The Ultimate Guide To Getting Any Startup Jobworkingforwonka.com/subscribe/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Ultima… · notion of a standard resume, of mass mailings, of dealing with HR

The Ultimate Guide

to Getting Any

Startup Job

By Kathy Ver Eecke

™ & © 2012

40 entrepreneurs tell you how to get hired today

WorkingForWonka.com 2

The Ultimate Guide to Getting Any Startup Job

“Most advice about job seeking is

oriented around big companies. The

notion of a standard resume, of mass

mailings, of dealing with HR departments—even the idea of

interviews—is all built around the Fortune 500.

Alas, the Fortune 500 has been responsible for a net loss of jobs over

the last twenty years. All the growth (and your best chance to get

hired) is from companies you’ve probably never heard of. And when

the hirer is also the owner, the rule are very different.”

– Seth Godin blog, “How to Get a Job with a Small Company”

Seth Godin

http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2011/10/how-to-get-a-job-with-a-small-company.htmlhttp:/sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2011/10/how-to-get-a-job-with-a-small-company.html



Not Your Father’s Job Search. When it comes to getting a job with a startup, you

better not be using the same old, tired job search tactics your dad used twenty years ago. Cause

you know where that will get you? Sitting on the same old couch, with your same old tired dad. (No

offense Dad.)

As Seth Godin says, when it comes to getting a job with a startup, the rules are different. Everything

about the company is different. Starting at the top, with the entrepreneur. Which is where you

should start, with the entrepreneur. To get a startup job you must understand the mindset of the

entrepreneur boss; understand what they are, and what aren’t, looking for from a potential hire.

You may be surprised by what you discover, like the fact that they’re looking for prospective

employees to contact them directly regardless of the level of job you’re applying for. Really.

And you may be surprised by what they’re not looking for, like resumes. They hate them. Really.

But don’t take my word for it. Let the following 40 entrepreneurs tell you exactly what you should

and shouldn’t do to get a job with a startup. Then go get that job.



Table of Content

Section 1: Stalk Me

Entrepreneur tip #1 – Steven Sashen - CEO, Feel the World, Inc.

Entrepreneur tip #2 – Arjun Dev Arora – Founder, Retargeter

Entrepreneur tip #3 – Jay El-Kaake - CEO, Sweet Tooth Rewards

Entrepreneur tip #4 – Caroline Callaway - President, Bolt Public Relations

Entrepreneur tip #5 – Brooke Braswell - Principal, CanWeNetwork, LLC

Entrepreneur tip #6 – Pamela O’Hara - CEO, Batchbook

Section 2: Show, Don’t Tell

Entrepreneur tip #7 – Sandip Singh - Founder and CEO, Go Get Funding

Entrepreneur tip #8 – Jake Cohen - Co-founder, Privy

Entrepreneur tip #9 – Raj Sheth - Co-founder & CEO, Recruiter Box

Entrepreneur tip #10 – Alex Schiff - Co-founder & CEO, Fetchnotes

Entrepreneur tip #11 – Kenny Kadar - Founder and CEO, Night Tap

Entrepreneur tip #12 – Anthony Feint - Founder, Pen.io

Entrepreneur tip #13 – Larry Kim - Founder and CTO, WordStream

Entrepreneur tip #14 – Karen Fuqua – President, Fuqua & Associates

http://www.invisibleshoe.com/

http://www.retargeter.com/

http://www.sweettoothrewards.com/

http://www.boltpr.com/

http://www.canwenetwork.com/

http://www.batchbook.com/

http://gogetfunding.com/

http://www.getprivy.com/

http://recruiterbox.com/

http://www.fetchnotes.com/

http://www.nighttap.com/

http://pen.io/

http://www.wordstream.com/

http://fuquaconsultinggroup.com/



Section 2: Love Me, Love My Company

Entrepreneur tip #15 – Tiffany James - CEO, UndercoverWear

Entrepreneur tip #16 – Patrick C. Brown - Founder, Occam Education

Entrepreneur tip #17 – Raj Sheth - Co-founder & CEO, Recruiter Box

Entrepreneur tip #18 – Yael Levey - Founder, dreamBIGLY

Entrepreneur tip #19 – Bryant Quan - CEO, Slickdeals, Inc.

Entrepreneur tip #20 – Mike Astringer - Founder and CEO, Human Capital Consultants, Inc.

Section 3: Be Flexible

Entrepreneur tip #21 – Dana Marlowe - Principal Partner, Accessibility Partners, LLC

Entrepreneur tip #22 – Robert G. Rose - Founder & Exec Producer, AIM Tell-A-Vision Group

Entrepreneur tip #23 – Brett Brohl - CEO, Scrubadoo

Entrepreneur tip #24 – John Max Miller - CEO, GrandSlam Alley, Inc.

Entrepreneur tip #25 – Jennifer Ryan - Motivating Force, Create New Order, Inc.

