Tell HN: Today's lesson in how NOT to get a technical co-founder

[vrikhter]

Have your friends blast their friends with a job description that includes the following:

"What You Need For This Position:

• BS in Computer Science from an elite university preferred; graduating near the top of your class a HUGE plus.

• Front-end skills in HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript.

• Back-end skills in PHP, Python, or Ruby (you can choose!).

• Skills in NoSQL or PostgreSQL a HUGE plus.

• Must be entrepreneurial and highly ambitious!

• Must be aware of inner workings of marketplace sites and know how to optimally scale."

If this individual can do all the following, why the hell would he work with you?!

[paulhauggis]

Is "technical co-founder" a code word for first employee? Co-founder to me means getting an equal stake in the company (IE: 50%)

[vrikhter]

He said he was looking for a co-founder...I'm sure he was offering a great package with a valuable equity stake (10%) vesting over 5 years with a 1 year cliff </sarcasm>

[creativeone]

Is that a sufficient requirement? I wouldnt ask a technical co-founder to join if I wasnt prepared to offer him at least 50%.

[petervandijck]

Lesson 1: don't put programming languages etc. in your requirements list when looking for a technical co-founder. That's their job, not yours.

[scottyallen]

From a technical founder's position, as having been someone whose been recruited a lot recently: Try focusing more on what you have to offer than what they most possess to be qualified to work with you. If you're like most people talk to, filtering out people isn't the problem most people in your position are struggling with:)

[Wazza]

Plus, be must be absolutely incapable of generating his/her own ideas.....