The first 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!
(Sorry for the awful quality of this video. The audio is so out of sync it could throw you into an epileptic fit. But Chuck’s tips are fantastic! So close your eyes, and just let it sink in.)
Entrepreneur: Chuck Dietrich
Company: Sliderocket.com
Jobs: developers, quality engineers, product managers, marketing people, and sales people (more about the jobs at minute 16:45)
Chuck Dietrich has an enviable startup resume, but he doesn’t put on airs. What he does put on are costumes. Apparently, with some regularity.
As we started our interview, Chuck lamented the fact that his PR people asked him not wear a costume on camera. Yes, it was the Friday before Halloween, but Chuck explained that he didn’t need a holiday to break out a wig or outrageous outfit. He has a costume box at the ready at all times.
“You don’t have a costume box?” he asked with the same surprised tone I would expect if the question were “you don’t have running water?”
Ah, no. I don’t have a costume box.
What I do have is total respect for someone with his kind of background, that doesn’t take themselves too seriously. An attitude that seems to prevail at SlideRocket.
Which is very good news for you, since SlideRocket is hiring multiple positions, in multiple departments.
(For the time challenged all the juicy tips are summarized in the post.)
Three to Get Ready Tips
GET the job (minute 4:50 -8:20)
Forget job boards and online application. Find a unique way to approach the company that shows you’re a creative thinker.
KEEP the job (minute 8:30 – 10:20)
Draw outside the lines of your job description (if you even have a job description). You have to standout in a startup, and you do that by reinventing your job.
LEAVE the job (minute 10:30 – 11:55)
Quirky, good. Misaligned values, bad. Know your audience, play to them. And if you can’t all play in the same sandbox, you gotta move on.
Side Nuggets (little gems worth noshing on)
Blah, Blah Blah Yup, that’s what this entrepreneur thinks of your resume. You may have sweated every word, but to get a job in a startup you’re going to have to shine off paper.
Don’t Believe ‘em Growing companies are always hiring, even if they haven’t posted jobs. Contact them. Tell them why they’re great. Tell them why you’re great. Tell them why you should date.
Show Me the Money It’s never too early to understand what you’re going to get from the job, just be sure it’s not your only motivation for applying.
Got Jobs? Hells to the oh-yeah!
(minute 16:30)
Chuck mentions several positions (and the type of people they’re looking for) in the video. There are also at least five jobs posted on their site. For more detailed info go to:
http://www.sliderocket.com/about/jobs.html
Let me know if you score an interview with SlideRocket. (And if you interview with Chuck, definitely let me know if he was wearing a costume.)
Up next – young stud, Michael Brooks of LifeKraze.com (and yup, he’s hiring too!) check it out on Monday.
[ois skin=”Job Updates (in post)”]
14 Comments
lizzie
November 3, 2011This is AWESOME.
Love this: “It’s never too early to understand what you’re going to get from the job, just be sure it’s not your only motivation for applying.”
Very cool to learn more about Sliderocket and the whole shebang as well!
Kathy Ver Eecke
November 3, 2011Thanks Lizzie! Yeah, I think SlideRocket seems pretty amazing; both the product and the company culture. I’d apply there if I needed a job!
Thanks for checking it out!
Kathy
Corinne Edwards
November 3, 2011Good work, Kathy –
The only thing that was missing for me was I would have liked to see the video that person submitted.
A picture is worth a thousand interviews.
And the obvious elephant in the rooom question.
Why does he like to wear costumes?
I think his PR person was wrong. It would have added an edge.
Maybe they need a media coach?
I’ll look at his site.
I’ll ask.
Kathy Ver Eecke
November 3, 2011That’s very funny Corinne! And you go! Get that gig!
You’re right abou the video application, I’m planning on including it in a post tomorrow that showcases some other very clever “get in the door’ tactics the entrepreneurs are telling me about. But, since you asked, here it is, it’s awesome! http://www.sliderocket.com/blog/2011/09/how-i-landed-my-dream-job-with-a-presume/
Thanks, as always, for the comment and great feedback.
Kathy
Bryce Christiansen
November 4, 2011Wow, great interview. Their sliderocket product is very neat. I love how connected it is with the internet to make it easy to pull in videos, pictures, and plugins.
It’s very kind of you to provide these opportunities for us to learn from entrepreneurs and how to land jobs with them.
Thanks,
Bryce
Kathy Ver Eecke
November 4, 2011Thanks Bryce! Yeah, I’m blown away by their product. Not sure about the learning curve, but once you’ve mastered it, I think it would be a fantastic tool.
Also, think it could be a very cool place to work. Hope some of my readers jump on those interviews!
-Kathy
Steve
November 9, 2011If you love your job then you’re definitely in the right place. Just be sure that you do your best to get you where you wanted to be.
Kathy Ver Eecke
November 9, 2011You got that right Steve.
Corinne Edwards
November 12, 2011Dear Kathy –
You are getting better and better. The questions, especially with Lance were outstanding.
Loved the segway with Actors Studio. His questions were always good but his affect was always so dull in my estimation. You added a little energy that he could have emulated.
If you eventually want to sell a book – this will be what a publisher will look at. They already know if someone can write.
But getting out there and actually producing a show by getting the talent like this will sell them because that book has to be promoted- by someone who is personable and has pizzazz.
When they look at a book – these days that’s what they want. You have to sell the book they buy from you.
Publishers do not have budgets for publicity like in the old days.
Please keep this series going. It will pay off for you.
Most writers cannot do both. I can testify to that.
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