Entrepreneur tip #26 – Shara Senderoff - Co-founder and CEO, Intern Sushi

Entrepreneur tip #27 – Sam Zietz – CEO, American Bancard

http://www.undercoverwear.com/

http://www.occameducation.com/


http://www.dreambigly.com/

http://www.slickdeals.net/

http://www.humancapitalconsultants.com/

http://www.accessibilitypartners.com/

http://www.aimtvgroup.com/

http://www.scrubadoo.com/

http://www.grandslamalley.com/

http://www.createneworder.com/

http://www.internsushi.com/

http://www.americanbancard.com/



Section 4: Stand up & Stand Out

Entrepreneur tip #28 – Kari DePhillips- Co-founder, The Content Factory

Entrepreneur tip #29 – Brennan White - Co-founder and Managing Director, Pandemic Labs

Entrepreneur tip #30 – Todd Davis - CEO, Lifelock

Entrepreneur tip #31 – Craig Bloem - Founder & CEO, FreeLogoService.com

Entrepreneur tip #32 – Brian Leventhal – Co-founder & CEO, Brooklyn Winery

Entrepreneur tip #33 – Justin Palmer - Founder & CEO, MedSaverCard

Entrepreneur tip #34 – Martha McCarthy - Co-founder & Managing Partner, The Social Lights, LLC

Entrepreneur tip #35 – Mike Scanlin – CEO, Born to Sell

Entrepreneur tip #36 – Suki Shah - Co-founder and CEO, GetHired

Section 5: Save a Tree

Entrepreneur tip #37 – Reese Pacheco, co-founder & CEO Shelby.tv

Entrepreneur tip #38 – Chuck Dietrich, CEO Sliderocket

Entrepreneur tip #39 – Brandt Page, Founder & CEO Launch Leads

Entrepreneur tip #40 – Michael Brooks, Founder LifeKraze

Lastly – Scott Mitchell, CEO of Organic Salon Systems

http://contentfac.com/

http://www.pandemiclabs.com/

http://www.lifelock.com/

http://www.freelogoservices.com/

http://bkwinery.com/

http://www.medsavercard.com/

http://www.thesocial-lights.com/

https://www.borntosell.com/

http://www.gethired.com/

http://shelby.tv/

http://www.sliderocket.com/

http://www.launchleads.com/

http://lifekraze.com/

http://www.organicsalonsystems.com/



Entrepreneurs are busy. Don’t have time to go to

the bathroom, busy. So if you want to get their

attention, you need to get in front of them. Know

where they live on-line. Tweet them. Track their Facebook

timeline. Attend the conferences they attend. Then get in their face and tell them why you

want to work for them. And then tell them again. Repeatedly.

Sound like the beginnings of a restraining order? You’d be surprised; check out what these

six entrepreneurs say about it.

Tip #1: Steven Sashen – CEO, Feel the World, Inc.

“Keep beating down the door until they say YES. In fact, we won't hire anyone unless they repeatedly

ask to work for us. Begging is even better. And if you don't fit what we're looking for, we'll find

something for you... if you ask often enough. Enthusiasm is the most important job skill that we

look for. Evangelism is an even better one.”

stalk me

http://workingforwonka.com/interviewing-for-a-job-with-an-entrepreneur/

http://workingforwonka.com/interviewing-for-a-job-with-an-entrepreneur/

http://www.invisibleshoe.com/



Tip #2: Arjun Dev Arora – Founder & CEO, Retargeter

“Make the effort to actually connect with us…The networking component is the most important

piece [of getting a startup job]. Whether that’s going to MeetUps, events, conferences, getting

introduced through friend’s of friends…that’s probably the best and easiest way to get a job with a

startup.”

Tip #3: Jay El-Kaake – CEO, Sweet Tooth Rewards

“Engage the company/entrepreneur on Twitter, and make commentary about what they do (make it

positive). Once the company responds to engagement, ask for a meeting over coffee. We don't have

time to go over resumes and applications. We hate it.” Click to share this tip: Facebook | tweet

Tip #4: Caroline Callaway – President, Bolt Public Relations

“Follow me on Twitter and RT what you find interesting; like my company on Facebook and

comment on interesting posts; connect with me on LinkedIn; leave comments on my blog; send me

a handwritten note, maybe congratulating me on the startup or recent success; find out what

organizations I'm a part of and attend the events; drop me emails with interesting articles; and

http://www.retargeter.com/

http://www.sweettoothrewards.com/

http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?s=100&p%5Btitle%5D=Ultimate%20Guide%20to%20Getting%20any%20Startup%20Job&p%5Bsummary%5D=40%20entrepreneurs%20tell%20how%20to%20get%20hired%20now.%20(Tip%203)%20%E2%80%9CEngage%20the%20company/entrepreneur%20on%20Twitter,%20and%20make%20commentary%20about%C2%A0what%20they%20do%20(make%20it%20positive).%20Once%20the%20company%20responds%20to%20engagement,%20ask%20for%20a%20meeting%20over%20coffee.%20We%20don't%20have%20time%20to%20go%20over%C2%A0resumes%20and%20applications.%20We%20hate%20it.%E2%80%9D%20&p%5Burl%5D=%20http://goo.gl/tp9dF

http://twitter.com/home?status=Tip%203%20%E2%80%9CWe%20don%E2%80%99t%20have%20time%20to%20go%20over%20resumes.%20We%20hate%20it.%E2%80%9D%2040%20Entrepreneurs%20Tell%20How%20to%20Get%20a%20Startup%20Job%20http://goo.gl/tp9dF

http://www.boltpr.com/



personally deliver your resume to my office (if I have one). If I know someone is hungry for a job at

MY start-up, not just a job, he or she is going to have a really good shot with all of the above.”

