How do you identify the right employees – and what mistakes should founders avoid when hiring? Nikita Fahrenholz and Martin Eyerer talk about this in the current episode of the Royal GS Podcast.
Recruiting determines the success of a startup – but what is really important when hiring? Martin Eyerer (ex-CEO Factory Berlin, entrepreneur, techno DJ) and Nikita Fahrenholz (co-founder of Delivery Hero & Fahrengold) address exactly this question in the current episode of Royal GS Podcasts. The two founders share their experiences from building fast-growing companies, including learnings from the scaling phase of Delivery Hero.
Hiring is a matter for the boss
The podcast hosts make it clear at the beginning that recruiting is one of the most important tasks of a founder, especially in young companies. While processes are often improvised at the beginning, clear structures are required as the company grows.
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Fahrenholz describes how recruiting at Delivery Hero has developed, from founder-led personnel search to professional HR processes. In the early years, employees were sometimes approached directly in the university cafeteria. “We didn’t have anyone in HR, everything went through the founders,” says Fahrenholz. “We actually stood in the cafeteria of the HU, the Humboldt University, and held up a sign.”
Energy beats perfect resume
A recurring theme is the question of what companies should really look for in applicants. The hosts’ answer: It’s not the perfect CV that counts, but rather motivation, willingness to learn and energy. “Hardworking beats everything,” says Fahrenholz, summing up his recruiting philosophy. Technical deficits can often be compensated for, but a lack of motivation can hardly be compensated for.
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Both also view unsolicited applications much more positively than standardized mass applications. Anyone who deals with a company individually gains a real advantage.
Why gut feeling still remains important
In addition to structured processes, Fahrenholz and Eyerer also talk about a factor that can hardly be standardized, namely gut feeling.
Eyerer reports that wrong decisions often occurred when qualifications and CVs were convincing, but personal feelings spoke against them. For both, recruiting does not only consist of checklists, but also of human knowledge.
“Never hire genius assholes”
Fahrenholz warns against so-called “genius assholes” aka technically outstanding employees who, however, do not fit into the team as a person.
His reasoning is that individual toxic personalities could cause more damage in the long term than their professional contribution is worth. Team culture is significantly more important than short-term performance, especially in fast-growing startups.
AI is changing recruiting, but not replacing it
Of course, artificial intelligence is also being discussed. The hosts emphasize that technology can support the selection process, but the final decision should still be made by people. Reference interviews, practical tasks and the probationary period remained central instruments for assessing the actual fit of a candidate.
Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
