Ask HN: Why don't more UK graduates want to join start-ups?

#1

Post by ian » Wed, Oct 26, 2011, 9:58 AM UTC

Last May we organised a recruitment fair in London for UK hackers to meet local start-ups. YC companies included Lanyrd, Songkick, Tuxebo and Webmyd. It got more traction than we expected with hundreds of attendees. More details at www.siliconmilkroundabout.com

We announced a follow up event this Sunday that has had a strange response pattern. We've had thousands of registrations, but they're mostly from experienced developers rather than current students and recent graduates. My personal goal for the event is to help graduates see that there are more options out there than just the obvious banking/consulting/Google routes so I'm trying to make sure we also reach current students.

The event is free to attend, showcases 500+ roles at over 100 UK based start-ups from Mind Candy to Shazam but hasn't yet gotten real traction at universities across the UK despite hitting mailing lists, flyering etc.

Does anyone on hacker news have any ideas on how we could increase awareness of the event amongst current UK CS students? Do we have to take the event to campuses like the banks do with their milkrounds?

If you're a UK CS or engineering student have you heard about the event? If not what would have been the best way to reach you? What career options are more visible on campus (banks, Google etc)?

Thanks! Ian (co-founder Songkick)

Re: Ask HN: Why don't more UK graduates want to join start-ups?

#2

Post by robfitz » Wed, Oct 26, 2011, 10:08 AM UTC

I think a lot of students just aren't aware it's possible... All through uni, literally zero people told me startups even existed as an option. No professor, no career counsellor, no guest speaker... nobody.

I accidentally signed up for a course called "project proposal" thinking it was about submitting research to conferences, but it was actually about pitching ideas to VCs. Rocked my world.

Although it wasn't quite what I imagine they were hoping for, I dropped out after that semester and have spent the last 5 years happily entrenched in startups.

My best guess would be that they do not know the option exists and/or they do not believe they can do it. It does and they can.

So spread the word!

Re: Ask HN: Why don't more UK graduates want to join start-ups?

#3

Post by Peroni » Wed, Oct 26, 2011, 10:15 AM UTC

robfitz wrote: post #2

I think a lot of students just aren't aware it's possible... All through uni, literally zero people told me startups even existed as an option. No professor, no career counsellor, no guest speaker... nobody. I accidentally signed up for a course called "project proposal" thinking it was about submitting research to conferences, but it was actually about pitching ideas to VCs. Rocked my world. Although it wasn't quite…

Plus there is also the legacy fear that start-ups are a risk. Students aim for big companies and recognised brands as it's entrenched in their psyche that they must build a decent CV from the minute they step out into the big bad world.

Re: Ask HN: Why don't more UK graduates want to join start-ups?

#4

Post by ian » Wed, Oct 26, 2011, 10:18 AM UTC

robfitz wrote: post #2

I think a lot of students just aren't aware it's possible... All through uni, literally zero people told me startups even existed as an option. No professor, no career counsellor, no guest speaker... nobody. I accidentally signed up for a course called "project proposal" thinking it was about submitting research to conferences, but it was actually about pitching ideas to VCs. Rocked my world. Although it wasn't quite…

That was my experience too. I studied machine learning at Cambridge and didn't know a single person from my class or years above me doing anything other than a phd, joining microsoft research (who were aggressively for computer vision grads then) or joining a completely different field like management consultancy or banking. Looking back I would have loved to join Skype or Last.fm then, but had no idea that they were hiring for people like me.

Re: Ask HN: Why don't more UK graduates want to join start-ups?

#5

Post by r4vik » Wed, Oct 26, 2011, 10:18 AM UTC

robfitz wrote: post #2

I think a lot of students just aren't aware it's possible... All through uni, literally zero people told me startups even existed as an option. No professor, no career counsellor, no guest speaker... nobody. I accidentally signed up for a course called "project proposal" thinking it was about submitting research to conferences, but it was actually about pitching ideas to VCs. Rocked my world. Although it wasn't quite…

Exactly, in my final year we'd be inundated by almost daily visits from the likes of KPMG, Logica, Accenture, Microsoft, HP, Goldman Sachs, Deutsche Bank etc telling us why we should work for them.

