May 26 Hiring Guide: A Scorecard for Early Startup Roles
A simple way to evaluate first hires for learning speed, ownership, customer empathy, and execution under uncertainty.
Early startup hiring should measure the work the company actually needs now. A practical scorecard can cover four traits: learning speed, ownership, customer empathy, and comfort with incomplete systems.
For each trait, ask for evidence. Learning speed shows up in projects where the candidate had to teach themselves. Ownership appears when they can explain decisions, tradeoffs, and outcomes. Customer empathy becomes visible when they care about adoption, not just implementation.
Cebu and Visayas startups compete with larger employers, so clarity matters. Candidates should understand the stage, compensation reality, expected ambiguity, and growth path before they join. Honest hiring saves everyone time.