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How to get hired at a startup when you don't know anyone

shane.engineer

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Re: How to get hired at a startup when you don't know anyone

#11

Post by ejcx »

pibefision wrote: post #6

Why the goal is a startup? I don't undertand the obsesion of being part of something so fragil.

As an engineer, it's great being able to push code daily and see people using your work.

Young engineers normally have more responsibilities at a startup, more trial by fire. It's great fun and good for career advancement.

There are tons of reasons for and against

Re: How to get hired at a startup when you don't know anyone

#12

Post by blairbeckwith »

This is so true. It's really shocking how little effort and originality some/most people go to in getting the job they want.

I have a similar story, although nowhere near as much effort. When I was 20 and hating life in school, I really wanted to work at Shopify. At the time, they were maybe 80 people. I've never made a resume and didn't feel like that would get me noticed. Sio I simply sent a cold email to Tobi, our CEO. It was basically "Hey, Tobi. I don't know anything, and I have no skills, but I love your company and I want to be involved. Give me a chance, I'll work for free."

I got an email a week later from someone else on the team saying that I started the next week.

When I asked why, I was told "this worked because you were naive enough to think that this would work". I've been here four years now, and it's still the most important email I've ever sent. Maybe luck, maybe naivety, but I'm thrilled it's worked out.

Re: How to get hired at a startup when you don't know anyone

#14

Post by organsnyder »

goldbrick wrote: post #9
pibefision wrote: post #6

Why the goal is a startup? I don't undertand the obsesion of being part of something so fragil.

For one thing, it's probably much harder for these types of moves to make an impact when your stereotypical HR drone is handling incoming resumes -- hell, I can practically see them filing the cover letter in the standard way, the resume in the standard way, and the random hunk of metal in the standard way (garbage).

In my experience, your typical startup has its own drone handling resumes. It may not be a dedicated HR person—it could even be a fellow developer—but it's still someone with their own biases and blind spots. Engineers can certainly better understand how the demands of a position map to a candidate, but there's a tendency to "hire someone like me" that doesn't exist to the same extent with dedicated HR people.

Re: How to get hired at a startup when you don't know anyone

#16

Post by notahacker »

goldbrick wrote: post #9
pibefision wrote: post #6

Why the goal is a startup? I don't undertand the obsesion of being part of something so fragil.

For one thing, it's probably much harder for these types of moves to make an impact when your stereotypical HR drone is handling incoming resumes -- hell, I can practically see them filing the cover letter in the standard way, the resume in the standard way, and the random hunk of metal in the standard way (garbage).

True, but then if it's a 10-person startup there's also the danger that they're so amazed by your ingenuity they decide they definitely want to hire you as soon as they've closed that next round so they can afford a few more people.

Now it might be the case that you're so engaged with their mission you want to wait a few months for a below market salary offer (hey, you're obviously far too keen to negotiate it) but it might be a trick that's easier to consistently pull off with a maverick-friendly businesses with more substantial funding or revenue

Re: How to get hired at a startup when you don't know anyone

#17

Post by k-mcgrady »

I don't get why you have to go to such extremes to get hired. In my experience getting hired at a startup is like getting hired anywhere else - in fact generally it's easier. You send in a CV, attend one or two interviews (personal and technical), and get a decision. I'm not sure what it's like now but weren't companies finding it really difficult to find engineers in SV not that long ago? That should make things even easier.

Re: How to get hired at a startup when you don't know anyone

#19

Post by shloky »

Yep. I think people are getting caught up on the 'startup' part of this.

Roughly this is how I've met every mentor I've wanted to and then gone on to work with them.

Demonstrate value by investing time/effort in your interest, and build on that through communication until an opportunity to work together presents itself.

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