InformationWeek

June 8, 1999

I am a principal in an Internet startup about to hire a chief technology officer. What are we likely to have to pay for a person with experience in E-commerce? What qualities should the ideal candidate posses? Is youth (under 30) an advantage or a disadvantage?

The compensation requirements for this kind of role, depending on geographic area, are $120,000 to $150,000 plus equity. Depending on the stage the company is in, you may be talking about 1% of the company. As for the skill set, it really depends on the nature of your business. As for a framework I would say: 7-10 years technology experience with the last three heavily entrenched in E-commerce, Internet development, and integration. The person should be familiar with the issues driving E-commerce today: buy side and sell side, component-based technology, and have a strong background in infrastructure and architecture.

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