Start with ownership, then the stack.
A list of technologies rarely explains the whole role. A founding engineer may need to shape the product, speak with customers and decide what not to build. A platform specialist may need to improve reliability without slowing delivery. We start by understanding the outcomes, the environment and the decisions this person will own.
A useful starting brief
- What should this person have changed after six months?
- Which technical decisions will they own?
- What support exists around them, and where will they work independently?
- What are the location, working pattern and compensation parameters?
Thoughtful introductions
Candidate conversations explore the systems they have built, the decisions they made and the conditions in which they do their best work. We look for evidence of ownership in shipped products, founder experience, open-source work and technical problem solving, alongside clear communication. Introductions include context on experience and motivation so your team can decide who to meet.
Every search is led by a senior specialist, from brief to start date. Scope, fees and expectations are agreed before the search begins.
Experience behind the search
Before founding Corellia Talent, our founder placed an ICPC World Finalist into a founding engineer role in London, and ICPC World Finalists into a Series A startup in New York.
These examples reflect our founder’s personal recruitment career, before founding Corellia Talent. Read about our founder’s background or explore the placement accounts.
Questions about the search
Can you help with a first engineering hire?
Yes. Founding engineering is part of our focus. The brief should distinguish product ownership, technical delivery and the support a founder can realistically provide.
Do candidates need experience with our exact stack?
We agree genuine requirements with you at the outset. Where adjacent experience could work, that should be an explicit decision rather than an assumption made during the search.