Hire for the Stage You’re In, Not the Stage You Want

A nonprofit is about to launch its first community event, needing skills in rapid planning and general troubleshooting. The founder feels pressure to recruit an experienced operations chief who might suit bigger projects down the line, but after interviewing candidates, realizes such hires struggle with the fast-and-loose pace of the group’s early work. Instead, the leader picks someone with a track record of rolling with uncertainty and enthusiasm for hands-on problem-solving—even if that person’s not the “big name” others wanted for the résumé. The early events run well, with mistakes serving as feedback for quick improvement. Months later, as the nonprofit’s ambitions expand, it attracts new volunteers with specialized fundraising and PR experience, who now slot in well because the basic structure and culture, built by the first team, is set.

This approach mirrors the theory of “evolutionary hiring,” where organizations adjust personnel based on current and near-future fitness. Research shows that early-stage organizations with the flexibility to re-configure talent as needs evolve outperform those who over-hire or over-promise from the onset.

Get clear on your current, not just future, needs and figure out what types of people will thrive in your environment today—scrappy team players, process masters, or something else. Welcome those who are best suited for right now and set expectations that roles can and will change as you grow. When it’s time to upskill or add specialists, you’ll already have the right baseline and culture in place. Don’t fall for the temptation to over-hire for stages you haven’t reached—they’ll serve you better as your real needs evolve. Review your team setup this week.