Paul English's rules of hiring: How Kayak chases superstar talent

By Scott Kirsner, Globe Columnist

Sunday's Boston Globe column focused on the unusually aggressive recruiting strategy that Paul English has pursued at Kayak.com, the travel site that is now planning an initial public offering. I had heard English speak twice on the topic, and was impressed by how he chases top talent anywhere in the world (regardless of whether those people realize they are in the job market), and tries to sell them on working at Kayak.

English is like a baseball scout with an incredible network of tipsters, willing to fly anywhere at a moment’s notice to see a hot prospect. “The difference between an A player and an A-plus player,’’ he has said, “is the difference between a million in revenue and a billion in revenue.’’ And yet his approach to hiring is unorthodox in the extreme.

With more than 100 employees in Concord and Norwalk, Conn., Kayak does not have a human resources department. The “jobs’’ page on its website not only doesn’t list open positions, but it doesn’t include an e-mail address, fax number, or mailing address where one might send a resume.

Some supplemental info:

- English's excellent blog post on "Hiring Religion." He writes, "If you are looking to build a company, your most important skill is hiring. If you do not get excited about this, and do not always think about networking and hiring, it means you need an equal partner who does, and who is world class at it."

- MP3 audio: Venture capitalist Larry Bohn interviews English at the 2010 Nantucket Conference; a good chunk of the conversation focuses on hiring and team. (Note: I'm on the advisory board of this event.)

- English on Kayak's philosophy of hiring (and customer service): "The Way I Work," from Inc. Magazine.

- Video interview with English on hiring, by Gabriel Weinberg.

- MP3 Audio: Venture capitalist Jeffrey Bussgang interviews English in March 2011, talking a bit about hiring —and firing, too.

- English answers a question on Quora: "What should you do if you receive a job offer that expires within a week (exploding offer), but you need more time to decide?"