How YC Startups Hire Their First 10 Engineers — Without a Recruiter or HR Team
Y Combinator startups raise $500K-$2M pre-seed. Hiring a recruiter or paying 20-25% agency fees is impossible. AI tools let founders screen hundreds of applicants with Google-level rigor at zero cost.
The AI-First Hiring Stack
- Post on Hacker News, LinkedIn, AngelList
- AI screens every applicant automatically
- AI video interviews replace phone screens
What to Screen For
- Ambiguity tolerance
- Full-stack versatility
- Ownership mentality
- Speed vs. quality judgment
- Mission alignment
Agency fees: $300K for 10 hires. AI screening: under $2,000 total.