So you want to interview with a start-up
I know why someone would want to switch from corporate to a startup. I worked for 10 years with a Fortune company that required a white shirt, matching suit, and leather-soled shoes. For the past 10 years, I have been working in a startup. As much as I wear a pressed button-down shirt (with no tie), I wear flip-flops and a T-shirt today. Trust me, it’s not just the flip-flops. It’s about the opportunity. In this day and age, there is a way to ensure your long-term financial success. Do not rely on a single company for your career. Rely on your network and the strength of your skillset/resume.
Start-ups are pushing the envelope when it comes to “getting shit done.” When you “get shit done”, you have something worthy of putting on your resume. This is why you want to interview with a startup.
Applies to corporate interviews
Keep reading for those of you who will not interview with a start-up. Tips on “how to interview with corporate” may not apply when interviewing with a startup. This insight WILL apply to any corporate interview.
Start-ups are trying to disrupt an industry or do something new. They are creating entirely new ways of thinking about new ideas. Forget your thoughts about the “idea” or “product” behind Instagram or Facebook. These companies provide real resume-building opportunities. These businesses don’t just need butts in seats. They need people who can be effective when the chips are down. Anyone can be cheerful when times are good, deals are signed, and the money flows. Start-ups want candidates who can take the heat when the chips are down. These are candidates who have a passion for what they do.
Self-Starters and Big Problems
Start-ups are looking for self-starters who take ownership of projects. They require little direction, wear many hats, and can take on projects, even when understaffed, with little or no budget. Projects are delivered on time and under budget. Most start-ups also care about the culture of their company. Not only do you need to be able to produce, but you also cannot be a “stick in the mud.”
Start-ups are interested in solving big problems that most would say are impossible when a big budget is available. Start-ups take the impossible and bootstrap it. We are looking for people who have a proven track record of getting shit done against impossible odds. If you need direction and want to leave the office at 5, you might want to think twice about a start-up.
Shakelton was looking for those looking to do the impossible, and not for money, but for the experience.
If you feel you have what it takes, then remember this as you prepare for your interview:
You “hoo doo” what we do. To us, it’s not doo doo.
You are passionate about not only what you do but also about what our company does. This means you are fascinated with some facet of what we do as a company. During the interview process for my current gig, I gave examples of how our company’s technology has affected, could affect, and is affecting HR. I was sincerely excited about these examples. Be prepared to convey your passion. Weave in stories about how you combine your skill set with what we do.
We like each other, and we hang out with each other after hours. This means we also look out for each other. This doesn’t mean we all vote for the same president. It doesn’t mean we all look alike or are all the same age. We are all very different and have different levels of experience. A smile, a humble, self-deprecating sense of humor, and expertise in a discipline will transcend all demographics. Don’t be a dick.
What to think about before you head into your interview with a startup
Don’t worry about long-term stability
Don’t worry about the company 10 or 20 years from now. That is a distraction and unrealistic for a company of ANY size in this economy. You are interviewing with a dedicated group of individuals. We believe in what we are doing, having fun, and building our skill sets. If we could predict the stability of ANY company in 10-20 years, we wouldn’t be working in tech. We would be investing in them.
Shift your thinking to “MVP”
This isn’t the Most Valuable Player; this is the Minimum Viable Product. We are not looking for ideas that require a 6 to 12-month life cycle. That is too long a bet for our limited funds. We are probably done if we find we are wrong after working on a project that takes 6-12 months. Start-ups are looking to test theories in the shortest timeframe and build on that theory. We do not have large budgets and teams to throw at a project. We have one person to throw at multiple projects, and that person is YOU.
Prove you are scrappy
If you interview with a startup, give us examples of how you went to school and worked a few jobs to make ends meet. Give us an example of a project you got off the ground against the odds. The one person on a project mentioned in the above bullet is you. We want to have some confidence that you can pull it off.
Prove you have a passion for your craft
Do you practice your craft by working on side projects after hours and on weekends? We won’t hire “just anyone and we don’t look at our day job as “work”. We are passionate about our craft, and when we aren’t working, we are still thinking in our discipline. I am paid to practice HR during the day, but I work on this blog in the evenings. On the weekends, I volunteer my time to coach candidates on how to get through the interview process. I practice my craft “for fun”. Scary huh???
Online presence beyond Facebook and LinkedIn
If you do not have a LinkedIn profile, you might as well wear a tie and a 3-piece suit to the interview. Blogs are great, especially in our industry or your discipline. Twitter, Pinterest, GitHub, and Quora all reinforce that you are thinking about current events after hours.
Start-ups are a selective and demanding breed. What worked in your traditional corporate interview probably won’t be enough. Re-evaluate your interview messaging and give us examples of your passion for your craft.
See you at the after party,
HRNasty
nasty: an unreal maneuver of incredible technique, something that is ridiculously good, tricky, and manipulative but with a result that can’t help but be admired, a phrase used to describe someone who is good at something. “He has a nasty forkball”.
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Rich Goldstein
June 4, 2012This article really resonates with me. I really like the advice you give people who would interview at startups. In particular your advice would help an interviewee focus on coming across as committed. I recently wrote an article that talks about two different orientations for people (toward competence OR toward commitment), which largely dictates how they judge who to trust, and also how they communicate with others to show they they are trustworthy. I talk about how this plays out in interviews, including in start-ups. I would appreciate your thoughts, comments, and sharing of it.
http://richgoldstein.com/2012/05/08/why-it-is-more-difficult-to-gain-trust-from-some-people-than-others/
HRNasty
June 7, 2012Rich,Thanks for stopping by and thanks for sharing your theory of competence and or commitment. I think you are absolutely right. When we are interviewing folks, we can boil down what most people are looking for to three things. Can you do the job, Can I work with you, and will you love the job. Can you do the job is the competence and will you love the job is commitment. We need to demonstrate these three things if we want a shot. But more importantly, to your point, we need to decipher the questions being asked of us and answer appropriately. Are they asking for competence or commitment? Just demonstrating the above 3 isn’t enough. Your questions about “do you have many customers” can be answered many ways and proving commitment when they are really looking for competence is the real trick. Great article!