I am working on a brand new edition of what used to be Hiring the Best Knowledge Workers, Techies & Nerds: The Secrets and Science of Hiring Technical People. I will be publishing this revision electronically first on leanpub.
I have streamlined the language. I have added much more cultural fit material. I have added more about auditions. I have much more about networking with LinkedIn and Twitter. I have titled the sidebars. I think I’ve made the book easier to read. I’ve improved the templates. Even with the additions I have reduced the size of the book almost 20%.
For a variety of reasons, I have to change the title. I cannot use the current title and picture currently in the blog sidebar. So I thought I would ask for help.
Here are some current candidate titles:
Hiring the Best Technical People: A Pragmatic Guide
Match Cultural Fit and Attitude: Hire the Best Technical People
It’s All About Culture: Hiring the Best Technical People
Baiting the Geek Trap: Hiring the Best Technical People
Finding and Hiring the Best Technical People: A Practical Guide
Big Geek Hunting: Hiring the Best Technical People
Hiring the Best Technical People: A Pragmatic Approach to Match Cultural Fit
Help! What do you think? Do you have better suggestions? As soon as I determine the title, my designer is ready to design a cover and I can hit publish.
If you are interested in the book, please do sign up at the book’s page on leanpub.
I’d go with:
“It’s All About MINDSET: Hiring the Best Technical People”
– because imo culture = f(mindset)
See also: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_Zub4RMfIo
HTH
– Bob
Bob, thank you. I like your video
None of them really grab my attention. I think the reason is that the phrase “Technical People” is very generic. Unfortunately, I can’t think of anything better.
Another title concept that I like is “Hiring Geeks that Fit: Find the Best [Technical People] for Your [Team|Organization|Project]”
Josh, would knowledge workers grab you more or less?
How about ‘Hiring is number one’?
Maybe. It doesn’t have culture as part of the subtitle, which means it doesn’t say anything about the benefit. Of course, if I really understood the science of titling, I wouldn’t have asked for help! Thank you!
Yes, I think “knowledge workers” is better.
How about: “Recruiting Technical People That Fit”? Or Hiring… (in the UK we often say Recruiting).
Best wishes for the book.
Thanks!
Hi Johanna! I love your books and read your blogs.
Short and punchy is memorable and refreshing. If I see a wheelbarrow for a title, I doubt the author’s grasp of subject and/or communication skill.
Hiring the best technical people? – who would buy a book to hire average technical people? – I don’t think the subtitle adds anything – except to link to your previous title.
What about “GeekSeeker”? Succinct, it rhymes(!), and will stick in the memory.
Rely on curiosity to get punters to look beyond the title.
My $0.02.
Cheers, Paul.
Paul, thanks! I do like GeekSeeker. It made me chuckle. And thank you for the compliment.