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Applications Open for Winter 2008 YC Funding

ycombinator.com

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Re: Applications Open for Winter 2008 YC Funding

#51

Post by andreyf »

juwo wrote: post #49
Tichy wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Part of the appeal of YC is the opportunity to learn from others...

if we are not even given any feedback as to why our applications were rejected, then it seems peremptory and a complete waste of time. Surely, they could have copy-pasted even one summary line from their evaluation sheets? It is a simple courtesy.

Agreed, something like "think more about tech question", or "think harder about innovative idea" would have taken 10 seconds, but have been significantly more valuable to an applicant - and yes, it is courteous to do favors for someone when the effort you put into it is so dwarfed by the benefit they receive.

Re: Applications Open for Winter 2008 YC Funding

#52

Post by staunch »

andreyf wrote: post #51
juwo wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

if we are not even given any feedback as to why our applications were rejected, then it seems peremptory and a complete waste of time. Surely, they could have copy-pasted even one summary line from their evaluation sheets? It is a simple courtesy.

Agreed, something like "think more about tech question", or "think harder about innovative idea" would have taken 10 seconds, but have been significantly more valuable to an applicant - and yes, it is courteous to do favors for someone when the effort you put into it is so dwarfed by the benefit they receive.

As someone who has interviewed and hired quite a few people I disagree. I don't owe a rejected candidate anything. We both knew the arrangement ahead of time and both agreed it was worthwhile. We gave each other an opportunity and both contributed time to the process. We're even.

I don't think this kind of entitlement-thinking will serve you very well. I recommend ditching it.

Re: Applications Open for Winter 2008 YC Funding

#53

Post by juwo »

staunch wrote: post #52
andreyf wrote: post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Agreed, something like "think more about tech question", or "think harder about innovative idea" would have taken 10 seconds, but have been significantly more valuable to an applicant - and yes, it is courteous to do favors for someone when the effort you put into it is so dwarfed by the benefit they receive.

As someone who has interviewed and hired quite a few people I disagree. I don't owe a rejected candidate anything. We both knew the arrangement ahead of time and both agreed it was worthwhile. We gave each other an opportunity and both contributed time to the process. We're even. I don't think this kind of entitlement-thinking will serve you very well. I recommend ditching it.

"I don't owe a rejected candidate anything"

Not in the sense of owing him an explanation, but in the decent sense of giving him feedback so he can improve.

After all, the candidate took time and trouble - it is a kindness.

An application to YC is unlike an interview; with an interview you usually know what your weakness was, or what the interviewer's hangup was.

If you consider this to be "entitlement-thinking", then does not your thinking seem arrogant?

Actually, your thinking is a sign of weakness. When the candidate is stronger than you, or your decision was flippant, then you dont want to run the risk of being proven wrong or bested. So you choose the easy way out.

Re: Applications Open for Winter 2008 YC Funding

#54

Post by staunch »

juwo wrote: post #53
staunch wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As someone who has interviewed and hired quite a few people I disagree. I don't owe a rejected candidate anything. We both knew the arrangement ahead of time and both agreed it was worthwhile. We gave each other an opportunity and both contributed time to the process. We're even. I don't think this kind of entitlement-thinking will serve you very well. I recommend ditching it.

"I don't owe a rejected candidate anything" Not in the sense of owing him an explanation, but in the decent sense of giving him feedback so he can improve. After all, the candidate took time and trouble - it is a kindness. An application to YC is unlike an interview; with an interview you usually know what your weakness was, or what the interviewer's hangup was. If you consider this to be "entitlement-thinking", then…

I would actually like to give feedback, out of friendliness and not because it's owed. Unfortunately, people with your attitude ruin it for the people that actually could handle it in a mature way.

Re: Applications Open for Winter 2008 YC Funding

#55

Post by pg »

juwo wrote: post #49
Tichy wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Part of the appeal of YC is the opportunity to learn from others...

if we are not even given any feedback as to why our applications were rejected, then it seems peremptory and a complete waste of time. Surely, they could have copy-pasted even one summary line from their evaluation sheets? It is a simple courtesy.

