From: aidotengineer
Finding the right person in recruiting is as much about timing as it is about talent [00:10:46]. Timing in this context means two things: identifying when candidates are most likely to leave their current roles and finding individuals with the propensity to join a company at a specific stage to elevate the team [00:11:11].
Understanding Retention and Poachability
Analyzing company retention rates can indicate when potential candidates are most likely to be receptive to outreach [00:12:01]. This effectively helps create a “poachability score” for candidates [00:12:08]. For example, in the AI industry:
- Anthropic has demonstrated a 66% four-year retention rate [00:11:43].
- Perplexity has a four-year retention rate hovering around 44% [00:11:46].
Generational Mobility
Different generations exhibit distinct behaviors regarding job changes [00:12:16]. In 2023, nearly 27% of Gen Z left their jobs, which is more than twice the rate of Gen X [00:12:25], [00:12:33]. Within four years of graduating, Gen Z typically holds about 2.2 jobs, compared to Gen X’s 1.1 jobs [00:12:42], [00:12:46]. This higher mobility in Gen Z can be attributed to factors like slower promotion rates, market layoffs, and a greater inclination towards taking risks and betting on themselves [00:12:52], [00:13:00], [00:13:05].
Historical Composition and Identifying Key Hires
It’s crucial to understand a candidate’s career trajectory and their experiences at different companies [00:13:19]. SignalFire developed a tool called “historical composition” that provides a snapshot of admired companies’ organizational structures at various points in time [00:13:42]. This tool helps identify:
- The risk profile of candidates: whether they are likely to join a company at your stage [00:14:10], [00:14:13].
- Their motivations for moving [00:14:17].
- Whether they are a potential “10x hire” who can significantly elevate the company [00:14:20], [00:14:24].
For example, it can show who the sales leaders were that scaled a company from 10 million in revenue, or who the first three engineers were on a team that shipped a key product [00:13:58].
Key Takeaways for Timing in Recruiting
- Outreach and Impact: Understand when competitors or admired companies are likely to lose employees [00:14:29], [00:14:34]. Track professional profiles for changes [00:14:41].
- Generational Patterns: Study the job-changing patterns of different generations or population segments [00:14:50].
- Career Trajectories: Knowing when people join and leave companies helps identify ideal candidates and those likely to align with your company’s stage [00:14:59].
For job seekers, understanding timing means knowing where admired professionals go, how long they stay, and what they want in their own career arc [00:19:47].