Change the World, Work for a Startup (Three to Get Ready video series)

The second in a series of interviews where entrepreneurs give their three top tips for getting a startup job, keeping a startup job, and knowing if it’s time to run screaming from your startup job.

The best part, almost all of these entrepreneurs are hiring now. Including this one!

Entrepreneur: Michael Brooks
Company: LifeKraze
Jobs: Developers, mobile developers (more about the jobs at minute 15:14)

A consistent Three to Get Ready theme is that entrepreneurs don’t want to hire people who are just looking for a job. Yes, I know; getting a job is the point of a job search, right? Well, with entrepreneurs it’s not.

With entrepreneurs a job isn’t a means to a paycheck it’s the route to changing the world. No, I’m not overstating. I’d say half of the entrepreneurs I’ve interviewed for this series have equated what they’re doing with changing the world.

And if you don’t get that, don’t apply for a job with them.

That sentiment is no less obvious in my interview with Michael Brooks, founder of LifeKraze. At only 24 years old, Brooks has already raised over a million dollars for his startup, and has ten people on staff. And in this fifteen-minute interview, Brooks mentions changing the world three times.

After talking with him for a few minutes, I think he just might be able to do it. Maybe it’s the Poindexter meets Clark Kent glasses? Who knows. But if you’re in the mood for a little world disruption, this entrepreneur is hiring now!

(For the time challenged all the juicy take-aways are summarized in the post.)

Three to Get Ready Tips

GET the job (minute 3:30- 6:56)
Your resume won’t get more than 10 or 15 seconds of attention. “A lot of kids get led down the wrong path of building this perfect resume and using these sample formats and it’s really not about that,” Brooks says. “It’s about who you are.”

Brooks believes the secret is getting past that first step of the process and getting noticed. Then it’s about you, your passion and how you mesh with that company.

How do you get noticed? Brooks says to forget the traditional resume. “If you want to work for someone, show them. Show them how much you love their product. Show them the things that you like to do. Then show them what else you’ve done and how you can apply that to their business.”

Want an example? Hear about current LifeKraze employee Jonathon Yagel’s (@jwby) job search storybook ending. (minute:  5:45 – 6:56)

KEEP the job (minute 7:30 –  10:00)
Do the hustle. Hustle gets you the job, and it’ll help you keep the job, especially if you’re working in a young startup.

Chances are no one had time to write your job description. Chances are, they’re not 100 percent sure how to best use you. Chances are, they need help and they hope you’re the one to provide it. So jump in and do it. Do your job. Do their job. Do any job you see needs doing.

In a startup you have a chance to change how the business works. Go into your first day with some ideas of things you want to get done, and just do them. Even if the task doesn’t match your job title (if you have one).

Get involved and bring solutions. Brooks says “it always pays off, and people always notice that stuff.”

LEAVE the job (minute 10:38 – 12:20)
Brooks says not to confuse failing on tasks with failing in your job. “In a startup world you’re going to fail a lot.” Brooks says to just keep working.

However, if you notice that your entrepreneur boss has stopped coaching you, you probably have failed. You’re no longer on the team.

Entrepreneurs like to develop their team. Even the time strapped entrepreneurs are usually interested coaches. So if your entrepreneur boss is no longer checking in with you, is no longer interested in what you’re working on, it’s because you’re working on getting fired.

Stop warming the bench and get off the field.

The JOBS (minute 15:00)
Developers! Well rounded. Mobile developing a plus. Contact: jobs@lifekraze.com or Michael@lifekraze.com

Got questions for Michael or Working for Wonka? Drop them in the comment section. And let us know if you score an interview with LifeKraze!

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