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falviarbaqueroFiled under: Advice for Employers, Advice for enterns, Blog by Enternships Enterns - Summer '09, Entrepreneurship, Non-Profits, Reasons to join a startup, Uncategorized
*** Enternships’ August Entern Meetup***
Are you an Entern? Intern? SME Employer?
Well let us entertain you!
London Enterns are hosting an Entern Meetup
Wed 12th August from 5:30 p.m till late
@Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese
145 Fleet Street EC4A 2BU
(Cheshire Cheese is one of the oldest pubs in London, having been rebuilt in the 17th century. Charles Dickens and Voltaire are said to have drank here! Cheshire Cheese is definitely one to visit.)
The event is FREE!
RSVP at http://www.meetup.com/enternships/
Feel free to bring guests!
The night will be a great opportunity to meet other enterns, network and most importantly… HAVE FUN!
*Oh, and the party doesn’t end there…*
We’ll put your name on the FREE VIP GUESTLIST
of a nearby top London nightclub
(Details will be given at the event)
See ya there!
I recently came across a great blog post by Dharmesh Shah entitled “6 Quick Tips For Landing That Startup Dream Job”.
In his post he offers the following 6 tips:
1. Match the culture: Remember that advice about dressing one level above the job you’re hiring into? Or the “it’s better to be over-dressed” advice? Forget that. Dress so that you’ll fit in. Dress as if you’re already on the team. Any startup you’d want to work for is not going to hold it against you for not dressing up. They wouldn’t expect you to wear something to an interview that they wouldn’t wear themselves into work.
2. Convey A Passion For Startups: If you’ve worked for startups before — talk about them. Talk about what it was like. Especially talk about the painful parts. They want to know that you know what it’s like to be on a startup team. We want to know that you’ve got that weird genetic flaw that causes you to want to take on that special kind of pain that only entrepreneurial people understand. If you haven’t worked for a startup before, come up with some reallyRemember that startups are not in the business of creating jobs, they’re in the business of creating value. Help them understand how you’re going to be able to help them create value that nobody else can. convincing reasons as to why you want to start now. And it can’t just be because you got laid off from some Fortune 500 company last week.
3. Read, Read, Read: Many startups today have a pretty wide footprint on the web. Does the CEO tweet? Does the CTO write a blog? Read them. You don’t have to be able to write a graduate thesis on their work, but you should be a wee bit familiar with their thoughts and leanings. Oh, and most startups will have you meet the founder/CEO/CTO before you are made an offer and they’re all human. They write for a reason — one of which is to be read; and maybe even understood.
4. Join The Conversation: Find out where the startup team is hanging out and chatting on the web. For HubSpot, for example, we have a relatively active group of people on Twitter. (Just do a Twitter search on “HubSpot” and you’ll see what I mean). Get to know some of the faces/names and find out the tone of the conversations happening around the startup you’re looking to join.
5. Connect Online: Chances are, whoever you talk to on the startup team is going to do a quick scan for you online (LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, blogosphere, etc.). Why not be more proactive, learn about them and connect with them online first? Another advantage to this approach? You could ask (without being too pushy or aggressive) some of the “insiders” you connect to what it’s like to work there. The idea is to convey that you care, you’re doing your homework and are savvy enough to make sure you want to work there first. Startup recruiting is a two-way street (the company should bring a lot to you, just like you’re going to be bringing a lot to them).
6. Emphasize That You “Get Stuff Done”: The single most important attribute that many startups look for in recruits is that they get stuff done. You can be the most brilliant engineer/marketer/whatever on the planet, but if you don’t have a tendency to get a lot of stuff done, you’re not an attractive recruit. The reason is obvious and simple — but I’ll tell you anyways. Startups are a grand exercise in resource-deprivation. There’s always too much work and not enough people. If the startup team hires you, they want to know that you’re going to put a dent in their workload — not just come up with great ideas for other people to work on.
On top of the ones mentioned above I’d like to stress the importance of developing a strong network; make it known that you’re looking for interesting opportunities when you’re meeting people and share your passion. I received a great email from a student who applied for an enternship and went for an interview; whilst he wasn’t successful in securing the role he made a fantastic contact which subsequently went on to help him in his new role in another start-up which he has joined. That’s a great example of networking and how developing new contacts is so crucial in business.
These tips provide a great starter for potential ‘enterns’ looking for their Dream Role but we thought we’d ask you – what has worked well for you in securing your dream enternship? Do you have any tips to share – if so we want to hear them!
Almost like writers trying to start a novel, the hardest part of being an entrepreneur is getting going. It can often feel as though you have an idea, and you know you want to make it work, but beyond that…nothing. This is especially the case for students and graduates with no real work experience to help them figure out how to build a business.
