Hiring from IIT and IIM: What Founders Get Right, and Where They Go Wrong

For many startups, hiring from IITs and IIMs feels like a shortcut to quality.

A strong brand on a CV. A sense of safety. A belief that things will “just work” because the person comes from a top institution.

Sometimes, that belief is justified. Many great founders, operators, and early employees do come from these institutes.

But over time, a pattern shows up. When hiring goes wrong, it is rarely because the candidate lacked intelligence. It is usually because expectations were never aligned in the first place.

Why Founders Gravitate Toward IIT and IIM Talent

There is a reason IITs and IIMs carry weight.

Getting in requires discipline, consistency, and the ability to perform under pressure. These are useful traits, especially in early-stage companies where ambiguity is high and resources are limited.

For analytical roles, problem-solving-heavy work, or early leadership pipelines, this background can be a genuine advantage.

So the instinct to look there is not wrong.

The mistake happens later.

Where the Assumption Breaks

Many teams quietly assume that pedigree equals readiness.

That someone from IIT or IIM will automatically:

• ramp faster

• need less guidance

• handle chaos better

• take ownership naturally

In reality, none of those things are guaranteed by an institute name.

Startups are unstructured by design. Success depends on role clarity, manager quality, and how well the environment supports execution. When those are weak, even very capable people struggle.

When hiring fails, the blame often lands on “fit” or “expectations”. But the real issue is usually that the role itself was never set up properly.

Pedigree Signals Entry, Not Performance

An IIT or IIM background tells you how someone entered a system.

It does not tell you how they will operate inside a messy, evolving company.

Execution under unclear priorities, ownership without authority, and collaboration across weak processes are learned through experience, not admission exams.

This is where many startups misread the signal. They hire for the past and forget to design for the future.

What This Means for Founders and Hiring Teams

Hiring from IITs or IIMs works best when the basics are done well.

When the role is clearly defined. When success is measurable. When onboarding is intentional. When employment terms are clean and predictable.

Without those, the hire may still be talented, but performance will look inconsistent. Frustration builds quietly on both sides. Eventually, the relationship ends earlier than expected.

That outcome is expensive, not just financially, but culturally.

What This Means for Candidates

There is another side to this that is talked about less.

Candidates from top institutions are often hired based on expectations they did not set themselves. They walk into roles that look impressive on paper but are vague in practice.

Six months later, they realize they are solving different problems than they expected, with limited support and unclear growth paths.

Good candidates leave not because they lack ambition, but because the role never matched the promise.

Hiring Beyond the Brand Name

As teams mature, most founders come to the same realization.

Pedigree helps you shortlist. It does not help you build durable teams.

What matters more over time is role fit, learning speed, ownership mindset, and how employment is structured to support performance.

This is true in India. It is true globally.

How We Think About This at Be.First

At Be.First, we treat IIT and IIM backgrounds as one input, not a conclusion.

We spend more time looking at how the role is defined, how success is measured, and how employment setup supports long-term performance.

Because hiring does not end when an offer is accepted. That is when the real work starts.

One Question Worth Asking

Before prioritizing pedigree, ask yourself a simple question.

Is this role designed in a way that allows a strong candidate to actually succeed?

If the answer is unclear, the issue is not the talent pool.

It is the hiring setup.

Be.First
The talent engine behind global startups.