Tip #5: Brooke Braswell – Principal, CanWeNetwork, LLC

“The applicant aggressively pursues me, is persistent and brief. A three line email: Hey Brooke, Saw

your company on techcrunch.com, I have incredible success in x or y (or I will work with the same

passion and tireless effort as you) - can I have three minutes of your time, I don't need much notice.

Here is my linked in profile. (Tip #2: we are always hiring someone great.)”

Tip #6: Pamela O’Hara – CEO, Batchbook

“Engage. Startups are small, fast-moving, and socially adept companies. Spend some time getting to

know the founders or key employees on Twitter. If possible, go to the same events as startups and

meet the founders first hand. Strike up conversations and build relationships. When there is

an opening that you are a good fit for, you will already be halfway in the door. Engaging has the

important side benefit of helping you identify startups you would want to work at. Getting along

with co-workers and feeling the vibe of the culture is extremely important, so when you already

know each other, even a little, it really helps.” Click to share this tip: Facebook | tweet

http://www.canwenetwork.com/

http://www.batchbook.com/

http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?s=100&p%5Btitle%5D=Ultimate%20Guide%20to%20Getting%20any%20Startup%20Job&p%5Bsummary%5D=40%20entrepreneurs%20tell%20how%20to%20get%20hired%20now.%20(Tip%206)%20%E2%80%9CEngage.%20Startups%20are%20small,%20fast-moving,%20and%20socially%20adept%20companies.%C2%A0Spend%20time%20getting%20to%20know%20the%20founders%20or%20key%20employees%20on%20Twitter.%20When%20there%20is%20an%C2%A0opening%20that%20you%20are%20a%20good%20fit%20for,%20you%20will%20already%20be%20halfway%20in%20the%C2%A0door.%E2%80%9D%20&p%5Burl%5D=%20http://goo.gl/tp9dF

http://twitter.com/home?status=Tip%206%20%E2%80%9CGo%20to%20the%20same%20events%20as%20the%20startups%20to%20meet%20the%20us%20directly.%E2%80%9D%2040%20Entrepreneurs%20Tell%20How%20to%20Get%20a%20Startup%20Job%20http://goo.gl/tp9dF



Actions speak. And they speak loudest when

they’re speaking specifically about the startup you

want to work for. Sure, you’re a great person with a

sparkling personality, but really, this job search is not

about you. Startups want to hear you talk about them;

specifically what you can do for them.

Unlike interviewing for corporate jobs, where it’s all about what you’ve done in the past, with

startups it’s all about what you can do in the future, for this company, in this moment. In

this moment, all eight of these entrepreneurs are looking to be impressed.

Click to share this tip: Facebook | tweet

Tip #7: Sandip Singh – Founder and CEO, Go Get Funding

“Solve a problem for a company that they didn't know existed. For example, tell them why you

believe specific changes to a landing page will improve conversions. If you're a coding specialist,

provide them with a snippet of code that fixes an unusual CSS issue you've spotted. By doing this

show, don’t tell

http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?s=100&p%5Btitle%5D=Ultimate%20Guide%20to%20Getting%20any%20Startup%20Job&p%5Bsummary%5D=40%20entrepreneurs%20tell%20how%20to%20get%20hired%20now.%20%E2%80%9CUnlike%20interviewing%20for%20corporate%20jobs,%20where%20it%E2%80%99s%20all%20about%20what%20you%E2%80%99ve%20done%20in%20the%20past,%20with%20startups%20it%E2%80%99s%20all%20about%20what%20you%20can%20do%20in%20the%20future.%20Tell%20me%20what%20you%20will%20do%20for%20me.%E2%80%9D%20&p%5Burl%5D=%20http://goo.gl/tp9dF

http://twitter.com/home?status=Show%20startups%20what%20u%E2%80%99ll%20do%20tomorrow,%20not%20what%20you%20did%20yesterday%20(from%2040%20Entrepreneurs%20Tell%20How%20to%20Get%20a%20Startup%20Job%20http://goo.gl/tp9dF)

http://gogetfunding.com/



you prove that you have a genuine interest in the company and the skills to solve problems straight

away and on your own initiative - something all busy startups are looking for.”

