Your Next Tech Startup
Hiring is tough — software engineers hate job searching, hiring managers are stretched thin, and interviews? They suck for everyone. But finding the right people is critical for building a great startup. This podcast is for software engineers navigating startup hiring. We dive into real stories from startup leaders, uncover what makes a great (or terrible) hiring process, and explore how to make finding and landing startup jobs suck less. Each episode features a founder, hiring manager, or software engineer sharing their journey, hiring philosophy, and lessons learned. We’ll also break down hiring pain points—job descriptions, resumes, interviews, negotiation, culture screening, and more. Expect real talk, expert insights, and the occasional resume roast.
Episodes

Wednesday Dec 10, 2025
Wednesday Dec 10, 2025
Isabel Rasmussen speaks the founders of New Harbor about the US Remote Sr Engineering Engineer role. We go beyond the job description to discuss great opportunities at startups in our Now Hiring episodes.
Interested in this role? email Isabel at newharbor.co
Host: Isabel Rasmussen https://www.linkedin.com/in/isabelrasmussen/
Guests: Jonathan Edward https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanedward/, Giuseppe Morgana: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gmorgana/
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to New Harbor and Its Mission
02:12 The Need for a Senior Engineer
04:37 Technical Requirements for the Role
05:17 Building Team Culture in a Remote Environment
08:30 The Importance of Mission Alignment
New Harbor
We founded New Harbor to bring foundational cybersecurity to organizations of all sizes. Today, we serve customers operating globally through our software platform and expert support. We're advancing this mission by launching a self-service platform that automates the deployment and management of security measures - making it easy for any organization to benefit from the protections proven to stop most attacks without being overwhelmed.
Organizations today face an impossible problem: employees use hundreds of SaaS apps, but enforcing consistent security across them means manually configuring each one. Enterprise SSO only works if you pay premium tiers everywhere.
We're building a platform that lets you approve a rule once - like "enforce multi-factor authentication" - and have it enforced everywhere possible without having to configure every application. We combine API integrations with an AI-assisted browser extension to automate security controls in any application.
We're building towards our public launch. The technical challenges are real: reliably automating security controls across hundreds of different applications, building a rule engine that works across varied APIs and browser interfaces, and doing it all in a way that scales. If you're excited about building something from the ground up that solves a problem security teams actually have, we'd love to talk.
Full JD https://app.dover.com/apply/New%20Harbor/6918753a-76ce-491d-8f9e-aef5918afd82/?rs=76643084
Music by: https://www.bensound.com
Artist: Marcus P.
License code: 4YKVHGTNVRLVH3BV
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Monday Sep 29, 2025
Monday Sep 29, 2025
In this episode, Isabel Rasmussen discusses two key roles at a Series B startup with Zach, the Director of Engineering, and Will, the Director of Product.
Open Roles: Technical Lead Manager and Senior Product Manager
Interested in these roles? Please reach out directly to Isabel: isabel@procesotalent.com Or connect on LinkedIn: /www.linkedin.com/in/isabelrasmussen/
Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Luxury Presence and Roles
01:38 Technical Lead Manager Role Overview
03:39 Senior Product Manager Role Overview
05:20 Team Dynamics and Culture
07:07 Management Styles and Expectations
09:41 Candidate Profile and Ideal Qualities
Isabel is a Fractional Head of Technical Recruitment who works directly with engineering leaders to hire top talent — from Senior Software Engineers to Directors of Engineering. With over a decade of experience recruiting for high-growth startups, she brings a strategic, hands-on approach to scaling technical teams that thrive in fast-paced environments. Isabel is also the host of Your Next Tech Startup, a weekly podcast where she interviews founders, engineering leaders, and software engineers about what it really takes to build and grow teams in the startup world.
📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@yournexttechstartup 📺
🎧 Spotify: https://lnkd.in/exiBw46n 🎧
🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/eYsCN4y4🍎
❤️ iHeartRadio: https://shorturl.at/NI3sq❤️
Music by: https://www.bensound.com
Artist: Marcus P.
License code: 4YKVHGTNVRLVH3BV

