You don't want to hire "the best engineers"

Junior vs “Best” Engineers in Startups

• Many argue early-stage startups need a core of experienced engineers to avoid basic security/complexity “footguns,” but can add juniors once that base exists.
• Others cite successful companies built with one strong CTO plus a bench of juniors, stressing that “super engineers” aren’t required—just people who have already made early-career mistakes elsewhere.
• Several note you usually need different profiles over time: zero-to-one “ship fast” engineers early, then reliability/scale-focused people after product–market fit.

What “Best Engineer” Really Means

• Commenters reject a universal “best”: effectiveness depends on context (greenfield vs legacy, tiny startup vs FAANG, heavy collaboration vs solo deep work).
• Skills like communication, coordination, system design, and consistent ticket execution often matter more than raw coding brilliance.
• Many warn that “we only hire the best / A-players / rockstars” often signals a toxic, overcompetitive, or prestige-obsessed culture.

Hiring Constraints, Compensation, and Equity

• Consensus that most startups cannot realistically attract the top 1% who have networks, options, and leverage; they expect high comp, flexibility, and real influence.
• Equity is now heavily discounted by candidates; many value it at a small fraction of face value or ignore it entirely due to dilution and bad exit experiences.
• Several point out that if a role is unfilled for 6+ months, it’s usually a “you problem” (comp, requirements, or work environment), not a talent shortage.

Process, Pipelines, and Where Great Hires Come From

• Strong engineers are often hired through networks and prior collaborators, not generic job ads or seven-round interview gauntlets.
• Pedigree filters (elite schools, FAANG, trendy stacks) miss “moneyball” candidates with high potential but non-obvious resumes.
• Junior teams frequently fail at assessing senior candidates, leading to endless churn and unfilled roles.

Engineering vs Business Priorities

• Multiple threads stress that early startups are primarily business endeavors: survival may justify tech debt and “good enough” CRUD over ideal architectures.
• Others share horror stories where unmanaged tech debt later becomes an existential drag, arguing experienced engineers should right-size architecture to the business stage.
• Underneath the “best engineer” rhetoric, most companies really need reliable, learning-oriented people who align with the product, culture, and chosen work mode (remote vs in-office).