Click to share this tip: Facebook | tweet

Tip #8: Jake Cohen – Co-founder, Privy

“Do a funny stunt that is relevant to the business and attention getting. Example, for us (we help

businesses publish and sell custom offers from their online properties), design something that says

we just bought a promotion for the greatest (enter your desired job title) ever. Send it to us and

make it look cool. We'll notice and if your skills match your desired job, we'll hire you.”

BONUS TIP: know when a startup is growing, they’re hiring

I’m often asked how to find startup jobs. Chuck Dietrich, CEO of Sliderocket and tip #38 on this list,

offered this additional tip on the topic…

“Companies that are growing are always hiring,

even if the job listings aren’t there. So if you’re passionate about getting a specific

job, don’t wait for the listing. Do something creative and entrepreneurial to get your

story in front of the right people.”

Click to share this tip: facebook | tweet

http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?s=100&p%5Btitle%5D=Ultimate%20Guide%20to%20Getting%20Any%20Startup%20Job&p%5Bsummary%5D=40%20entrepreneurs%20tell%20how%20to%20get%20hired%20now.%20(Tip%207)%20%E2%80%9CSolve%20a%20problem%20the%20company%20didn%E2%80%99t%20know%20they%20had.%E2%80%9D%20&p%5Burl%5D=%20http://goo.gl/tp9dF

http://twitter.com/home?status=Tip%207%20%22Solve%20a%20problem%20the%20company%20didn't%20know%20they%20had.%22%2040%20Entrepreneurs%20Tell%20How%20to%20Get%20a%20Startup%20Job%20http://goo.gl/tp9dF

http://www.getprivy.com/

http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?s=100&p%5Btitle%5D=Ultimate%20Guide%20to%20Getting%20Any%20Startup%20Job&p%5Bsummary%5D=40%20entrepreneurs%20tell%20how%20to%20get%20hired%20now.%20%E2%80%9CCompanies%20that%20are%20growing%20are%20always%20hiring,%20even%20if%20the%20job%20listings%20aren%E2%80%99t%20there.%20So%20if%20you%E2%80%99re%20passionate%20about%20the%20company,%20don%E2%80%99t%20wait%20for%20the%20listing.%E2%80%9D%20&p%5Burl%5D=%20http://goo.gl/tp9dF

http://twitter.com/home?status=Growing%20startups%20are%20always%20hiring--don't%20wait%20for%20a%20job%20posting.%20(Tip%20from%20Get%20a%20Startup%20Job%20http://goo.gl/tp9dF%20)



Tip #9: Raj Sheth – Co-founder & CEO, Recruiter Box

“The one thing that will make me turn my head: Tell me something about my business that I do not

know. That will tell me that you will be immediately valuable in taking some load off, and making a

contribution.” Click to share this tip: facebook | tweet

Tip #10: Alex Schiff – Co-founder & CEO, Fetchnotes

“My favorite hiring story thus far was when someone signed up for our beta, used our product and

then emailed us a list of feedback (positive AND negative), and then mentioned he was a web

developer and would love to work with us. We responded with a request to interview him that day,

and now he does most of our front-end work!”

Tip #11: Kenny Kadar – Founder and CEO, Night Tap

“One tip that for gaining employment at a startup, is to immediately offer ideas to improve

the company/expand the revenue stream. Startups are not looking for order takers who are going

to do exactly what the founders want, and nothing more. Startups want independent thinkers who

can dream outside the box and have the ability to take a vision and build upon it. We need people


http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?s=100&p%5Btitle%5D=Ultimate%20Guide%20to%20Getting%20Any%20Startup%20Job&p%5Bsummary%5D=40%20entrepreneurs%20tell%20how%20to%20get%20hired%20now.%20(Tip%209)%20%E2%80%9C%E2%80%9CThe%20one%20thing%20that%20will%20make%20me%20turn%20my%20head:%C2%A0Tell%20me%20something%20about%20my%20business%20that%20I%20do%20not%20know.%20That%20will%20tell%20me%20that%20you%20will%20be%20immediately%20valuable%20in%20taking%20some%20load%20off,%20and%20making%20a%20contribution.%E2%80%9D%20&p%5Burl%5D=%20http://goo.gl/tp9dF

http://twitter.com/home?status=Tip%209%20%22Show%20you'll%20be%20immediately%20valuable%20and%20contribute.%2240%20Entrepreneurs%20Tell%20How%20to%20Get%20a%20Startup%20Job%20http://goo.gl/tp9dF

http://www.fetchnotes.com/

http://www.nighttap.com/



who are going to hit the ground running and demonstrating that you have ideas to immediately

help the business will get a startup’s attention more than anything else.” Click to share: facebook | tweet

Tip #12: Anthony Feint – Founder, Pen.io

“My one tip: Code speaks louder than a resume. A link to a portfolio or a Github profile tells me

more about the candidate then any resume can.”

Tip #13: Larry Kim – Founder and CTO, WordStream

“The job searcher should think about the pain point of the startup and seek to fill it. This tells me

that they are startup minded, ready to present their skill, and a problem solver.”

