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YCommonApp: Apply to 25+ YC-funded startups in under 10 minutes

ycommonapp.com

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61–70 of 75 posts

Re: YCommonApp: Apply to 25+ YC-funded startups in under 10 minutes

#61

Post by catch23 »

nicholasjbs wrote: post #25
tomh- wrote: post #22

As much as I love seeing other people on video, this method of applying for jobs is not for everyone. Somehow I feel really uncomfortable when there are cameras pointing at me.

There are two versions of the YCommonApp: one with video, and one without. You can apply using whichever you choose. That said, we think the one with video is much more powerful. None of the YC companies are looking for slick presentations, just good hackers, so the videos should be pretty informal and conversational.

Video is more powerful potentially, but it's also very hard to "edit". I remember applying to YC via a video app and I probably had to redo the video at least 10 times before I felt satisfied with it. It's easier to just edit text with a mouse cursor than it is to edit video. Speaking into a camera isn't very natural, so it's hard for me to create such a video in a single take, however this problem probably wouldn't occur if it was a talking head that I was speaking to.

Re: YCommonApp: Apply to 25+ YC-funded startups in under 10 minutes

#62

Post by BrandonM »

coffeemug wrote: post #48
BrandonM wrote: post #32

I feel a bit frustrated with the startup application process. The (very common) question, "List any links that will let us know who you are. For example, projects you've worked on or links to your GitHub, StackOverflow, Twitter, blog, website, etc." always seems to hold a lot of weight while being tangent to the work I would expect to be doing. I don't have a GitHub, I'm not a StackOverflow member, I'm not on Twitter…

We're one of the companies that will hire people through the YCommonApp, and we don't care if you're on twitter, github, stackoverflow, have a blog or a website, and whether you've played with RoR, Django, Clojure, or some other flavor of the week technology. Being damn good at what you do is more than enough for us.

OK, thanks for the data point. Thanks in large part to the comments of you and others, I went ahead submitted my application. Unfortunately, the only way you could know that I'm damn good at whatever work I'm doing (whether that be serving, bartending, tutoring, valet parking, programming, or working in a steel mill) is to accept my word and give me some work to do. :)

Re: YCommonApp: Apply to 25+ YC-funded startups in under 10 minutes

#63

Post by BrandonM »

dschobel wrote: post #29
pg wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why would you turn away someone good because they'd applied to other companies?

As an employer, wouldn't you demand someone be interested in the specific problems you're trying to solve though? Do kids who want to be part of $generic_sexy_yc_startup last long? (that's a sincere, non-rhetorical question)

I don't consider myself a kid anymore, but I'd still love to be part of a startup. The opportunity to work with smart individuals in a sensible environment is pretty huge. The potential to learn a lot about what is required in running a startup is another thing. The ability to make a good living while doing something cool is yet another.

I'm one of those people who doesn't particularly care what startup I work for. As long as it's not a spamming site or something else that generally makes the world a worse place, I'd be excited to work there.

If I wanted to solve problems I was interested in, I'd be a Ph.D. student, create a personal project, start my own startup, or get a completely unrelated job while programming in my spare time. Right now (for the next few years, at least) I just want to make some good, reasonably-steady money while providing value in a job that I enjoy. The specific problems I'd be solving have very little bearing on my thought process right now.

Re: YCommonApp: Apply to 25+ YC-funded startups in under 10 minutes

#64

Post by rahulvohra »

bosch wrote: post #55

So I'm just wondering if any of these companies hire foreigners? Specifically Canadians. But if there could be some info up to let people know if they'll consider applications from outside the US that would be awesome so then some people don't waste time submitting a resume.

I think you should submit. For a great hire, a great start-up will pull out the stops and help you sort out an appropriate visa.

Re: YCommonApp: Apply to 25+ YC-funded startups in under 10 minutes

#65

Post by pbiggar »

bosch wrote: post #55

So I'm just wondering if any of these companies hire foreigners? Specifically Canadians. But if there could be some info up to let people know if they'll consider applications from outside the US that would be awesome so then some people don't waste time submitting a resume.