It would not seem courteous, believe me. Some fraction of the people who apply to YC are nuts. If you have a web site where you offer money to people who fill out an application form, nuts apply. Are we supposed to tell them they're nuts?

Re: Applications Open for Winter 2008 YC Funding

#56

Post by pg »

jsjenkins168 wrote: post #43

Did Winter applications start this early last year? PG: Given the deadline is still a long ways off, is there a preference for groups to apply early and update the application and demo along the way, or to wait until the end to apply when things are solid? Just curious..

Lately we've had a lot of people emailing us asking how to apply, so we got the w2008 application form up. Really there's no reason not to switch to the next cycle as soon as we pick the startups for the previous one.

One the whole it's probably better to update the application incrementally. You'll get more attention that way; we may even suggest ideas; and we're not likely to have time to do that if you apply the day before the deadline.

Re: Applications Open for Winter 2008 YC Funding

#57

Post by sabhishek »

pg wrote: post #27
gibsonf1 wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Those are impressively bad odds for being accepted.

They're made to look bad by how easy it is to apply. If you make a website offering people money if they fill out a form, a lot of people will fill it out. But the odds for a good team are not as bad as they might seem. At least a third of the applications are egregiously broken: 13 year old founders, people who want to "telecommute" from India, people who want us to fund their plumbing supply store, etc...

People might ask you first if its ok to "telecommute" from India, before applying. I was not aware "asking" that may put them into "egregiously broken" category :)

Re: Applications Open for Winter 2008 YC Funding

#58

Post by dbosson »

pg wrote: post #55
juwo wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

if we are not even given any feedback as to why our applications were rejected, then it seems peremptory and a complete waste of time. Surely, they could have copy-pasted even one summary line from their evaluation sheets? It is a simple courtesy.

It would not seem courteous, believe me. Some fraction of the people who apply to YC are nuts. If you have a web site where you offer money to people who fill out an application form, nuts apply. Are we supposed to tell them they're nuts?

Yes, you should be candid with people regardless of the circumstances. Doing so makes life more efficient for everyone.

Re: Applications Open for Winter 2008 YC Funding

#59

Post by far33d »

pg wrote: post #55
juwo wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

if we are not even given any feedback as to why our applications were rejected, then it seems peremptory and a complete waste of time. Surely, they could have copy-pasted even one summary line from their evaluation sheets? It is a simple courtesy.

It would not seem courteous, believe me. Some fraction of the people who apply to YC are nuts. If you have a web site where you offer money to people who fill out an application form, nuts apply. Are we supposed to tell them they're nuts?

Colleges don't tell you why you didn't get in.

Companies don't tell you why they never called you back after you sent in a resume.

Why would you expect any more from YC?

Re: Applications Open for Winter 2008 YC Funding

#60

Post by far33d »

juwo wrote: post #53
staunch wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As someone who has interviewed and hired quite a few people I disagree. I don't owe a rejected candidate anything. We both knew the arrangement ahead of time and both agreed it was worthwhile. We gave each other an opportunity and both contributed time to the process. We're even. I don't think this kind of entitlement-thinking will serve you very well. I recommend ditching it.

"I don't owe a rejected candidate anything" Not in the sense of owing him an explanation, but in the decent sense of giving him feedback so he can improve. After all, the candidate took time and trouble - it is a kindness. An application to YC is unlike an interview; with an interview you usually know what your weakness was, or what the interviewer's hangup was. If you consider this to be "entitlement-thinking", then…

A rejected YC application is much more like a trivially rejected resume than a rejected candidate who interviewed. Do you think employers have a responsibility to respond to every single resume that they get in the mail with detailed descriptions of where they can improve?

Your complaints sound more like you are sour about being turned down than anything else.

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