Tip #14: Karen Fuqua – President, Fuqua & Associates

“Figure out what are the unique characteristics that you would bring to the organization and then

do something that would demonstrate this. This could be in the form of volunteering your time to

work on a specific project or perhaps contributing a piece of intellectual property for the

organization for free. This would distinguish you as a candidate whose actions are contributory in

nature, which is something that is extremely attractive to a start-up with limited resources.”

http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?s=100&p%5Btitle%5D=Ultimate%20Guide%20to%20Getting%20Any%20Startup%20Job&p%5Bsummary%5D=40%20entrepreneurs%20tell%20how%20to%20get%20hired%20now.%20(Tip%2011)%20%E2%80%9CImmediately%20offer%20ideas%20to%20improve%20the%20company.%20Startups%20are%20not%20looking%20for%20order%20takers.%20Startups%20want%20independent%20thinkers%20who%20dream%20outside%20the%20box%20and%20have%20the%20ability%20to%20take%20a%20vision%20and%20build%20on%20it.%E2%80%9D%20&p%5Burl%5D=%20http://goo.gl/tp9dF

http://twitter.com/home?status=Tip%2011%20%E2%80%9CStartup%20want%20independent%20thinkers,%20not%20order%20takers%E2%80%9D%2040%20Entrepreneurs%20Tell%20How%20to%20Get%20a%20Startup%20Job%20http://goo.gl/tp9dF

http://pen.io/

http://www.wordstream.com/

http://fuquaconsultinggroup.com/



The fastest way to an entrepreneur’s

heart is to heart the company. Nothing will

get you a startup job faster. Not the perfect

skillset. Not the perfect references. Nothing. Prove

you’re passionate about what the company is doing and

the company will be passionate about hiring you.

Tip #15: Tiffany James – CEO, UndercoverWear

“The One Thing that would get my attention immediately is: Passion. Passion about MY Company

and MY vision. Their Passion MUST equal My Passion!”

Tip #16: Ryan Woodall – Owner, Pinnacle Tutoring

“As the owner of two businesses, I can tell you that the biggest fear I have with employees is that

they will simply not care as much about the company as I do. My recommendation is to show your

willingness to commit to the project beyond a paycheck. This doesn't simply mean saying, I'll work

overtime. On your resume and cover letter, I'm looking for some evidence that you go beyond the

love me, love my company

http://workingforwonka.com/get-startup-job/

http://workingforwonka.com/get-startup-job/

http://www.undercoverwear.com/

http://www.pinnacle-tutoring.com/



stated minimums of your position. Show additional projects, exceeded standards, volunteered

expansion of your position. Startups are hungry, and need hungry people.”

Tip #17: Patrick C. Brown – Founder, Occam Education

“Passion. Startups require passionate employees even more so than larger companies because the

hours/responsibilities are not always justified by the salaries. Producing a mock marketing plan

prior to an interview or volunteering services on an internship basis to demonstrate your value

are two ways candidates distinguish themselves as *truly* passionate candidates.”

Tip #18: Yael Levey – Founder, dreamBIGLY

“My one tip would be to demonstrate passion from the get-go about the problem the startup is

trying to solve. The most impressive candidates are those that have applied off their own bat, many

times without an open position even being advertised, and who make a strong argument for why

my company and our problem needs them to come on board. If this is demonstrated up front, and I

can see that the candidate understands what we are trying to achieve and is passionate about

wanting to help solve that problem, then I'll always call them in for an interview.”

http://www.occameducation.com/

http://www.dreambigly.com/



Tip #19: Bryant Quan – CEO, Slickdeals, Inc.

“Every single person that we have and will ever hire has to be familiar with our company. During our

earlier years as a startup, the greatest advantage we had was being the pioneers in our space and if

our employees didn't believe in our idea, then we would not have been as successful as we are now.

Our employees are our biggest assets and innovators and we had to know that we were all on the

same page in terms of goals for the company and our users. So, my top tip for getting a job with

startup is definitely knowing and truly believing in whatever startup it is.”

Tip #20: Mike Astringer – Founder and CEO, Human Capital Consultants, Inc.

“Prove that you get the culture. Most Founders and people working in startups can see right

through someone who is just talking. You have to fully commit that you want to work in a startup,

that you understand both the sacrifices and potential long-term rewards and that this is what you

really want in your career. You have to be willing and able to live it and express that passion to the

Founder and his/her team. Even if your technical skills are not right on target prove to the

