Understanding what employment entails is probably the most jolting reality somebody moving from the top rung of the “youth” ladder to the bottom rung of the “adult” ladder. Back in school, you had a system designed to assist you. However, in employment, you are the one providing the assistance to the business.
When you find a cover letter focusing on how the position can help the candidate grow, you can safely assume that the individual is not ready to provide value immediately. Enthusiasm is obviously important in a startup since it is all the business operates on in some cases and nothing is as important as employee happiness. However, to become an employee, you have to first show what benefit you will be to the organization. Training is the best approach to achieve this. You have to skill up.
Decide what you would like to do. Since you are inexperienced, you will have to put in a great deal of work to qualify yourself for the roles you will be pursuing, irrespective of the industry or type of job you are in. Cast your net wide if you are not sure about where your talents and interests lie. However, you should try to narrow your options down eventually to a particular role you feel good about spending a great deal of unpaid time learning. If you fail to identify what you have perseverance to grow into, you will be spinning your wheels but have little to show for it.
Display your ‘portfolio’ using your resume. The best evidence that you are adequately skilled to handle a particular role is a robust body of work. The job descriptions on your resume are obviously important but specific highlights of the pieces or projects you have completed demonstrate your grasp of the role better. How you are able to show this can vary from one position to the next. For instance, the portfolio of a graphic designer will probably look different to that of an aspiring accountant. In all cases, it is important to relate the successful and discrete projects to your readiness on the first day.
Intern properly. Nothing comes close to proving your capacity to be of benefit to an organization as having previously excelled in their office. If you are able to get an internship that you hope will lead to a more permanent position, you should try offering to contribute as substantially as the organization will allow in the fields required. It is particularly important to do this in a startup since the roles are likely to be fluid and you are likely to gain a better understanding of the operations of the business. A startup is an organization that can hire you for a position you created from scratch. If you find an area that you are particularly interested in, try delving into it.
Understanding the space. One of the key intangibles that an experienced hire can bring to the table is an understanding of the organization’s space. If you lack the experience, it is very important to demonstrate an understanding of the company as well as the industry. You need to be capable of dissecting why a particular organization positions itself the way it has as well as how it stacks up against its competitors. Ideally, the knowledge will be part of your broader attempt to gain the skills required to actually be considered for your preferred position. Ensure that the skills training does not happen in a vacuum. This piece from IFDS (DST) has some great tips on avoiding mistakes IN YOUR FIRST JOB.
Ensure that the culture fits. Culture is an important aspect of any startup. Startups are typically small groups of people going through good and bad times with each other, attempting to make an impact on their share of the market in a better way than everybody else. Culture is what unifies the organization. Before joining, ensure that you will be a good fit in the organization and vice versa. For instance, our team is playful and boisterous. We love stress ball battles and big celebrations. Other offices might be a bit more subdued, others less results driven, others more corporate. It requires all kinds. If you are looking to impress a particular organization into hiring you, ensure that you first help yourself out by understanding the culture before you actually walk in the door.
Being proactive. The best way to prepare yourself to work at a startup is the training and skills required in your preferred role. Beyond that, ensure that you are proactive when it comes to getting in front of organizations. Brush up your LinkedIn profile since it is an important resource for organizations that wish to staff specific skills. You can also schedule an informational interview with organizations you are particularly interested in. Doing this will provide insight into what the organization does, what it needs, as well as the culture. Send pitches to CEOs and cold-call recruiters. Do whatever you can to portray yourself as being eager and ready to step in and offer your services.