Happy "almost" Thanksgiving! 🍁

Hi everyone! Hope you’re soaking up the last bits of fall before the holiday sprint kicks in 🍂. Somehow it’s already Q4 (?!), and we’re closing out the year in what continues to be one of the busiest and most nuanced hiring markets we’ve seen in years.

The last time it felt like a true hiring frenzy was mid-2021 to early 2022…right before the market cooled (well, maybe froze) in 2023 😬. We’ll see where things go from here, but for now we’ll take what we can get while the iron’s still hot.

Quick Market Commentary

The startup hiring market has continued to stay strong - but not evenly. We covered this a few months back in the summer, but most teams are still hiring with precision rather than volume. Everyone we talk to on the recruiting side has been consistently at “full capacity,” but processes are moving slow because hiring managers/founders have been HYPER-selective when it comes to who they’re hiring.

Yes, it’s all about “talent density” but it’s no longer just about candidates with raw horsepower or intelligence. Instead, most companies are focusing exclusively on candidates who’ve solved the exact problem they’re facing (same stage, same model, same function) or trying to hire a single person to solve what was, historically, accomplished by 3-4 hires.

At times, it feels like we’re almost operating in two very different markets at once, a real “tale of two markets.” One where AI-native and infrastructure startups are in hyper-scaling mode and hiring aggressively, while other sectors (consumer, healthcare, climate) are hiring way more selectively, or barely hiring at all. Certain candidates are seeing tons of inbound interest, compressed timelines, and multiple offers, while others (particularly those trying to make any sort of pivot) have had a much harder time getting traction despite strong backgrounds. And we’re sadly seeing some massive layoffs and restructurings still happening, everywhere from Verizon to Amazon to Paramount.

All to say: it’s a funky time, and if you’re feeling a bit uneasy (or just confused) by it all, you’re not alone.

❤️ Phil and the Golden Gate team

Check out a handful of roles working on below, but as always, you can review additional opportunities our Openings Page.

Quinn: Chief of Staff [Remote]

Quinn is an early-stage sexual wellness/audio platform and app, created to be a safe and exploratory space while building a thriving creator community. Their Founder/CEO is looking for a Chief of Staff to support on strategic and creative initiatives across the business. Ideal Profile: 3-5 years of experience with a combination of consulting and startup experience.

Undisclosed: VP, Portfolio [NYC]

This role is at a new PE holding company that will focus on rolling up services businesses (e.g. think dental clinics), and backed by one of the top-performing funds in this strategy. They’re hiring someone at the HoldCo level to oversee all integrations of the individual portfolio companies. Ideal Profile: 10+ years of experience with a combination of top tier consulting, fund-level role and operating experience.

Thrive Mobile: General Manager, State Partnerships [NYC/Nashville]

Thrive Mobile is a licensed wireless provider that partners with health plans and states to give eligible members (typically underserved Americans) free smartphones with unlimited talk/text/data to help drive better health outcomes. They’re looking for a General Manager (GM) to lead, grow and enable the success of their state program initiative. Ideal Profile: 4-8 years of experience with a combination of consulting/startup experience; role adjusted based on years of experience.

📖 Check out an Article from our friend Jack. He also offered to do an introductory coaching session if you’re interested, feel free to sign up HERE.

📖 “Fund Math for Dummies” (and cycling enthusiasts): A super interesting article that demystifies and breaks down how VCs make money. Very well written and Rex is popular writer in this space.

👀 Ben Tossell is the founder and writer behind Ben’s Bites, one of the top AI newsletters ready by 145k+ developers, founders, and investors. Great newsletter that we all read to stay up on AI news and tools, plus Ben invests in dev tools and infra and is formalizing his first institutional fund — deck here for accredited investors who are interested!

🔨 Check out Axel - it’s an amazing tool that has already saved Nick over $400 this year (for a $35 annual subscription!). Automated flight and hotel price drop monitoring (they don’t know we’re posting this and we get nothing from it…..)