Paprikan's Open Hiring Journey

✒️Editor’s Note

Hello! It's been a while since we last connected. We've had quite a lot going on, from life in Canada to securing follow-up investments. Today, I'd like to share with you a significant part of our company's journey – the long road to hiring Paprikans.

Deciding to Hire

For those of you who've been following us since our journey to Canada, you might wonder why we suddenly decided to start hiring. Just before our hiring process, the Walla team consisted of three developers and one non-developer. Our previous team structure was somewhat asymmetrical, but it worked well for us, allowing us to build our product swiftly and grow.

However, as Walla's user base grew rapidly, handling all the tasks with just four people became challenging. Dealing with dozens of customer inquiries and onboarding meetings every day became overwhelming. While addressing customer inquiries was crucial, we knew that solving this alone wouldn't propel Walla forward. That's why we decided to hire.

In startups, hiring is a delicate process. There are many factors to consider, such as monthly burn rate reported to investors, cultural fit with existing team members, roles and responsibilities (R&R), and more. Plus, the period after hiring, usually the first 1-3 months, is often a complex adjustment phase as we align fit and roles.

However, despite the complexities, expanding our team was essential to strengthen our product. When a product is small (few customers or low revenue), you can manage it single-handedly or with a small team. But as the product grows, you might realize that standing on two feet alone isn't enough. There comes a time when you need more support – like standing on multiple legs, or even building a structure like a multi-legged table or a reinforced building. We felt it was time for us to hire, ultimately to make our product more robust.

Paprikan's Hiring Journey

The hiring process varied by role, but generally, it involved stages of document screening, first-round interviews, and second-round interviews. Due to applicants from various countries, we conducted interviews both in-person and remotely.

+ Surprisingly, we received applications from a diverse range of individuals, even though this was an open hiring process conducted without the help of a recruiting agency. Many people expressed interest in Walla and Paprika Data Lab, and we were amazed and grateful for this. To reciprocate, we carefully deliberated and made our hiring decisions. However, due to our company's size and timing, there were candidates we couldn't bring on board this time. We'll work to grow quickly so we can welcome more in the future.

Paprikan Welcome Kit

As our team comprised only four members before hiring, mass-producing the goods packages, numbering in the hundreds or thousands, was a significant challenge. It wasn't easy for one person to create each welcome kit like collecting Dragon Balls. However, our focus was on welcoming the new Paprikan team members wholeheartedly.

The welcome kit components include:

1. Cutting-edge MacBook Pro M3 for enhanced work efficiency: We believe that efficiency multiplies when you have the best equipment, so we chose the latest MacBook for our developers and designers.

2. UHD Pro Monitors for an optimal workspace: We selected these monitors to reduce eye strain when staring at screens daily.

3. Desk Monitor Stands for spinal health: Due to our office's desk structure, installing monitor arms was difficult, so we chose desk monitor stands to prioritize spinal health and a clean workspace.

4. Business cards for networking: To help facilitate conversations during events and meetings, we gathered email addresses, names, and phone numbers through Walla form before employees joined and created business cards.

5. Paprikan Special Edition Laptop Stickers: Unlike the small stickers we made before, this time we created special edition stickers. These large A4-sized stickers include various images, such as Walla's mascot, Koala, and Paprika's logo. They are removable, making it easy to stick and remove them anywhere.

6. Walla Mug for hydration: We printed "Proudly Presents: Walla" on the mug to add a refreshing touch. It's suitable for various uses, such as a water cup, coffee mug, or toothbrush cup.

7. Walla Pen and Notebook for recording valuable ideas: We provided an A5-sized notebook and pen to ensure that ideas are never missed. The notebook features Walla's signature phrase, "Data Into Insights," and the pen showcases Walla's logo.

8. Paprikan Keyring resembling Paprika's emblem: This acrylic keyring subtly displays the Paprika logo. It's mini-sized for easy carrying and showing off anywhere you go.

We included a warm welcome from Walla's mascot, Cowalla, in the acceptance email.

Epilogue: Recognizing Heroes

1. In reality, deciding whether someone should be part of our journey with just one piece of paper and two meetings is not an easy task. Personally, I don't think this approach is the best, but it's certainly the best we can do for now. If we have the opportunity, I'd like to explore more flexible methods, perhaps conducting interviews over a meal someday.

2. Startups, especially those in the SaaS industry, have a strong tool-oriented nature. I believe that a craftsman's determination in creating these tools is reflected in the product. Keeping this in mind, we approached the hiring process.

3. Youngbum, my co-founder whom I met at a startup hackathon, once said to me when he first extended his hand to join me, "Heroes recognize other heroes." This phrase stuck with me for a while, and during our recent open hiring, it came to mind once again. Paprikan knows how to recognize Paprikan.

• Edit by Yuvin Kim

• This content was written as of November 28, 2023.