Handily, we came across a blog specifically targeted at students that is a handy guide to jumping off the proverbial cliff. It seems that the key is to keep it simple as the author distills the process into just three (and a half) steps. We decided to round it up to 4 steps by tweaking his list slightly:
Step 1: What do you Love?
Step 1A: Do an Enternship (Learn how to build Business first hand)
Step 2: Write it down (4 Reasons to build a Plan/Organization Chart)
Step 3: Take action (Be Proactive/Baby Steps)
Step 3A: Bring in people around you (Network/Online Persona)
So there you have it…what are you waiting for?
For more useful tips for the student entrepreneur check out: http://startupstudent.com/
Filed under: Reasons to join a startup
In a recent Business Week article, Darden professor Edward Hess suggests interning in the industry before jumping in and starting your own firm.
“You will learn about the industry supply chain, the key industry financial metrics, why customers buy certain products, and the competition’s products,” he says. “You will learn about the plumbing of a business: The infrastructure of quality, financial, HR, and customer management processes, controls, and information systems. All of this will make your transition to entrepreneurship easier. Work hard and learn everything you can.”
The author suggests trying a spot with a smaller firm over the industry’s largest corporate players:
You’re probably more likely to pick up valuable industry information in a small or midsize company, because you’ll be physically closer to the decision-makers and have more chance to interact with them regularly.
Contact the chief executives and senior managers of the companies you select and let them know about your background and aspirations. Include recommendations from your professors or previous supervisors and attach a one-page résumé. “Wait three days, and then call and speak to their administrative assistants and ask if you can schedule a five-minute phone call. Tell them clearly, concisely, and compellingly why you want to work for them. Make it easy for them to hire you by working for as little as you can afford,” Hess says.
Filed under: Reasons to join a startup
Let’s talk about hats. It’s almost guaranteed that you will wear more than one hat at a startup. You will be exposed to how an organization runs from the ground up, and potentially take part in various responsibilities from operations to finance to strategy. There won’t be much pigeonholing into one role, even if your title suggestions that you’re a “Marketing Analyst”. I remember days when I drew up budgets, filed government paperwork, contacted potential customers, and licked envelopes. All in one day.
This level of exposure, to various inner-workings, is especially useful for those who are curious about different career paths or career switching. You have to be agile, bright, and willing to take on projects that come your way. Wearing many hats will expand your horizon and provide you with experiences that can be used for the entirety of your career.
Filed under: Reasons to join a startup
Working at a startup is not your daily grind. Some people thrive off of routine. And others begin to itch when things feel to comfortable. My first job was corporate. And although they paid and treated me well, I was bored. I felt trapped in the cubicle, unable to flex my creative juices. There was a giant binder on my desk, with instructions and protocols and an acronym directory. I had daily tasks, weekly tasks, quarterly tasks… I was a monkey, or what the corporate world calls “analyst”. I was filling a role that many had filled before, and many would fill after.
About a year later, I decided to quit and join my first startup. And in the years since, I have never had a routine (or cubicle). I’ve faced new challenges and paved new paths. I’ve had a role no one had before. And one that changed so rapidly, each day was a new challenge.
If you love adventure and loathe routine, a startup life may be the life for you, too.
Filed under: Reasons to join a startup
Working at a startup is like bootcamp for business and life. Startup environments are crash courses in everything from marketing a new product to managing your time. You will do a lot of things, in a range of areas, in a short amount of time. At good startups, there’s little idle time. You’ll get instant feedback and learn quickly.
Filed under: Reasons to join a startup
Natalie shares her view on City AM’s article on entrepreneurship (Thursday 19th Feb 2009 edition):
Much to my bemusement this morning, my weekly dose of City A.M, City Focus featured an article entitled ‘For you next job, you too can become an entrepreneur’. Being an ‘entrepreneurs are fabulous’ evangelist I was obviously intrigued; I ended up thoroughly disappointed. Not only is the feature a sales pitch for university entrepreneurship programmes, it makes the programmes at Nottingham, City and Roehampton sound like taking an MA/MSc in Entrepreneurship is actually worth your time and money if you ‘really’ want to be an entrepreneur…or a ‘top-notch businessperson’ so says Timothy Barber, the journalist responsible for such drivel.
Firstly, as someone who has studied entrepreneurship, run a business and worked for a number of entrepreneurs, I can honestly say the former is the worst way to learn about starting a business venture. The courses are generally run by the least enterprising or entrepreneurial people you will ever meet, who think that putting the word ‘entrepreneurial’ in front of the marketing, finance and sales modules makes it an MSc in Entrepreneurship. If you really want to be an entrepreneur or indeed intrapreneur…work for a start-up, growing venture or established entrepreneur. Simple.
