NOTE: This blog has been moved to http://www.looksgoodworkswell.com

Tuesday, November 02, 2010

Back at Netflix and Hiring

I am back at Netflix!

I am hiring (naturally). I am specifically looking for some talented user interface engineers to join my team. My team builds the experience for acquiring new members. We are at a critical phase as we expand internationally while supporting a wide range of devices. You can check out the job posting here.

I can't think of a better recommendation for Netflix than the fact that I have returned :-D

Why would I return? First a little about why I left.

In my previous position at Netflix the team had gotten large (15+) and was on a growth path to be 25 or 30. I no longer could be involved in the details as my group spanned every part of the Netflix business. It was a fantastic position -- really a dream job. But at the end of the day I needed to be more a part of the solution.

So I left Netflix and became the VP of Engineering & UX at Meebo. Meebo is really a stellar place. But after just a couple of months I realized I had moved in the wrong direction. And it became clear to me that all of the positions opening to me where at a level that mostly dealt with the organizational challenges with some limited high level strategy. So while Meebo was really a great place to work I knew that I had to figure out what level I wanted to work at.

After that I started consulting. During that phase I learned a lot about myself and how I want to spend my time. Consulting was especially rewarding as I had some amazing clients (PayPal, Adobe, Rypple and BagCheck to name a few). I got to do product strategy consulting, UX design (lots of wireframing) and JavaScript development. The most rewarding part was being hands on solving problems. And of course working with Theresa Neil (my co-author) was a blast.

During that time I was presented with a lot of really great opportunities by companies I respect deeply. After I started considering full time employment again I realized that I was happiest at Netflix. And coincidentally I had been giving recommendations to Netflix on people that I could recommend for a new role there. Then it dawned on me, why not offer myself for that role? And that is what I did.

My new role is much more focused than my previous role. I am the Director of ECommerce UI Engineering. Instead of leading all of the user interface engineers at Netflix, I am leading a smaller (but growing team) that is focused on solving specific problems on the marketing/customer acquisition/account side of the house. The cool thing is the solutions our team fields directly impact the growth of Netflix & the dollars that come in the door. Plus I am able to get much more involved in the day to day work of the product.

The bottom line: My recommendation couldn't be stronger for coming to Netflix. I believed in it so much that I decided to return. It's an amazing brand and we are poised for more amazing growth.

So want to join me? Check out the job description. Is that you or anyone you know? If so don't hesitate to apply or ping me at bscott _at_ netflix _dot_ com.

4 comments:

David Tom said...

Bill,

Great post on the challenges on finding what makes you happy in a job.

Thanks and good luck in the new position.

David

Anonymous said...

I guess that's the good news...

I am now facing similar problems you had. I want to influence decisions on a strategic level but also be able to get my hands dirty designing a complex search form for instance.

What I came to realize is that a position which enables me to influence strategy and still participate in creation of certain features critical to business success would suit me best.

Rachel Li said...

Long time reader first time commenter :).

I'm very happy for you! About 5 years ago I attended a netflix lecture & was blown away by the amazing next generation UX methods they were using every day. They were not the only company carrying out those methods but certainly the only one to share.

I have to think part of the reason so many companies A/B test is because Netflix shared their learning curve with the UX community. I thought that was fantastic (and I'm also a happy netflix user :D)

Thanks for blogging & enjoy getting back into the Netflix Mix.

Alec Uitti said...

Bill,
Thank you for posting this job link. It got me to the place I needed (I realize this one is no longer there). I was looking for a UX Designer post.

Unfortunately the experience of applying was less than compelling. After reading the amazing well-crafted job description with the great cultural tenets that the netflix people are so famous for, I started to compose the cover letter in my head. "Yes!, I hold the same tenets in my life and would be a great addition to the team!, etc." Seriously. No lip service (or keyboard service?).

I was crestfallen when the system (jobvite 3rd party) simply allowed you to upload a resume (which was scraped from my beautiful pdf). and then nothing else. ...? Very sad that I had no real opportunity to shine for the creative team there.
If you have any say there, please ask them to use another service or write something yourselves, I know you can do a fantastic job.

Thanks for sharing your work, insights and ideas, regardless. It gives me solace to know that there is someone of your acuity helping the web/mobile be a better place.