Why the OCEAN Framework Elevates Your Startup Hiring Process
Founders of growing startups spend a lot of time hiring. Get it wrong and you risk burning precious cash and having to redo the work. Getting familiar with psychometric evaluation tools will help speed up your hiring process and get you the people you really need.
When I scaled my startup from 25 to 150 people, I encountered a powerful tool: OCEAN, the most widely used personality profiling framework. OCEAN became the bedrock of our hiring process, and we saw immediate results. This framework, combined with specific strategies, ensures you’re not only hiring for skills but for the characteristics that thrive in a startup environment.
If you’re working on hiring product managers, check out my posts on:
- How to hire a product manager in a tight labour market
- How to interview your startup’s first product manager
- What to look for in your first product manager
- What product managers want from their jobs
- What’s the right amount of ownership for startup PMs to have
In my guide to hiring startup product managers, I discussed essential traits for product managers. But let’s take a step back and explore traits that make all startup hires succeed—and pitfalls that could make them struggle.
Startups are Unique: Here’s Why
If you haven’t read Steve Blank’s insights on startups, let me summarize: startups are not scaled-down versions of large corporations. My experience—scaling my startup post-acquisition inside a large, established company and working with countless startups—has shown me that startups and big companies are fundamentally different.
Here are the key distinctions:
- Singular Focus: Startups focus intensely on attaining product-market fit, whereas big companies have multiple priorities.
- No Established Playbook: Startups are about innovation and exploration; big companies rely on established playbooks.
- High Stakes for Survival: Startup failure can mean closure or significant setbacks. In contrast, big companies can falter for years without collapsing.
- Founder-Driven Culture: Startups are a direct extension of the founder’s vision, where company culture is strongly influenced by the founding team.
Startups operate in a high-stakes, fast-paced environment, pushing team members to their limits. What traits help employees thrive in this pressure cooker?
Traits for Thriving in a Startup Environment
These are the characteristics I’ve found most effective for startup hires.
1. No Frills – Lean and Mission-Driven
Startup hires don’t need excessive guidance or hand-holding. Look for people who genuinely connect with your mission and are resilient in the face of hardship. In interviews, ask candidates to share examples of overcoming difficult situations. True self-starters with a “no-entitlement” mindset are invaluable.
2. Thirst for Learning – Driven by Curiosity
A startup requires a hunger for learning. This isn’t academic in nature; it’s practical and driven by real-world problem-solving. Look for candidates who are motivated by the journey of discovery and have a natural grit. Ask them what they’ve learned from both failures and successes.
3. Comfort with Discomfort – Resilience in the Face of Setbacks
Startups are challenging. Can a candidate withstand 20 customer conversations per week for months? Can they persist when growth experiments yield no results? Probe for past experiences that demonstrate resilience.
4. Quiet Ego – Open to Failure and Feedback
Success in startups involves more failure than triumph. Look for candidates with low defensiveness, who are open to feedback and focused on a bigger purpose. In interviews, challenge them a bit to see how they respond. Those with a balanced ego can maintain perspective in both success and failure.
5. Compatible with You – Aligned Personal and Working Styles
Startup founders should be clear on their personal values and working style. In interviews, assess whether a candidate’s approach will mesh with yours. If you’re a vocal, extroverted thinker, look for candidates who appreciate or share that style. Compatibility prevents friction and fosters alignment.
Using Psychometrics: The OCEAN Framework
OCEAN (Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, Neuroticism) is my preferred framework because it’s simple, scientifically backed, and works cross-culturally. To truly make this work, consider each role and how different traits impact performance.
Key OCEAN Traits for Startup Success
| Positive Traits | Anti-Traits | |
|---|---|---|
| Open-mindedness | Imaginative, creative, self-aware | Conformist, routine-bound |
| Conscientiousness | Goal-oriented, disciplined | Careless, procrastinating |
| Extraversion | Sociable, expressive | Reserved, quiet |
| Agreeableness | Warm, cooperative | Cold, self-centered |
| Neuroticism | Balanced, calm | Anxious, insecure |
To assess these traits, tailor your interview questions accordingly.
Example Questions by Trait
| Trait | Sample Question | What to Look For |
|---|---|---|
| Open-mindedness | “When were you last pushed out of your comfort zone?” | Unorthodox, creative answers showing adaptability. |
| Conscientiousness | “When did you last set a goal?” | Clear goal-setting ability and follow-through. |
| Extraversion | “What types of meetings do you prefer?” | Insight into their preferred interaction style. |
| Agreeableness | “Tell me about a time you handled conflict.” | A measured approach to conflict, particularly for customer-facing roles. |
| Neuroticism | “How do you handle stress?” | Balanced responses without extreme defensiveness or anxiety. |
Tailoring Roles with OCEAN
Define your OCEAN requirements by role:
- Product Managers: Open-minded, conscientious, and extroverted enough for team engagement but not overly agreeable. They need grit and should handle constructive feedback well.
- Growth Managers: A mix of open-mindedness, conscientiousness, and extroversion for team collaboration, customer engagement, and creativity.
- Sales: High conscientiousness for discipline; moderate agreeableness without too much extroversion. Sales needs focus and drive.
- Engineers: Look for open-mindedness and enough extroversion to engage with the team. Avoid candidates who lack the open-mindedness essential for innovation.
Takeaways
The OCEAN framework can be a powerful asset in your hiring toolkit, helping you identify candidates with the potential to succeed in the high-stakes, dynamic startup world. I invite you to try integrating OCEAN into your hiring process—and let me know how it goes.
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