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Finding jobs with startups

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Re: Finding jobs with startups

#11

Post by Tichy »

gyro_robo wrote: post #8
staunch wrote: post #7

A whole lot of startups post on Craigslist. Searching for "startup", "funded", etc works pretty well. Quite a few totally legit early-stage startups post there. http://sfbay.craigslist.org/search/sof?query=startup&format=rss

One post I read, and I'm sure there are others like it, are from people with some great idea (secret, of course) and they need someone to actually do it. Those crack me up -- what are they even bringing to the table? "You do all the work, and we'll give you a small percentage."

There is more to a startup than just code. For example, from the sounds of it the producer currently seems to be the person with the highest workload at justin.tv (except for Justin, who is working 24/7).

Re: Finding jobs with startups

#12

Post by dpapathanasiou »

dfranke wrote: post #2

A hacker friend asked me a while ago how to find a job with a startup, and it bothers me that I've never been able to give him a satisfactory answer. I wanted to respond "through friends" but that's not very helpful to someone who isn't as well-connected, which he isn't because he made the mistake of taking a mind-numbing job when he left college and losing touch with his classmates. Startups don't often hire recruit…

Find VCs and ask which of their portfolio companies are hiring -- VCs are actually quite approachable if you're not trying to get them to fund your company!

So go to tech meetups, web conferences, etc. or network through friends and alumni.

Another way: most of the "cutting edge" startup blogs (37signals, GigaOm, Venture Beat, etc.) have job listings that you can subscribe to by RSS.

One tracker at SeekSift -- http://www.seeksift.com/xml/BE9a28987F/rss.xml -- is using most of those sources for its results, so you could subscribe to it, or create your own.

(Disclaimer: my own startup is behind SeekSift.com)

Re: Finding jobs with startups

#13

Post by Sam_Odio »

dfranke wrote: post #2

A hacker friend asked me a while ago how to find a job with a startup, and it bothers me that I've never been able to give him a satisfactory answer. I wanted to respond "through friends" but that's not very helpful to someone who isn't as well-connected, which he isn't because he made the mistake of taking a mind-numbing job when he left college and losing touch with his classmates. Startups don't often hire recruit…

Many VCs actually post their portfolio's job openings on their website:

- Sequoia: http://www.hireloop.com/sequoia%2Denterprise/careers/portfolio_careers_home.asp?fnc=comp

- Kleiner Perkins: http://www.hireloop.com/kpcb/careers/portfolio_careers_home.asp

- First Round: http://www.firstround.com/openings.html

You might want to try to find a list of reputable VCs and google their websites for any job portfolios.

Re: Finding jobs with startups

#16

Post by dfranke »

JohnN wrote: post #9
staunch wrote: post #7

A whole lot of startups post on Craigslist. Searching for "startup", "funded", etc works pretty well. Quite a few totally legit early-stage startups post there. http://sfbay.craigslist.org/search/sof?query=startup&format=rss

the best way in the UK i find is just to send an email with your CV. Agree to work for free for a while (month?) as a tester, they will love that your enthusiasm and if you dont get a permanent job, at least you would have learnt somethin.

Work free for a month? That's insane. Steer clear of any company that expects that.

Re: Finding jobs with startups

#18

Post by Sam_Odio »

Sam_Odio wrote: post #13
dfranke wrote: post #2

A hacker friend asked me a while ago how to find a job with a startup, and it bothers me that I've never been able to give him a satisfactory answer. I wanted to respond "through friends" but that's not very helpful to someone who isn't as well-connected, which he isn't because he made the mistake of taking a mind-numbing job when he left college and losing touch with his classmates. Startups don't often hire recruit…

Many VCs actually post their portfolio's job openings on their website: - Sequoia: http://www.hireloop.com/sequoia%2Denterprise/careers/portfolio_careers_home.asp?fnc=comp - Kleiner Perkins: http://www.hireloop.com/kpcb/careers/portfolio_careers_home.asp - First Round: http://www.firstround.com/openings.html You might want to try to find a list of reputable VCs and google their websites for any job portfolios.

Also, I was able to find my job this summer by just checking out the websites of startups I'd want to work for. The first thing most startups do when trying to hire is post job descriptions on their site.

Re: Finding jobs with startups

#19

Post by neurokinetikz »

For me, it's been a combination of craigslist and the network of people that I have worked with in the past.

Having worked for 9 companies in the last 10 years, I've found that it's more about who you know than what you know.

And if you are well connected in the internet industry AND talented, startups will find you.

Also, get your resume on the web and let the search engines index it. You'd be surprised at how many random searches will lead people to it.

Re: Finding jobs with startups

#20

Post by geebee »

Would most founders be interested in finding programmers through the traditional job posting/resume/interview process? I'm thinking that to get a crack at working with really excellent programmers and founders, you probably need to be connected through a network and known a bit by reputation. No, you don't have to be famous, just respected and known by a group of good peers.

I take a particular interst in this question because I'm working on a project (that doesn't deserve to be called a startup, but maybe it could be), and I need someone with kick-ass UI design and graphics skills (I wrote the backend myself, but it looks lame). I'll go through my blurred social/professional networks to see who would be into it.

Then again, I'm just looking for someone I already know and like who would dig the project and maybe want to make something of it. An actual job job, the kind that pays money, can probably afford to be more formal about this sort of thing. But would you want to be? Seems safer to go through those blurry networks at an early stage, where one bad programmer can drag everything down. and one good one can rev it up fast.

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