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Before I began working with Brazen Careerist, I had a general idea about what it would take to work at a startup but it wasn’t until I applied that I completely understood what it would take. From the interview process to the day-to-day operations, you have to be on your feet and ready to go if you want to work at a startup.
Here are a few things I learned about working at a startup:
A dry-and-cut resume will not get you too far. “The traditional job and career pointers you learned in college don't all apply when looking to work for and with a startup,” says Grace Boyle, a Publisher Services Manager at Lijit. Get creative if you want to work at a startup, especially if it one with a strong Social Media presence.
Network, network, network. I know that I stress this in nearly every post, but it is absolutely essential. I wouldn’t even be writing this as a part of Team Brazen if I didn’t use my networking powers. James Ryan Moreau agrees. “All of my hires and contracts are through referrals,” says James. “I've never, ever gotten any kind of job by sending my resume through a website.”
One-size-fits-all. You must be ready to wear many hats when working at a startup. There is plenty of work to go around for everyone and you cannot become tethered to your title. As a part of the team, you have to be willing to step out of your comfort zone and take the bull by the horns. This means that you can’t go into work expecting a routine. If you are not flexible, you are not ready to be a part of a startup company.
You have to speak up. One thing that you cannot forget is that you have to be transparent and not be afraid to speak up. At a startup, an idea that may seem too small to you today may be a defining factor tomorrow so share with the class. On the flipside, keep an open mind to what others share with the class.
Your life will shape around your job. If you’re comfortable being a 9-to-5 worker, and don’t want that to change, you won’t get very far in a startup environment.
Experience will be your biggest reward. Let’s get real. If you’re getting your foot in the door at a startup, you aren’t doing it for the money. You’re doing it for something bigger. The experience, the chance to be a part of something as it gains its footing and to cultivate relationships. This doesn’t mean give away your hard work for free but don’t simply rely on the salary to define the fruits of your labor.
You think you got what it takes to be in a startup environment? If you’ve founded and/or worked at a startup, what would you add to the list?
Please share your experiences with us!
A fantastic startup company, LivingSocial, is hiring and they want to talk to you this week! They are looking for a Social Media Strategist in Washington, D.C. (March 9) as well as energetic individuals to join their Inside Sales Team in Washington, D.C. and Santa Monica, C.A. (March 10).
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Comments
03.08.11
Having founded a small IT consulting and implementation business in Florida, the one thing many people don't understand when starting/working at a startup is that your customers own you. This is especially true in a service business.
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03.08.11
That's a great point Jesse! Thanks for the input!
03.08.11
Start-ups need a can-do, adaptable mindset and an ability to make changes on the fly. It's not for everyone. I just wrote a blog post on how to land an internship at a start-up for Glassdoor.com:
http://www.glassdoor.com/blog/tips-land-internship-startup-small-business/
03.08.11
Berrak, these tips are really great! I recently applied for a part-time gig with a web design company. They're a new, small business with lots of personality. They also do a lot with social media. So I created an Xtranormal video along with my application. Link to the video and more details here: http://bit.ly/gMRNpi
03.08.11
Berrak:
Nice article. I've worked in start-ups my entire career, and have done a ton of interviewing and hiring. Your tips are dead-on. If the resume, and even more important the cover letter, wasn't tailored to my company and our needs I didn't have time to read it.
The best approach I've ever seen was during a job search for a new Art Director. Her background and portfolio, though great, really wasn't any better than the others I received...but her cover letter was. It was in 3D. She cut out each letter and it sprang off the page. I can't imagine how much work went into the letter. We developed children's products, so this fun, creative, kid-like approach to a cover letter was simply perfect. Basically she had me at "Dear," and she got the job.
03.08.11
Thanks for the feedback Vickie!
Jaclyn, good luck!!
Kathy, wow, that is an awesome way to stand out! Good for her! :)
03.08.11
Berrak,
I'm on the quest for a startup job while pursuing my own startup ventures on the side. I think my resume is unique (I spent 2009-2010 traveling South East Asia) but I'm not sure if its unique enough. I haven't been in the working world since July 2009 and I'm not sure if the resume is relevant enough.
Where would you recommend floating the resume in order to get some good feedback on it?
03.08.11
As an entrepreneur looking to hire, I always look at what candidates have done that shows entrepreneurial spirit. Those efforts are the real resume. (Did you organize a party in college for 500 people, or a class trip, or did you invent something or did you have a side job website selling something, or did you code something for the open source community, etc.)
03.08.11
Great information.
The hardest part is the networking part. I'm going to find a job fair or networking event to go to soon because start-ups are not going to find me unless I follow their trail. It's going to be amazing trust me.
03.09.11
Great stuff Berrak... another tip:
find start-up events. Start-ups and established companies don't tend to mix together at career fairs, job fairs, etc. You're more likely to find them at demo days, pitch days, meet up events or anything else "start-upy" in your city.
Downside, those can be hard to find.
Upside, the events almost always involve an open bar.
03.09.11
The best talent I've been able to find comes from freelancers who have worked with fellow entrepreneurs. But, when it comes to resumes, that's my business and having your skills that match a job description should be at the forefront. Having a summary statement is key. But cover letters rarely get read by overly busy start-up staff. But, to be honest, it's so difficult to generalize w/ small companies. Culture permeates because there's less people to influence. Make sure you get along with the folks and ask around about them before even bothering to apply.
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