Founder that you get it, that you are the right cultural fit for a startup and that you are committed

and chances are you will be successful landing a job in a startup.” Click to share: facebook | tweet

http://www.slickdeals.net/

http://www.humancapitalconsultants.com/

http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?s=100&p%5Btitle%5D=Ultimate%20Guide%20to%20Getting%20Any%20Startup%20Job&p%5Bsummary%5D=40%20entrepreneurs%20tell%20how%20to%20get%20hired%20now.%20(Tip%2020)%20%E2%80%9CEven%20if%20your%20technical%20skills%20are%20not%20right%20on%20target%20prove%20to%20the%20founder%20that%20you%20get%20it%20and%20that%20you%20are%20committed%20and%20chances%20are%20you%20will%20get%20the%20job.%E2%80%9D%20&p%5Burl%5D=%20http://goo.gl/tp9dF

http://twitter.com/home?status=Tip%2020%20%E2%80%9CYou%20don%E2%80%99t%20always%20need%20the%20right%20skills,%20just%20the%20right%20passion%E2%80%9D%2040%20Entrepreneurs%20Tell%20How%20to%20Get%20a%20Startup%20Job%20http://goo.gl/tp9dF



Look good in hats, multiple hats. If

you’re looking for a job with a clear job

description, start looking somewhere else. Most

startup jobs won’t come with clearly defined job

descriptions, not because the entrepreneur hates all

things HR (they do), or because they don’t have time to write a description (they don’t).

There usually aren’t clearly defined job descriptions, because there usually aren’t clearly

defined jobs. In a startup, everyone does everything. Prove you understand that, and that

you’re up for the challenge of wearing many hats.

Tip #21: Dana Marlowe – Principal Partner, Accessibility Partners, LLC

“Flexibility is without a doubt one of the most important characteristics I look for when I'm looking

at new employees. A lot of job seekers are looking to fulfill a specific niche or need in a company,

but I need someone who can fit a bunch of roles. Within a startup, you don’t have an accounting,

billing, or HR department at your disposal. I would highly recommend that a job seeker specifically

state they're willing to adapt to new roles at any whim and demonstrate their ability to wear a lot of

be flexible

http://www.accessibilitypartners.com/



hats. This goes a lot further than listing competencies with generic programs or other things that

are nice, but not useful in a fast-paced startup.”

Tip #22: Robert G. Rose – Founder & Exec Producer, AIM Tell-A-Vision Group

“Here you go…it's very, very simple. Startups are looking for people with entrepreneurial skills…the

kind of person who doesn't look at a gig as a 9-5 responsibility, but one who will pitch in and do

whatever is needed; from taking out the garbage to contributing to a marketing plan to helping to

write a human resource manual. Startups are chaotic and usually don't have built-in policies

and procedures, or if they do, they quickly outgrow them. They need employees who are flexible

and willing to do whatever, whenever to make a company succeed and ideally treat the business as

if it were their own. A person should have done their research and come in with ideas on how

they specifically can contribute to a company's success.”

Tip #23: Brett Brohl – CEO, Scrubadoo

“Candidates should always emphasize that they are eager and willing to help out and work in every

area of the company, not just the area they specialize in. Our finance person always has to pitch in

during marketing meetings etc. It’s all hands on deck for everything here. We all wear a lot of hats.”

http://www.aimtvgroup.com/

http://www.scrubadoo.com/



Tip #24: John Max Miller – CEO, GrandSlam Alley, Inc.

“Vertical in talent, broad in desire. In order to get a job with a startup, you need to possess the

talent needed by the startup but be willing to do anything and learn anything. Startups do NOT

follow a specific path. In today’s fast-paced world, products pivot many times once they are

released and an employee needs to be open minded to going with that flow of change. (And, there

will be days you need to mop the floor and take out the trash.)” Click to share this tip: facebook | tweet

Tip #25: Jennifer Ryan – Professional Organizer Motivating Force, Create New Order, Inc.

“The number one tip that will get my assistant his/her new job is to assure me that anything I need

them to do, they will do. I need a person who can catch and throw at the same time with the

positive energetic attitude a fast-growing business like mine needs. If attitude, loyalty and resiliency

walks through the door, the rest is simply training.”

Tip #26: Shara Senderoff – Co-founder and CEO, Intern Sushi

“To get noticed by a startup, you have to rise above the stack of resumes piled sky high on the

hiring manager's desk. Sure you're a young, creative individual, ripe with ambition, fresh ideas and

unseen talents—now the trick is to communicate that to employers. Startups rarely have the

http://www.grandslamalley.com/

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http://www.createneworder.com/

http://www.internsushi.com/



resources for quantity so they focus on quality; they are looking for candidates that can wear many

hats so showcase your versatility and ability to problem-solve. Describe an experience where you

succeeded despite all odds. Startups also hunt for creative minds, so think outside the box and

present yourself in a way only you can. If you don't, enjoy the view from the middle of the daunting

pile of resumes.”

Tip #27: Sam Zietz – CEO, American Bancard

“The number one way to get attention of a startup small business owner- Promote the fact that you

are willing to work initially for a salary significantly below market and you are flexible to handle

multiple tasks while working long hours. Most founders of startups are forced to wear multiple hats

and work long hours because they are typically undercapitalized. People hire people that remind

them of themselves and if you exude these traits, the founder will be more inclined to hire you

because they will view you as a resource that can take a lot off of their plate and more importantly

they can afford you. This is a great way to get your foot in the door and then if the company is

successful you are well-positioned to capitalize on the company's success.”

http://www.americanbancard.com/



Reach out and grab them. Getting the

entrepreneur’s attention is half the battle. The

other half is proving that you ‘get it’ and are

willing to do it…whatever ‘it’ is. Get the

entrepreneur’s attention by finding a unique way to stand

out in the crowd. Keep their attention by proving you understand that you’ve only got their

attention for a few minutes. Do that by getting to the heart of the matter, telling them what

you can do for them, why you want to do it (hint: because you love their company), and that

you’re ready to get started immediately.

