Always Be Recruiting

Paul English, founder of Kayak and multiple successful companies, shares his systematic approach to recruiting and talent spotting. Here's his framework for constant recruiting.

Core Philosophy

• Always be recruiting, all the time, everywhere
• Keep your "spidey sense" out for amazing people in unexpected places
• Be extremely aggressive in pursuing talent once identified
• First 5 hires determine the next 50, who determine the next 500

Recruiting Tactics

• Be willing to meet candidates wherever is convenient for them

  • Will go to Starbucks near them
  • Makes it easy for candidates to connect

• Train team on proper first meeting protocols

  • Specific behaviors and approaches for initial candidate meetings
  • Team should be prepared to help close candidates

• Ask successful candidates about even better talent

  • Always ask "Do you know anyone even more amazing than you?"
  • Creates chain reaction of high-quality referrals

Mindset

• Treat recruiting like dating/pursuit

  • Be willing to chase talent that seems out of reach
  • Don't be discouraged by initial obstacles
  • Show persistence in pursuing top candidates

• Focus on building amazing early teams

  • First 5 hires are critical
  • Strong early team becomes magnetic for future talent
  • Let great early hires help close future candidates

Results

• Successfully built multiple $1B+ companies
• Assembled teams that could operate without founder
• Created self-sustaining recruitment engines
• Enabled founder to exit companies while maintaining quality

The key is making recruitment a constant priority, not just when actively hiring. Every social interaction is a potential recruiting opportunity.