How to Hire VP Engineering

The playbook

1. 1

   Calibrate the role

   Align the founder, hiring manager, and any board or investor stakeholders on the archetype, level, and dealbreakers before writing a job description.

2. 2

   Build a named target list

   Skip the generic sourcing pool. Build a list of 80–150 named target companies that produce the exact archetype you need.

3. 3

   Run active outreach

   Personalized outreach from a senior recruiter fluent in the function. Response rates run 3–5x above generalist outbound.

4. 4

   Structured interview loop

   Four to five stages max. Assign one calibration owner per stage. Compress cycle time to under two weeks from first-round to offer.

5. 5

   Close on mission and package

   Model equity in plain expected-value terms, coach the resign conversation, and stage the founder pitch at the right moment.

Common mistakes

• Screening on inbound applicants only — the best candidates are already employed.
• Over-indexing on title match without validating the underlying scope.
• Slow interview cycles that lose candidates to competing offers.