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

ycommonapp.com

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

#41

Post by BrandonM »

Cabal wrote: post #36
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…

Have you looked towards the East Coast in your searches at all? You sound like most of the engineers we hire.

I'd be happy to move almost anywhere (but especially coastal places because I love the ocean). In a way, that makes it almost harder to figure out where to begin the application process. Any pointers?

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

#42

Post by BrandonM »

nicholasjbs wrote: post #35
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…

Hey Brandon, I hear what you're saying. Not having an impressive GitHub/StackOverflow/etc account in no way means you aren't an awesome developer. You sound like a smart guy who knows what he's looking for. I'd suggest applying. I know none of the YC companies care about whether you have a certain number of followers on Twitter or GitHub. They want people who are smart and get stuff done.

Thanks. I'll consider submitting in spite of not having a good answer for that section.

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

#43

Post by qhoxie »

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…

I think a lot of this comes down to the company's ability to vet a candidate. I find it fortunate that I can easily find and read code that someone I am interviewing actually wrote. In most cases you can also find when he/she wrote it and in what context. This is what I am looking for, and I don't need to get it from github or the like.

Job postings are more often than not (imo) poorly worded. The main idea is that you extract what they are actually looking for, which you can in most cases. If they ask for your github account and you do not have one - tell them you don't and send them some significant code samples. If they ask for a twitter/SO account and you don't have one - say you focus most of your commentary on HN and give them your username here. I don't know of any companies that will ignore/discount you if you provide them with the data they are seeking.

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

#44

Post by BrandonM »

zaidf wrote: post #40
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…

You are mixing up too many things. You don't have to be a celeb on twitter/SO/GitHub to get into YC. In fact, I think majority of folks that get into YC aren't the most active or even active on those platforms you list. HN is full of YC founders who have very few posts. While some prominent HN members have gotten into YC, I think that is more of an exception than the rule. That does not mean that I am not talented, s…

The point is not to get into YC, but to work for a YC-funded company, or more generally, in any exciting development environment. Being a good employee requires certain skills, skills which don't always heavily overlap with the skills required to be a founder. A founder has to have drive and vision, the ability to motivate others, and the wherewithal to see things through to completion, among other things. A good employee's main traits include working efficiently and communicating effectively (in my experience, in any job).

Some people are capable of producing great work when given a little direction and prodding. Those same people may iterate endlessly and have trouble finishing things when working independently. Thus, there is an entire class of good workers who will almost by definition not have the types of independent projects that many hiring startups are so keen to see.

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

#46

Post by sliverstorm »

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…

Sadly, there will almost always be hoops, and you will almost always have to jump through them.

I know this might seem too fatalistic of an outlook, but I personally find that it's mostly true, and accepting it allows you to better deal with hoops in their various shapes and sizes. You can break the mold every now and again, and avoid the hoops, but often it's more effective to just practice your hula (hoop)

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

#47

Post by nicholasjbs »

sliverstorm wrote: post #45

I'm more of a hardware hacker myself, and many of the linked web pages tell little about the startups. Does YC fund many hardware based startups, or is it exclusively software?

The vast majority of YC companies are pure software companies, but there are a few that aren't. A couple of the companies on the YCommonApp are working on hardware, including Wattvision.

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

#48

Post by coffeemug »

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.

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

#49

Post by aaronblohowiak »

prog123hn wrote: post #14
paulsingh wrote: post #6

Pardon my ignorance, but I don't get it. Why would you want to hire someone that "sprays" their application across 25+ companies?

Why do you see Glade advertise Glade PlugIns on prime time television? Because sometimes you turn on the television to watch True Blood and still decide to buy a Glade PlugIn. This model helps centralize the process for the popular companies, and it gives the less popular ones access to quality candidates. Everyone has a hiring problem.

True blood is on hbo; no commecials

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

#50

Post by zaidf »

BrandonM wrote: post #44
zaidf wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You are mixing up too many things. You don't have to be a celeb on twitter/SO/GitHub to get into YC. In fact, I think majority of folks that get into YC aren't the most active or even active on those platforms you list. HN is full of YC founders who have very few posts. While some prominent HN members have gotten into YC, I think that is more of an exception than the rule. That does not mean that I am not talented, s…

The point is not to get into YC, but to work for a YC-funded company, or more generally, in any exciting development environment. Being a good employee requires certain skills, skills which don't always heavily overlap with the skills required to be a founder. A founder has to have drive and vision, the ability to motivate others, and the wherewithal to see things through to completion, among other things. A good emp…

My bad. I totally misread this whole thread. I thought this was a common application for all YC-like programs. Totally botched it there. Sorry!
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