Friday Sep 12, 2025
Friday Sep 12, 2025
In this conversation, Sid Parakh, a Director of Engineering, and Isabel Rasmussen, Technical Recruiter and host of Your Next Tech Startup discuss the changes engineering teams have experienced over the last year. Many engineers have been laid off and have been job hunting for 6-18 months. Consequently, they're missing out on day-to-day changes happening in the fast-paced startup world. Not understanding how teams are now working differently puts unemployed candidates at a significant disadvantage. We discuss the transformative impact of AI on engineering teams, hiring practices, and the evolving roles of engineers. Sid emphasizes the importance of adaptability, business acumen, and the integration of AI skills in the hiring process. The discussion also highlights the significance of collaborative learning through hackathons as a means to upskill and stay relevant in the industry.
Host: Isabel Rasmussen https://www.linkedin.com/in/isabelrasmussen/
Guest: Siddharth Parakh https://www.linkedin.com/in/parakhsiddharth/
Chapters
00:00 The Impact of AI on Engineering Teams at Startups
05:20 The Evolution of Engineering Skills
08:02 The Importance of Business Acumen
10:28 Outcome Over Output in Engineering
12:56 AI in the Interview Process
15:40 The Need for Adaptability
18:22 Networking and Hackathons
Isabel is a Fractional Head of Technical Recruitment who works directly with engineering leaders to hire top talent — from Senior Software Engineers to Directors of Engineering. With over a decade of experience recruiting for high-growth startups, she brings a strategic, hands-on approach to scaling technical teams that thrive in fast-paced environments. Isabel is also the host of Your Next Tech Startup, a weekly podcast where she interviews founders, engineering leaders, and software engineers about what it really takes to build and grow teams in the startup world.
📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@yournexttechstartup 📺
🎧 Spotify: https://lnkd.in/exiBw46n 🎧
🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/eYsCN4y4🍎
❤️ iHeartRadio: https://shorturl.at/NI3sq❤️
Music by: https://www.bensound.com
Artist: Marcus P.
License code: 4YKVHGTNVRLVH3BV

Friday Sep 05, 2025
Friday Sep 05, 2025
In this conversation, Isabel Rasmussen speaks with engineering leader Sven Delmas about his extensive hiring experience, focusing on two significant hiring stories. The first story highlights the challenges of hiring a former colleague, where concerns about culture fit and interview performance led to a contentious decision. The second story discusses a referral from within the company that resulted in a disastrous hire, emphasizing the complexities of relying on referrals and the importance of thorough evaluation processes. Throughout the discussion, themes of groupthink, the significance of written feedback, and the balance between team input and managerial authority in hiring decisions are explored.
Host: Isabel Rasmussen https://www.linkedin.com/in/isabelrasmussen/
Guest: Sven Delmas https://www.linkedin.com/in/svendelmas/
Chapters 00:00 Navigating Hiring Experiences
15:42 The Impact of Recommendations on Hiring Decisions
18:48 The Consequences of Poor Hiring Decisions
23:12 The Role of AI in Hiring
23:55 Key Takeaways on Hiring Practices
26:39 New Chapter
Music by: https://www.bensound.com
Artist: Marcus P.
License code: 4YKVHGTNVRLVH3BV

