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How to Land a Job at a Startup (Even if you live in the middle of nowhere)

lukethomas.com

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Re: How to Land a Job at a Startup (Even if you live in the middle of nowhere)

#21

Post by tjbiddle »

minimaxir wrote: post #18
drakaal wrote: post #15

If you want a great startup to work at you have to find the start up that fits you. And invest. Not dollars directly, dollars in your pocket. Move. Live cheap. Take less salary and more equity. There are startups on both coasts, and a few in the middle. But the most important thing is that you find a job you like in a company you believe in that you think can go somewhere.

Take less salary and more equity. ...why?

I think what he was trying to get at is that a lot of smaller startups can't afford to pay a higher salary - and in turn offer more equity. These may be great companies to work for, and the point being made is to not right them off simply due to salary.

Correct me if I'm wrong, of course.

Re: How to Land a Job at a Startup (Even if you live in the middle of nowhere)

#22

Post by morgante »

lukethomas wrote: post #20
morgante wrote: post #19

Beyond being extremely generic, his advice underplays the importance of deliberate practice at coding. Honestly, if you can hack, the jobs will come. Sure, you might need to network a little, but the skills are the basis. Nobody from my school with technical chops is unemployed or without good internships. Meanwhile all the students who network and promote themselves but don't code are stuck in unpaid internship afte…

For what it's worth, I've worked nearly full-time at a local web design shop doing "light" development (essentially building a WordPress site from a PSD) in addition to my college classes. I probably should have mentioned that in my post.

Fair enough. I did the same in high school, and it's certainly a good start.

However, if people really want to be hired, they should focus on developing serious tech chops. ie. more than just slicing PSDs.

Re: How to Land a Job at a Startup (Even if you live in the middle of nowhere)

#23

Post by BudVVeezer »

lukethomas wrote: post #8
pyre wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There are plenty of places with dirt roads that are a 1-2 hour drive from Toronto, so I wouldn't exactly say that "living on a dirt road" provides enough information.

True - I lived here for 13 years of my life ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lagrange,_Maine ), and was on dial up internet until my freshman year of college.

You should try coming into Bangor for the Maine Hacker Club meetings; we host them weekly and it's a great way to network in the middle of nowhere. ;-)

http://www.hackmaine.org/

Re: How to Land a Job at a Startup (Even if you live in the middle of nowhere)

#24

Post by lukethomas »

BudVVeezer wrote: post #23
lukethomas wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

True - I lived here for 13 years of my life ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lagrange,_Maine ), and was on dial up internet until my freshman year of college.

You should try coming into Bangor for the Maine Hacker Club meetings; we host them weekly and it's a great way to network in the middle of nowhere. ;-) http://www.hackmaine.org/

I've been before! Unfortunately my schedule doesn't jive well as I have class on meeting nights.

Re: How to Land a Job at a Startup (Even if you live in the middle of nowhere)

#25

Post by jimmaswell »

drakaal wrote: post #15

If you want a great startup to work at you have to find the start up that fits you. And invest. Not dollars directly, dollars in your pocket. Move. Live cheap. Take less salary and more equity. There are startups on both coasts, and a few in the middle. But the most important thing is that you find a job you like in a company you believe in that you think can go somewhere.

On the east coast, huh? What about New York?

Re: How to Land a Job at a Startup (Even if you live in the middle of nowhere)

#26

Post by drakaal »

tjbiddle wrote: post #21
minimaxir wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Take less salary and more equity. ...why?

I think what he was trying to get at is that a lot of smaller startups can't afford to pay a higher salary - and in turn offer more equity. These may be great companies to work for, and the point being made is to not right them off simply due to salary. Correct me if I'm wrong, of course.

That was the idea. If you really want the start up experience a great team on folding tables is better than a place with weekly massages, and a snack room with a yogourt machine that is living on hype.

Re: How to Land a Job at a Startup (Even if you live in the middle of nowhere)

#27

Post by drakaal »

jimmaswell wrote: post #25
drakaal wrote: post #15

If you want a great startup to work at you have to find the start up that fits you. And invest. Not dollars directly, dollars in your pocket. Move. Live cheap. Take less salary and more equity. There are startups on both coasts, and a few in the middle. But the most important thing is that you find a job you like in a company you believe in that you think can go somewhere.

On the east coast, huh? What about New York?

NYC, Boston, both great start up communities, but Miami also has some interesting startups.

Re: How to Land a Job at a Startup (Even if you live in the middle of nowhere)

#28

Post by eropple »

jkl9 wrote: post #4

This is rather shallow and superficial- nothing new besides blanket general advice and personal anecdotes. Seems like self-promotion to be honest. The "do this because I did and it's great and I work at a super cool startup now!!" is rather nauseating- how did this reach the front page?

I know Luke a little bit from school and I can vouch for the guy that he's not in it just for self-promotion. The stuff he says isn't really novel if you've been out of school for a while, sure, but I'd bet that there are a lot of people reading HN who haven't had the experiences you've had.

Re: How to Land a Job at a Startup (Even if you live in the middle of nowhere)

#29

Post by eropple »

Ives wrote: post #2

I think we might have different definitions of living in the middle of nowhere. If you live in the middle of nowhere, how are you supposed to get contracting work? I guess it's possible to work 100% remotely, but in my experience most companies would like to meet you at least once before hiring you. I'm not saying it's impossible, but it's not easy as someone in college (unless you want to go the hire-me-for-a-dollar…

Luke and I both come from pretty similar areas in Maine, and while I can't speak for him, I lived three miles from the nearest convenience store (30 from the nearest Wal-Mart) and I was scrapping to get paid for writing code from about age 16.

I did pretty well during school through contracting. Some of it was due to family networks--for example, my dad did a lot of work for a Congressional candidate, I did his website and donation architecture--and I wouldn't really call my Summer of Code stuff "consulting" but I was very much a contract employee of Google for the summer.

Re: How to Land a Job at a Startup (Even if you live in the middle of nowhere)

#30

Post by eropple »

BudVVeezer wrote: post #23
lukethomas wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

True - I lived here for 13 years of my life ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lagrange,_Maine ), and was on dial up internet until my freshman year of college.

You should try coming into Bangor for the Maine Hacker Club meetings; we host them weekly and it's a great way to network in the middle of nowhere. ;-) http://www.hackmaine.org/

++ to this; I visited a couple times when I was in school and they're friendly folks. I don't get up there much except to visit family anymore, but if you're in the area it's worth checking out.
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