Tip #28: Kari DePhillips – Co-founder, The Content Factory

“My one tip for getting hired at a startup is this: stand out from the crowd, because you're probably

competing with at least a dozen other people for the job. I've seen people put images in their

resumes, write quirky cover letters and even demonstrate their social media prowess by

hounding us on Twitter until we finally caved in and granted an interview. If you don't stand out,

you'll be lumped with everyone in the middle of the same pile (and none of those people ever get

hired).” Click to share this tip: facebook | tweet

stand up and stand out

http://contentfac.com/

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Tip #29: Brennan White – Co-founder and Managing Director, Pandemic Labs

“Email the founder out of the blue. As a founder, he/she will always check emails (they could be

incoming leads!). So send an email directly to them. In your email be less formal, more

honest/direct/interested. Founders of companies are generally brutal prioritizers and will delete

your email if it feels boilerplate or boring in the first sentence (or even in the overall look/size of

the email).”

Tip #30: Todd Davis – CEO, Lifelock

“Demonstrate the ability to be disruptive in a previous organization. Do not try to sell yourself, but

discuss more what your experience has been and what traits you have developed from it.”

Tip #31: Craig Bloem – Founder & CEO, FreeLogoService.com

“Tip: Knock on the door and show ambition, passion and a get it done attitude. I had one intern

who literally drove 45 min to the office knocked on the door and nicely asked if she could trouble

me for 15 minutes of my time. Obviously, it would be a problem if everyone did this but in a world

of email and social media this young woman made an impression and received 15 minutes of my

time.”

http://www.pandemiclabs.com/

http://www.lifelock.com/

http://www.freelogoservices.com/



Tip #32: Brian Leventhal – Co-founder & CEO, Brooklyn Winery

“What we’ve learned is that our successful employees “get it” … they understand OUR business and

can show us that during the interview.”

Tip #33: Justin Palmer – Founder & CEO, MedSaverCard

“At startups, hiring is crucial and risky because every person matters. Help take the risk out of

hiring you by offering your services to them for free or at a low-cost. If they're a growing company

and they like your work, odds are they'll find a position for you very quickly.”

Tip #34: Martha McCarthy – Co-founder & Managing Partner, The Social Lights, LLC

“We recently posted a new position and are getting flooded with resumes and cover letters. Most of

them get a mere glance, but those that have clearly done their homework get much more attention.

Applicants that pull information from our tweets, blog posts, client list and case studies to pepper

their cover letter (and demonstrate that they actually know what we do), in addition to why they are

a great fit for our company, get to the keep pile (or in our case, Dropbox folder). Creative email

subject lines get bonus points!”

http://bkwinery.com/

http://www.medsavercard.com/

http://www.thesocial-lights.com/



Tip #35: Mike Scanlin – CEO, Born to Sell

“Explain that you know that in a startup there is nowhere to hide and everyone has to pull their

weight. You are excited about the fact that your personal, individual contributions will have a direct

impact on the success or failure of the company. And, don’t ask about the vacation policy during

the interview.” Click to share this tip: facebook | tweet

Tip #36: Suki Shah – Co-founder and CEO, GetHired

“Entrepreneurs at startups are looking for fresh perspectives -- and for candidates who can quickly

look at a company, determine what that company needs to be successful, and then do it. Even an

employee with no formal training, but solid transferable skills, can drastically improve

the productivity and innovation within your organization. And so, create a multimedia resume that

fully encompasses your past work experience to help differentiate you from other job seekers.

Apply for jobs that you are interested in and passionate about… often entrepreneurs will hear

you out if you can talk about a specific problem that needs solving in their industry, and how you

are the person to solve it, despite formal training.”

https://www.borntosell.com/

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http://www.gethired.com/



Words on paper are just words on paper.

Every entrepreneur I’ve interviewed has told me the

same thing; they don’t want to see your resume.

What’s wrong with your resume? Well, unless you

were employee #1 at a very hot startup, there’s nothing on

that piece of paper that will a). get the attention of a hiring entrepreneur or b). even get

read. When it comes to resumes, entrepreneurs say “blah, blah, blah.” (I kid you not, that’s a

direct quote.) Here’s what else they say about resumes…

Tip #37: Reese Pacheco – Co-founder & CEO Shelby.tv

“Shoot us an email but don’t send me your resume. Send me something you’ve built. Send me a

project you’ve worked on. We had one guy apply and he sent us a picture of a giant fish he’d

caught. He said ‘I like to go fishing and here’s something I caught last summer,’ and right away I

thought ‘I get that guy.’ So, send us something interesting.” Click to share: facebook | tweet

save a tree

http://workingforwonka.com/threetogetready_sliderocket/

http://shelby.tv/

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Tip #38: Chuck Dietrich – CEO Sliderocket

"I can read a resume before an interview and when I get in there, nothing in that resume really

stood out, maybe I'll remember the last company they worked at, but it's like blah, blah, blah, blah

blah. They’re all the same they have company names and titles but it really doesn't tell you

anything.”

