Management & Organizations

How Can Startups Hire Excellent People While Paying Less Than Big Companies?

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Robin’s commentary (as of August 2022)

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English translation of the Chinese post originally published 2022-08-11. Translated 2026-10-31 with AI assistance. Historical figures and claims have not been updated or independently verified. 中文原文

Reading guide

Robin argues that startups can attract excellent engineers away from big companies by presenting their ideas, dreams, and goals. They need employees willing and able to take risks; those seeking comfort choose major technology companies. Explain that the journey and growth can matter more than the outcome. A new hire at a startup can receive major responsibilities and challenges sooner, quickly becoming a key person for a product or market. Even if the company fails, they gain experience unavailable to junior employees at large firms, where reaching a key product role may take more than ten years.

Key points

  • Attract people willing to take risks through ideas, dreams, and goals.
  • Explain why the journey and growth can matter more than the outcome.
  • Startups can offer responsibility and challenges sooner.
  • A key product role at a large company may take more than ten years—Robin’s rough estimate from experience.
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Full text — English translation

Time for Robin. How can a startup recruit excellent employees while paying less than a large company? Present your ideas, dreams, and goals so excellent engineers choose to leave big companies for a startup, challenge themselves, find a sense of belonging, and pursue greater growth. When communicating your ideas, remember that startups essentially need employees who are both willing and able to take risks. Those seeking comfort will generally choose a major technology company. With people willing to join a startup, you can discuss the underlying beliefs and explain that sometimes the journey and personal growth matter more than the outcome. For example, a new employee at a startup is more likely to receive greater responsibility and challenges. They may quickly become a key person responsible for a rapidly growing product or market. Even if the startup ultimately fails, they gain experience that junior employees at large firms do not have. Becoming a key person responsible for a product at a large company may take more than ten years; joining a startup team may bring that role and challenge much sooner.

These articles are personal notes, book excerpts, and collected reprints. Figures and events reflect the time of the original publication, are not current information, and do not constitute investment advice.

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