Friday Aug 29, 2025
Friday Aug 29, 2025
In this episode, host Isabel Rasmussen interviews Ibrah Abouhashish, a Senior Solutions Engineer at Arthur.ai, about his recent job search experience. Ibrah shares insights on navigating the job market, the importance of storytelling in interviews, and how to effectively resolve conflicts in a professional setting. The conversation also touches on the significance of finding the right cultural fit within a company and the adaptability required in today's fast-paced work environment.
Host: Isabel Rasmussen https://www.linkedin.com/in/isabelrasmussen/
Guest: Ibrahim Abouhashish https://www.linkedin.com/in/ihashish/
Chapters
00:00 Navigating the Job Market: Ibrah's Journey02:07 The Demand for Solutions Engineers04:47 Interviewing Insights: The Process and Challenges06:40 The Importance of Storytelling in Interviews08:01 Crafting Memorable Responses: A Role Play09:30 Understanding the Role of Solutions Engineers12:00 Bridging Gaps: Conflict Resolution in Engineering14:53 Final Thoughts: The Art of Communication19:13 Navigating Conflict in Client Relationships20:45 The Importance of Cultural Fit in Interviews22:14 Authenticity and Self-Expression in the Workplace23:24 The Role of Storytelling in Interviews23:25 The Balance of Technical and Non-Technical Skills26:01 The Challenge of Hiring in Startups28:31 Flexibility vs. Rigidity in Candidates31:03 Finding the Right Fit: Adaptability in Hiring
Isabel is a Fractional Head of Technical Recruitment who works directly with engineering leaders to hire top talent — from Senior Software Engineers to Directors of Engineering. With over a decade of experience recruiting for high-growth startups, she brings a strategic, hands-on approach to scaling technical teams that thrive in fast-paced environments. Isabel is also the host of Your Next Tech Startup, a weekly podcast where she interviews founders, engineering leaders, and software engineers about what it really takes to build and grow teams in the startup world.
📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@yournexttechstartup 📺
🎧 Spotify: https://lnkd.in/exiBw46n 🎧
🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/eYsCN4y4🍎
❤️ iHeartRadio: https://shorturl.at/NI3sq❤️
Music by: https://www.bensound.com
Artist: Marcus P.
License code: 4YKVHGTNVRLVH3BV

Friday Jul 25, 2025
Friday Jul 25, 2025
In this episode, Isabel Rasmussen and Maher Hanafi discuss the intricacies of the interview process, focusing on the importance of candidate questions and the dynamics of bi-directional interviews. Maher shares insights from his extensive experience in engineering leadership, emphasizing the need for candidates to research their interviewers and the company culture. They explore how to handle sensitive topics like layoffs and the significance of maintaining a positive energy during interviews. The discussion also touches on the importance of aligning management philosophies and the flexibility required in startup hiring.
Host: Isabel Rasmussen https://www.linkedin.com/in/isabelrasmussen/Guest: Maher Hanafi https://www.linkedin.com/in/maherhanafi/
Chapters00:00 Introduction to Interview Dynamics00:42 Understanding the Role of Candidates02:37 The Importance of Candidate Questions06:37 Leveraging AI in Interview Preparation09:50 Memorable Candidate Interactions11:52 Assessing Work Environment Fit12:28 Asking Difficult Questions15:48 Navigating Layoff Conversations17:49 Handling Glassdoor Feedback21:26 The Energy of Interviews26:06 Communication Skills and Candidate Behavior28:20 Red Flags in People Management Interviews33:15 Aligning Management Philosophies38:13 Hiring for Flexibility in Startups
Isabel is a Fractional Head of Technical Recruitment who works directly with engineering leaders to hire top talent — from Senior Software Engineers to Directors of Engineering. With over a decade of experience recruiting for high-growth startups, she brings a strategic, hands-on approach to scaling technical teams that thrive in fast-paced environments.
Isabel is also the host of Your Next Tech Startup, a weekly podcast where she interviews founders, engineering leaders, and software engineers about what it really takes to build and grow teams in the startup world.
📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@yournexttechstartup 📺🎧 Spotify: https://lnkd.in/exiBw46n 🎧🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/eYsCN4y4🍎❤️ iHeartRadio: https://shorturl.at/NI3sq❤️
Music by: https://www.bensound.com Artist: Marcus P. License code: 4YKVHGTNVRLVH3BV

