
Dear Dan Shipper:
Please join us. Consider this a job offer to work at 42Floors. Because you have never applied for this position, this may come as a little bit of a surprise. But you have known for awhile that I have been really impressed with your work.
You’re only a sophomore in college, but you’ve already started several companies. You’ve taught yourself to code, and you are a maker at heart. And you have that rare gift of having a sense of style in your design work as well. AND, your blog posts that reach Hacker News are eloquent and well thought out. It would be an honor to have you join us here at 42Floors.
Here is your job description: You will make gorgeous products that help entrepreneurs find their dream office. There are dozens of things we need built — you will pick what you most want to work on or come up with your own project.
If you ever decide you want to go back to working on your own startup, you have my full support, and I will personally do everything I can to help you be successful as an entrepreneur.
You will never be asked to sign a non-compete. You will be free to contribute to open source, free to blog about anything and everything, and never be required to submit a patent that could be used offensively.
This offer has no expiration and, regardless of whether you decide to work with us, I hope to personally be there on your side in everything you do.
Most sincerely,
Jason Freedman
Co-Founder, 42Floors
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Why did I just post this publically?
I have been following Dan Shipper for a while on Hacker News. We’ve chatted a few times by phone and on Twitter. I’m incredibly impressed with his work. He’s got a startup he’s working on right now, so he might not be ready to join 42Floors. But at least he now knows he’s wanted.
I share this letter with you all today because: 1) it’s really good publicity for Dan and I hope for his sake you all compete with me to hire him; and 2) I wanted to showcase how we think about hiring here at 42Floors.
Here at 42Floors, we believe hiring is dead. You simply can’t go hire guys like Dan anymore. And if you allow me to generalize for a moment, you can’t hire anyone capable of running their own startup. They don’t submit resumes. They don’t fill out job applications. They don’t call up recruiters.
The very best can’t be hired. They must be courted.
It may take us three months or three years before we get Dan to join us full-time. These things take time and perseverance.
We are about to announce our funding and I’m going into full-time courting mode because we need to get the very best talent. We can’t compete with Google or Facebook on salary. We can’t compete with being a founder on equity. So the most important thing I have left is my ability to commit to an individual employee’s personal development. And I do so with all of my heart. I will do anything in this world to help out Dan Shipper. I do so because I actually enjoy it, but also because it’s part of how we court and retain awesome people.
I have already talked a bunch about why everyone sucks at interviewing. It’s now become clear that hiring itself is dead. This is now a war for talent. And we want to win.
We’re courting on all fronts. Contact us at jobs@42floors.com.
***
For those of you based here in Silicon Valley, Justin Bedecarre is putting on a phenomenal conference called The War of Talent. I’ll be speaking there. Ron Conway, Dave McClure, Hiten Shah and a whole bunch of other people as well. If you still think normal hiring practices work, you’re wrong. Join us at this conference; we’ll talk about how you go to battle.
Sign up today and use my discount code “42Floors” by April 30th and receive a 20% discount.
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I’m Jason Freedman. I co-founded FlightCaster.
I would be remiss not to recommend the following opportunity: @JasonFreedman.
Don’t be shy. You can send me a Linkedin request or become my bff on Facebook.