Finding Your Start Up Career

By Author: Sarah Abbott
Total Articles: 22
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There is something that is very frustrating when you're looking for a job and most of us who have been in that position have experienced it at some time or another. Although we may know that we have quite a bit to offer to the company, they have no way of gauging that information for themselves. This is a problem, not only because we have not yet proven ourselves in the industry but also because we do not have the listings on our resume to help show them exactly what we are able to do. If you find yourself in this situation, how can you prove yourself to those individuals, even if you do not have the proof of the skills necessary to land the job?

For the purpose of this article, we are going to discuss getting a job at a startup company which is something that many of us are interested in doing. There are many tech companies which provide employment but there are some things that need to be understood when applying for one of these jobs. First of all, it is not only the employer that is taking the risk when talking about these startup jobs, it is also the employee. After all, even if the employee has not yet fully proven ...
... themselves to be exactly what is necessary, the company does not have the history that is necessary to prove itself as well.

If you were going after more of a traditional career, I would suggest that you get a little bit of schooling in order to make yourself more attractive to the employer. When you're talking about a start up job, however, that is not going to be an option that is open to you. It may mean that you need to look around a little bit in order to get with a company that is just getting off the ground. These people tend to be flying under the radar to a certain extent and it may be easier for you to get your start in a smaller company such as this instead of going after somebody who already has dozens of employees.

Another thing that you can do is to find a company that is somewhat geared towards your personal experience. For example, if you have worked in sales before, it may be possible for you to get a sales job at a startup company, even if they are not selling exactly what you have sold in the past. Once you are able to get your foot in the door, you can then prove yourself as a good salesman and begin to work your way up through the company. This is easier in a smaller startup company because they tend to reward employees more than a larger company which has settled in to a certain routine.

Finally, if you find that it is difficult to land a job such as this, you would want to do what it necessary to improve your odds in your spare time. Pick up a hobby that is related to the industry or volunteer in a similar industry. In either case, you will find that it is something that looks good on your resume and makes it easier for you to find the job that you need.

Tina Fan is the author of this article about startup jobs. She is a job career counselor offering her advice to students about start up job or any other career options.