Wednesday Jul 23, 2025
Wednesday Jul 23, 2025
In this episode, Isabel Rasmussen and Erwin Alberto discuss effective hiring strategies, focusing on the offer stage and the importance of the sell/ offer call. They explore how hiring managers can better prepare for and conduct sell calls, the significance of onboarding, and the need for clear communication about growth opportunities within the company. The conversation emphasizes the collaborative nature of hiring and the importance of creating a positive candidate experience.
Host: Isabel Rasmussen https://www.linkedin.com/in/isabelrasmussen/Guest: Erwin Alberto https://www.linkedin.com/in/erwin-alberto-5226b15/
Check out Erwin's Medium articles! https://medium.com/@erwinalberto
Sell Call - Vision and Mission- Team and Culture- First Day 30/60/90- Growth Opportunities
Chapters00:00 Introduction to Hiring and Offer Stage01:50 Understanding the Offer/Sell Call03:44 Preparing for the Sell Call09:20 Company Vision and Mission11:27 Team Culture and Dynamics14:02 Onboarding and First Impressions19:49 Growth Opportunities and Career Development
Isabel is a Fractional Head of Technical Recruitment who works directly with engineering leaders to hire top talent — from Senior Software Engineers to Directors of Engineering. With over a decade of experience recruiting for high-growth startups, She brings a strategic, hands-on approach to scaling technical teams that thrive in fast-paced environments.
Isabel is also the host of Your Next Tech Startup, a weekly podcast where she interviews founders, engineering leaders, and software engineers about what it really takes to build and grow teams in the startup world.
📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@yournexttechstartup 📺🎧 Spotify: https://lnkd.in/exiBw46n 🎧🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/eYsCN4y4🍎❤️ iHeartRadio: https://shorturl.at/NI3sq❤️
Let’s connect if you're growing a team or want to talk startups, recruiting, or tech hiring trends.
Music by: https://www.bensound.com Artist: Marcus P. License code: 4YKVHGTNVRLVH3BV

Tuesday Jul 22, 2025
Tuesday Jul 22, 2025
In this conversation, Isabel Rasmussen and Derrick Franco discuss the take-home coding test and the evolving landscape of engineering interviews, particularly focusing on how to set candidates up for success. They explore the importance of clear communication, the role of AI in coding challenges, and the need for candidates to engage actively during the interview process. Derrick emphasizes that asking questions is a positive sign and reflects a candidate's problem-solving abilities. The discussion also highlights how AI tools have raised the bar for coding standards and the necessity for candidates to demonstrate their understanding of the code they produce.
Host: Isabel Rasmussen https://www.linkedin.com/in/isabelrasmussen/Guest: Derrick Franco https://www.linkedin.com/in/derrickfranco/
Chapters00:00 Setting the Stage for Success in Interviews02:33 The Importance of Communication and Questions05:21 Navigating AI in Coding Challenges08:02 Evaluating Candidates Beyond Coding Skills10:42 Understanding the Startup vs. Big Tech Mindset13:04 Leveraging Content for Interview Preparation
Music by: https://www.bensound.com Artist: Marcus P. License code: 4YKVHGTNVRLVH3BV

Monday Jul 21, 2025
Monday Jul 21, 2025
In this episode of Your Next Tech Startup, the tables have turned and Dan Johnson interviews Isabel Rasmussen on the recruitment process in the tech startup landscape. They explore the challenges faced by recruiters and candidates alike, the impact of AI on hiring, the importance of ATS systems, and how to craft effective resumes. The discussion also touches on the significance of referrals, trust issues in interviews, and the need for constructive feedback in the hiring process. Ultimately, the conversation aims to provide insights for both job seekers and hiring managers to improve their experiences in the recruitment landscape.
Host: Isabel Rasmussen https://www.linkedin.com/in/isabelrasmussen/Guest: Daniel Johnson https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielljohnson/
Chapters00:00 Introduction to the Conversation02:51 The Dynamics of Recruitment07:00 Navigating the Hiring Process15:19 Crafting the Perfect Resume21:47 The Power of Referrals: Warm vs Cold23:52 Trust Issues in the Hiring Process25:37 The Challenge of Interview Standards26:46 The Need for Feedback in Rejections34:17 Advice for Job Seekers in Today's Market
Isabel Rasmussen is a Fractional Head of Technical Recruitment who works directly with engineering leaders to hire top talent — from Senior Software Engineers to Directors of Engineering. With over a decade of experience recruiting for high-growth startups, I bring a strategic, hands-on approach to scaling technical teams that thrive in fast-paced environments.
📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@yournexttechstartup 📺🎧 Spotify: https://lnkd.in/exiBw46n 🎧🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/eYsCN4y4🍎❤️ iHeartRadio: https://shorturl.at/NI3sq❤️
Let’s connect if you're growing a team or want to talk startups, recruiting, or tech hiring trends.
Music by: https://www.bensound.com Artist: Marcus P. License code: 4YKVHGTNVRLVH3BV

