsibilities
- Success metrics
2. Source Candidates
- Referrals
- Communities
3. Screen
- Resume review
- Quick call
- Technical screen
4. Interview
- Culture fit
- Skills test
- Team fit
5. Make Offer
- Competitive
- Equity
- Growth
Compensation Framework
| Equity | Role |
|---|---|
| 0.1-0.25% | Early employee |
| 0.25-0.5% | Key first hire |
| 0.5-1% | C-suite |
Contractor vs Employee
| Factor | Contractor | Employee |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Higher hourly | + benefits |
| Control | Less | More |
| Flexibility | More | Less |
Conclusion
Hire slow, fire fast.