I only realised that startups were an option after being embedded in the London tech community for a while.

Things like Silicon Milkroundabout http://siliconmilkroundabout.com/ and http://www.workinstartups.com/ are great, but I think they only work for people who are already interested in working in startups.

As a community we might need to start doing outreach to Universities and attending their careers fairs to really get the message out there.

Re: Ask HN: Why don't more UK graduates want to join start-ups?

#6

Post by randomhero2k » Wed, Oct 26, 2011, 10:20 AM UTC

I have only just heard about this event and only because a friend sent me this article on twitter. I have had a quick search but can't find any accounts for this event on twitter. If you guys had an account you could send us details on there then with one retweet, all my coursemates would know about it.

Re: Ask HN: Why don't more UK graduates want to join start-ups?

#7

Post by ian » Wed, Oct 26, 2011, 10:20 AM UTC

Peroni wrote: post #3

robfitz wrote: post #2

I think a lot of students just aren't aware it's possible... All through uni, literally zero people told me startups even existed as an option. No professor, no career counsellor, no guest speaker... nobody. I accidentally signed up for a course called "project proposal" thinking it was about submitting research to conferences, but it was actually about pitching ideas to VCs. Rocked my world. Although it wasn't quite…

Plus there is also the legacy fear that start-ups are a risk. Students aim for big companies and recognised brands as it's entrenched in their psyche that they must build a decent CV from the minute they step out into the big bad world.

I think that's somewhat mitigated as the UK develops a few more household name brand start-ups like Moshi Monsters and Shazam but I agree it's an issue.

I think the key point we need to make there is that as a developer you want to go wherever you'll learn the most, and start-ups credibly offer that - both by exposure to the broader aspects of building a successful business and also by density of talent.

Re: Ask HN: Why don't more UK graduates want to join start-ups?

#8

Post by dcaunt » Wed, Oct 26, 2011, 10:21 AM UTC

Have you contacted universities directly? I studied at the University of Birmingham and they had a named contact for getting in touch with students. That person often forwarded relevant communication (job opportunities, recruitment events) to us and I took my first job based on one of those emails.

I agree with robfitz that people don't talk about startups. The companies that do the milkround are the usual suspects. Accenture, Deloitte, Procter and Gamble etc...

Re: Ask HN: Why don't more UK graduates want to join start-ups?

#9

Post by hailpixel » Wed, Oct 26, 2011, 10:22 AM UTC

I'm a founder of Lyst, one of the companies who will be involved in the event. I have two theories about why the traction for so-to-be graduates hasn't been amazing.

1) Location. While London is definitely business and cultural center of Britain, I believe it's a bit of a slog for students to travel down to the recruitments fair, especially since most of the best universities are located outside of the city. SO going to them would definitely help.

2) Most of the companies pitching are relatively unknown to the general masses. My best hires are people who either approached us because they like why we're doing, or people in my professional circles. Professional developers fit nicely into these two buckets, were most students don't. Great companies like Tuxebo and Conversocial don't really have mass appeal. Subsequently, it's hard to get a student who doesn't truly understand the company/space excited about being a part of the team.

The second problem is even further exacerbated as early startups don't want "employees". They want "Employee #1"; someone who is passionate and ready to help push the company forward.

It's a tricky problem.

Re: Ask HN: Why don't more UK graduates want to join start-ups?

#10

Post by ian » Wed, Oct 26, 2011, 10:22 AM UTC

randomhero2k wrote: post #6

I have only just heard about this event and only because a friend sent me this article on twitter. I have had a quick search but can't find any accounts for this event on twitter. If you guys had an account you could send us details on there then with one retweet, all my coursemates would know about it.

We have set up a twitter about the event, and would love if you could help retweet it to your coursemates. It's here: http://twitter.com/#!/milkroundabout

Which university are you currently studying at, and outside of twitter, what would have been the best way to help make you and your classmates aware of the event?