There are lots of YC companies who have hired foreigners, and have paid for the H1B, T1N, etc. (I'm basing this on the YC mailing list traffic). It seems to happen frequently.

Re: YCommonApp: Apply to 25+ YC-funded startups in under 10 minutes

#66

Post by pbiggar »

stevejobs wrote: post #17

Why would one apply to a YComb job when if one is skilled enough he can apply to YComb itself?

Being an employee is significantly less risk and less stress than being a founder. Most of these companies have funding, traction, and a real product. It's different than being given $17K to make something of yourself, and presumably appeals to different people.

Re: YCommonApp: Apply to 25+ YC-funded startups in under 10 minutes

#67

Post by mike-cardwell »

BrandonM wrote: post #32

I feel a bit frustrated with the startup application process. The (very common) question, "List any links that will let us know who you are. For example, projects you've worked on or links to your GitHub, StackOverflow, Twitter, blog, website, etc." always seems to hold a lot of weight while being tangent to the work I would expect to be doing. I don't have a GitHub, I'm not a StackOverflow member, I'm not on Twitter…

What they're asking for is basically a portfolio. You don't need a portfolio to get a good job, but it helps. Perhaps you should spend some time putting one together.

Re: YCommonApp: Apply to 25+ YC-funded startups in under 10 minutes

#68

Post by euroclydon »

pg wrote: post #51
euroclydon wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because it's P.R. for HiveHire. Why does P.G. use Posterous sometimes?

Actually I didn't tell the 25 startups to use HireHive. The HireHive founders convinced them. It was easy because they're all desperate to hire. And Posterous I use because I genuinely like it. Before Posterous we never blogged at all, because it seemed like too much trouble.

Yeah, I didn't think you told them to use it. I've just noticed that the YC community seems to use eachother's products in order to achieve a compounding synergy-type effect, even if it sometime seems a bit odd, like this.

Also, I didn't draw the distinction between your essay site and "blogging." Makes sense now.

Re: YCommonApp: Apply to 25+ YC-funded startups in under 10 minutes

#69

Post by alttab »

coffeemug wrote: post #48
BrandonM wrote: post #32

I feel a bit frustrated with the startup application process. The (very common) question, "List any links that will let us know who you are. For example, projects you've worked on or links to your GitHub, StackOverflow, Twitter, blog, website, etc." always seems to hold a lot of weight while being tangent to the work I would expect to be doing. I don't have a GitHub, I'm not a StackOverflow member, I'm not on Twitter…

We're one of the companies that will hire people through the YCommonApp, and we don't care if you're on twitter, github, stackoverflow, have a blog or a website, and whether you've played with RoR, Django, Clojure, or some other flavor of the week technology. Being damn good at what you do is more than enough for us.

Companies that require those things do so because they aren't themselves able to spot talent.

Would you want to work for those people?

Re: YCommonApp: Apply to 25+ YC-funded startups in under 10 minutes

#70

Post by JabavuAdams »

BrandonM wrote: post #63
dschobel wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As an employer, wouldn't you demand someone be interested in the specific problems you're trying to solve though? Do kids who want to be part of $generic_sexy_yc_startup last long? (that's a sincere, non-rhetorical question)

I don't consider myself a kid anymore, but I'd still love to be part of a startup. The opportunity to work with smart individuals in a sensible environment is pretty huge. The potential to learn a lot about what is required in running a startup is another thing. The ability to make a good living while doing something cool is yet another. I'm one of those people who doesn't particularly care what startup I work for. A…

Right now (for the next few years, at least) I just want to make some good, reasonably-steady money while providing value in a job that I enjoy. The specific problems I'd be solving have very little bearing on my thought process right now.

Um, it sounds like you really don't want to work for a startup. And, that's not a bad thing.

Perhaps you've been oversold on the startupian == special forces, genco employee == demoralized grunt attitude that's common on sites like this.

The opportunity to work with smart individuals in a sensible environment is pretty huge.

There is no generic startup, and many startups are far from sensible!

All that said, I'm in week two of my startup, but it's because I have an unbearable, pathological, un-fucking-reasonable need to work for myself.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with steady and sensible, but you're not likely to find it by generically applying to startups.

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