Hiring for “Connection” While Ignoring the Connected

Nextdoor recently shared a post about growing across Product Management and Product Design, calling this “a fascinating time” to build the next chapter of the platform. Mckennah Spagnola

On paper, it’s compelling:

- Real user impact

- Turning ambiguity into momentum

- Rapid experimentation

- Helping neighbors connect

Those are the right words. But here’s the disconnect. Over the past several weeks, there has been:

- Extended silence across LinkedIn, Facebook, and the company blog

- Commenting is disabled on multiple channels

- Automated responses in place of human engagement

- A growing backlog of frustrated users publicly asking for help

- An unpaid moderator system that lacks consistency, transparency, and accountability

If you’re hiring Product Managers and Designers who thrive in ambiguity, here’s the most obvious product problem to solve:

👉 Trust erosion caused by inconsistent moderation and closed feedback loops.

If you’re hiring for “0→1 thinking,” the opportunity isn’t theoretical. It’s already live, public, and measurable. Real user impact doesn’t come from job descriptions. It comes from listening when users, advertisers, and shareholders raise their hands and say, “Something is broken.”

To the talented PMs and Designers considering these roles:

- Could you ask how feedback is handled?

- Ask how moderation decisions are audited.

- Ask how user trust is measured.

- Ask whether engagement is encouraged—or contained.

Building the next chapter of Nextdoor starts with fixing the chapter users are living in right now.

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