There are two key components of any great team: individuals who work well together to achieve a common goal and a leader who works diligently to ensure they’re well equipped to do so. With skills and toolsets as diverse as those found in engineering, leaders need a keen eye to spot new team members and processes that will add value to their squad, which is no small feat.
We spoke to engineering team leads at three Chicago companies to learn about their methodology for how they build their teams and what they do to support employees once they’ve been welcomed.
You can’t tell a compelling story using characters that are identical. And similarly, Development Manager Dan Miller at Peapod Digital Labs believes his team can’t reach its full potential when its members have identical strengths. So, he seeks out diversity in skillsets when hiring and works to cultivate those individual talents once new team members are on board.
When it comes to hiring, what characteristics do you look for in candidates and how do you ensure they’re a great culture fit?
When I go into an interview, I like to focus on the talent of the individual and how they will complement the rest of the team. I pay attention to how they respond to the questions and feedback; for example, how do they react when they don’t know an answer? Do they demonstrate structured, organized thinking and problem-solving?
Beyond that, I think it’s important to consider the broader team they’ll be working in. Many leaders will say they wish they could clone their top performer, but having people who look, think and contribute identically is not a team. I like to think about the skillsets and talents that aren’t represented in our team and identify the complementary experiences that will push us to be better overall.
I believe a significant part of my role as a leader is to listen and understand what someone is working towards.”
How do you set your engineering team up for success and support them in reaching their goals?
I believe a significant part of my role as a leader is to listen and understand what someone is working towards and to give them opportunities to develop the skills they need for their long-term objectives. I don’t think a one-size-fits-all strategy works because everyone approaches their work and their goals differently. I also believe I’m here to remove barriers and create an environment that doesn’t slow things down, and I really appreciate that our agile approach supports that. As an organization, we’re constantly evaluating what is working and what’s hindering success. I hope that my team members are never fearful to share a mistake or a problem but instead feel encouraged to be open about what they could do differently to get an improved result.
Tovala’s Co-Founder and CTO Bryan Wilcox looks for a number of traits in candidates, but one of the most significant is also the simplest — is this candidate a nice person? He invests time in truly getting to know interviewees so he can maintain the cooperative and transparency-based culture of his engineering team, and the company overall.
When it comes to hiring, what characteristics do you look for in candidates and how do you ensure they’re a great culture fit?
We look for people who are ambitious but humble, and team-oriented. We have a very kind workplace, so we’re always filtering for that. Amazing talent is not enough to make up for a poor attitude or mistreatment of your colleagues. We look for people who are curious, have a growth mindset and act with integrity. These are not the easiest things to screen for, so we rely heavily on our network for references, and we do our best to spend as much time as possible with candidates so we can get the truest sense of their character.
Amazing talent is not enough to make up for a poor attitude or mistreatment of your colleagues.”
How do you set your engineering team up for success and support them in reaching their goals?
We have a very transparent and process-oriented culture, particularly with our engineering teams. We hold weekly stand-ups, rely heavily on a variety of tools to ensure clear communication, accountability and prioritization, and go to great lengths to build camaraderie among our engineers. We also have several company-wide processes in place to make sure that our engineers, and everyone else, have visibility into everything important that is happening at Tovala.
Matt Weber, CTO at Forager Logistics, is not clairvoyant, but he wants to help candidates see their professional futures — then get them there after they sign on. Weber said the company values professional development and offers opportunities for team members to diversify their skillsets.
When it comes to hiring, what characteristics do you look for in candidates and how do you ensure they’re a great culture fit?
As a recent startup, we work in a fast-paced and high-expectations environment, and our team is excited and proud of the impact we’re making in the transportation industry. So, when it comes to hiring a new team member, making sure they match our culture and enthusiasm is a top priority. We’re always looking for out-of-the-box thinkers who really like to dig in and make a difference — not just punch a timecard. We like to keep our interview process short and conversation-based. This helps us get to know candidates and their backgrounds and quickly determine if they are a good fit for what we’re doing.
We’re committed to the long-term growth of our team and work to provide plenty of development opportunities.”
How do you set your engineering team up for success and support them in reaching their goals?
We’re committed to the long-term growth of our team and work to provide plenty of development opportunities. In fact, a question you’ll often hear in our interviews is, “Where do you want to take your career, and how can we help you get there?” And the cool thing about Forager is the opportunity to work on both the front end and back end. Couple this with our “Open Communication, Always” policy, and it’s easy to see why this is a great place for someone to build a career.