Tip #39: Brandt Page – Founder & CEO Launch Leads

"We've found that sometimes people are really good salesman of their resume, but aren't the right

fit for the job...We hire attitude and personality over resume experience every time. In the early

days [of his startup] we thought we had to look at resumes and degrees and such, but for our

business, the attitude, the personality and the work ethic is more important."

Tip #40: Michael Brooks – Founder LifeKraze

“I spend about 10 for 15 seconds on a resume. It’s not about the resume. It's not about building a

perfect format and using a sample format, and it's not about that; it's about who you are and what

you've done. I'm looking for the hustle factor, prove to me you can hustle and you're past most of

the other candidates."

http://www.sliderocket.com/

http://www.launchleads.com/

http://lifekraze.com/



And lastly, Scott Mitchell the CEO of Organic Salon Systems,

summed it all up so perfectly he deserves his own page. Read it, then

read it again before you talk to, or interview for, any startup job. There’s gold in these words.

“Let me know that you’re looking for a purpose and not a job.

I want to know that you will work as long as it takes to accomplish what we're here to do.

I want to know that you want to believe in our vision, our ethos, our goals, and our mission.

I want to know that you are committed to aligning your personal growth rate with the company's growth

rate.

I want to know that you'll be a good partner to me and my colleagues.

I want to know that you have moxi, will be innovative, will provide me with you full effort, are not interested

in moonlighting, and will make this critical time count.

I want to know that you'll take risks, but only well calculated ones.

I want to know that you'll be innovative in some cased while being a good soldier in others.

I want to know that we're going to be in this together.

If you want me to feel this way, don't allow me to think you're looking for a job. Everyone is looking for a

job. Let me know you're looking for a purpose to be passionate about. That, more than anything else, will

make me spend time on attracting and recruiting and selling you on what we're doing. There is no place in

my startups for clock punchers.”

not leastly

http://www.organicsalonsystems.com/



What to do next.

So, you’ve read all 40 tips and you’re wondering what to do next? My suggestion, read them

again.

Most job seekers who hear these tips for the first time don’t believe them. None of the

people I coach that come from a corporate background believe them. But like Seth Godin

said, the rules are completely different when you’re trying to get a job with a startup. And

different can be difficult to grasp.

So, read the tips again. Read them until they start to feel like normal job search behavior to

you. Reach out to a CEO directly to ask for a job? Until you can say “Hell yeah, that’s what

I’m gonna do,” keep reading the tips. Stalk startup founders and staff at events and online?

Keep reading until your natural response is “until I see a restraining order, you betcha.”

And above all, remember what the underlying message was in all of these tips: startup

founders want to know that you’re passionate about their company. Passionate enough to



stalk them, to stand out above the crowd, to go beyond a mere a resume, to do whatever job

you have to do just to get in the door.

Passionate enough to be a startup employee.

If you have any questions about these tips, feel free to ask. My contact info is below. And

please, let me know how your job search is going. I’d love to hear your story.

Regards,

Kathy Ver Eecke

WorkingForWonka | Twitter | Facebook

[email protected]

http://workingforwonka.com/

http://twitter.com/workingforwonka

http://www.facebook.com/workforstartup

mailto:[email protected]



Spread the word. (Please)

This 30-page report is free because I think it will help people, but every

blogger needs help spreading the word. I’m relying on you. If you know anyone

who would benefit from these tips please send them this link: http://goo.gl/tp9dF

where they can sign up for the ebook and get occasional extra tips to help

them get a startup job, succeed in that job, and know the signs they should

run screaming from a startup job. Or, you can share via Twitter or Facebook:

Want to share via Facebook? Click here.

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Thanks for sharing, I appreciate your support!

Kathy

http://goo.gl/tp9dF

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About the Author

Kathy Ver Eecke works with startups in the early stages of business development; where the

good stuff happens. Helping with business strategy, branding, product development,

consumer messaging, sales strategy, social media and public relations.

And, of course, investor relations. Yeah, a lot of investor relations.

She’s an award-winning marketing veteran with over twenty years of experience, both

domestic and abroad. She's been involved in the successful launches of everything from an

English-language magazine in Japan to DVDs designed to entertain dogs.

She hates talking about herself in the third person.

For ways to work with her, ah, me….look here.

http://workingforwonka.com/hire_workingforwonka/

Documents

The Ultimate Guide To Getting Any Startup Jobworkingforwonka.com/subscribe/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Ultima… · notion of a standard resume, of mass mailings, of dealing with HR