Thursday Jul 17, 2025
Thursday Jul 17, 2025
In this episode, Isabel Rasmussen interviews Richard Lin, CEO and Co-founder of Anyreach, about a remote senior software engineer role. They discuss the unique aspects of the position, the evolution of Anyreach's AI technology, the technical challenges faced by the development team, and the interview process. Richard emphasizes the importance of curiosity, planning, and the opportunity for engineers to grow and learn in a startup environment focused on voice AI technology.
Host: Isabel Rasmussen https://www.linkedin.com/in/isabelrasmussen/Guest: Richard Lin https://www.linkedin.com/in/linrichard/
Chapters00:00 Introduction to Anyreach and the Role01:00 The Vision Behind Anyreach04:23 Technical Challenges and Development Approach09:31 Engineering Culture and Team Dynamics12:52 Hiring Philosophy and Candidate Expectations16:24 How to Apply and Engage with Anyreach
Here is the Job Description: (watch the episode to learn how to apply)Senior Software Engineer at Anyreach
The Role That Will Define the Next Decade of EngineeringAre you the kind of engineer who sees AI not as a replacement, but as the ultimatepower tool? Do you spend more time thinking about elegant solutions than writingboilerplate code? At Anyreach, we're building the future of Voice AI, and we'relooking for a rare breed: a 100x engineer who combines deep technical masterywith product intuition and leverages AI to move at lightning speed.
What We're Looking For🎯 The Product-Minded EngineerYou understand that the best voice AI solves real communication problemsYou can translate business requirements into conversational experiences thatusers loveYou think in voice interactions, user intents, and conversation flows beyondindividual features🤖 The AI WhispererYou're already using AI tools daily and know their strengths and limitationsYou can prompt-engineer your way to better voice solutions faster than mostpeople can GoogleYou know when to lean on AI and when to roll up your sleeves and code voicesystems from scratch⚙️ The Technical PowerhouseWhen AI hits its limits, you don't—you're a skilled engineer who can solve hardvoice AI problemsYou have strong fundamentals in system design, algorithms, and softwarearchitecture for real-time systemsYou care deeply about code quality, performance, and maintainability in voiceapplications🚀 The Velocity MultiplierYou're not just fast—you make everyone around you faster in shipping voicefeaturesYou build tools, processes, and systems that scale beyond yourselfYou see inefficiencies in voice AI workflows and can't help but optimize themTechnical Superpowers We NeedAI Tooling Mastery: Cursor, GitHub Codex, Claude, ChatGPT, and whatevercomes nextVoice AI Understanding: You get the nuances of conversation design, speechprocessing, and real-time audioSystem Design: You can architect voice solutions that won't break underconversational pressureProduct Thinking: You build voice features users actually want to talk toDocumentation Excellence: Your docs are so good, people actually read them(even about complex voice systems)Quality Obsession: Scalable, reliable, secure, observable—no compromisesfor voice AI
What Success Looks LikeYou ship voice features that users love to interact with in record timeYour voice AI solutions scale effortlessly as conversation volume growsYour documentation becomes the gold standard for voice AI development onthe teamYou identify and solve voice interaction problems before they become userfrustrationsYou make AI work for you to build better voice AI, creating a powerfulfeedback loop
The Bottom LineWe're not looking for someone who can just code. We're looking for someone whocan think, architect, and execute voice AI solutions at superhuman speed bypartnering with AI. If you're the kind of engineer who gets excited about solvinghard conversational problems elegantly and scaling voice experiences that matter,let's talk.
At Anyreach, you'll be building the voice AI platform that transforms how peoplecommunicate. Ready to be the 100x engineer who helps us scale conversations tothe next level?
Ready to revolutionize voice AI with us? We want to hear from you.
Music by: https://www.bensound.comArtist: Marcus P. License code: 4YKVHGTNVRLVH3BV




