A Special Breed of People

Book chapter, 2016

This chapter addresses two key talent questions: What kinds of people are “the right people” to recruit for today’s fast-moving business world? And how can a company attract and keep them? The people recruited by leading Silicon Valley firms are shown to be a special breed—not confined to any demographic or age group, and multidimensional. Along with having technical skills they are entrepreneurial and passionate about their work; they question the status quo, and they are adaptable and collaborative. These special people also are highly mobile, unlikely to stay with any firm for long. They will, however, be attracted to firms offering cultures and structures that let them exercise their abilities to the fullest. The chapter gives examples of recruiting and hiring processes at various companies, along with methods used to get the most from talented people during their stay.