Meanwhile, they're superheroes.

They’ve survived impossible odds, invented tools mid-crisis, and bounced back from failure like it’s a sport.

So why do they get overlooked during the hiring process?

This is something I hear from founders ALL THE TIME.

After years of building, selling, pitching, and surviving, they assume their next role will be easy to land. But the reality? Most only get hired when someone in their network gives them a shot. Cold applications rarely go anywhere.‍

A study published in Personnel Psychology found that former founders are 43% less likely to get a callback than candidates with similar qualifications who haven’t started a company. Which is wild.

What gets missed is everything they bring to the table.

🌪️ They can operate in chaos and still get shit done.
🧩 They connect dots across functions.
🧠 They spot and solve problems no one else sees coming.
🧭 They don’t need micromanaging. They know how to navigate uncertainty.

But instead of seeing range, most companies see risk.

Founders often get filtered out with assumptions like:
“Too senior.”
“Won’t stick around.”
“Used to being in charge.”

On top of that, because they’re generalists, companies don’t know where to slot them in. A non-technical founder might have led marketing, BD, ops, and support, but gets passed over for a marketing role because it wasn’t their only focus.

Here’s what companies need to hear:
A lot of former founders DON’T WANT TO BE CEO AGAIN.

They’re looking to lean into their “superpower” — the part of the business they loved most. And for once, they want to be able to focus on it.

Meanwhile, companies over-index on “safe” hires: big logos, linear career paths, tidy resumes.

If you’re scaling a startup, stop hiring safe.
🔥 Hire someone who can handle the fire.

The problem isn’t the founder.
It’s the system that only knows how to hire for roles — not range.

🛠️ Founders are Swiss Army knives.
And in startups, that’s exactly what you want, because you never know which tool you’ll need until something breaks.

If you’ve ever hired a former founder (or are one trying to get hired), I’d love to hear your experience!