I have a friend who works for a well-known Dragon and just by doing her normal job, she has been on an entrepreneurial boot-camp from hell; emerging out the fire, wiser, more astute businesswise and confident in her abilities, she has also be promoted to a ‘Head of…’ at the age of 23, with a nice salary to boot.
Now, she could have gone and studied at one of the aforementioned universities…one of which I am currently studying at (what a hypocrite I am) and ironically writing this essay from. I have never seen any information about a ‘10m seed-fund’ or the Centre for Entrepreneurship and the entrepreneurship society doesn’t socialise outside of the business school. So tell me, where would you rather be, in a class reading entrepreneurial franchising 101, followed by even more entrepreneurial marketing 102; then call a university for an application.
But…If you want to really learn, change your way of thinking and have maximum impact and influence at the same time as developing your own project then apply for an Enternship…you’ll be glad you did!
(The opinions voiced above are not the opinions of any employers past or present and definitely not the opinions of the enternships team.)
Filed under: Reasons to join a startup
It’s the right time in your life. You’re young. No kids, no mortgage. You can do more with less, and sharing a three bedroom apartment with your buddies still sounds kind of fun. Let’s face it: you have the rest of your life to work that steady 9-5. The rest of your life to take the ’safe route’. Now is the time to dream big, take risks and join a startup. Put your bright eyes forward and fresh thoughts to use. And who knows, maybe you’ll invent the new google, strike it rich and retire early.
Filed under: Global, Macro economy, Reasons to join a startup, Recession, Survival tips
This is an article, Rajeeb Dey (CEO of Enternships) wrote for Smaart Talent Magazine (Winter 08/09 edition):
Whilst we hear of doom and gloom in the media with regards to the economy and job market, the recession we are currently facing in the UK also presents enormous opportunities for entrepreneurial people. The traditional graduate recruiters such as the banks, law firms, accountancy firms etc are likely to be cutting back on hiring which will make finding a job more challenging.
This is therefore the ideal time to be starting your own business; why not team up with the people around you and start thinking about how you can create the next Facebook or Virgin? Sir Richard Branson started Virgin in his early 20s – proof that you are never too young to start a business.
Here are some of my top tips for those of you who are considering striking out on your own:
5 top tips:
1) Network network network: remember the saying ‘it’s not what you know, it’s who you know?’ Well this very true, especially in the world of business. The earlier you start getting out there, meeting people, attending events, talking about your idea / business the better. You never know who you will come across and who in turn they may know so keep an open mind when meeting people. Whilst synergies may not be immediately obvious, you would be surprised how random connections can arise from the most unexpected circumstances.
When attending meetings and events always carry business cards with you and when taking business cards from other people – jot down a few notes on the back i.e. where and when you met them and any action points you discussed. This will help jog your memory in months/years to come and make follow-ups easier. Do not wait too long to follow up with people; try to follow up with people you’ve met within a week (to ensure they remember who you are and what you talked about!)
In business it is all about developing long term relationships with your contacts. Just meeting someone, taking their business cards and filing it away is not a good idea. Keep your network active by making introductions between people you know and keeping people informed of what you are up to. Remember though that it is not just a one-way relationship; just as you are looking for help, always think to yourself when you meet someone, ‘how can I help this person?’ Just a simple introduction to someone you know could help the other person immensely and your kindness will not be forgotten.
2) It’s all in the execution: lots of people come up with ideas, but very few go on to execute on them in a successful way. A common downfall for entrepreneurs is being over protective about their idea and failing to discuss it with others for fear of it being ‘stolen’. Whilst this may be a legitimate concern (and you can seek professional advice about this from an Intellectual Property lawyer), I find more often than not, the process of talking to others about your idea helps you to refine and improve it further. Moreover it enables those around you to offer their advice and support which most people are willing to do.
3) “Bootstrapping”: accessing external finance is likely to become more difficult in the current economic climate. It is therefore essential that you are self-sufficient by keeping costs to a minimum. This means cutting back on unnecessary expenses – live more frugally, which in the entrepreneurship world is known as ‘bootstrapping’! Starting a company is far cheaper than it used to be, especially if your business is an online venture.
When putting together a team to work with you, consider offering them equity in your business rather than a salary (or a mixture of the two) – that way they are sharing the risk with you and have a greater incentive to work hard and see this venture succeed (as ultimately the value of their share options will depend on the success of the business as a whole).
There is no need to spend lots of money on expensive advertising / PR; be creative about how you get the word out about your business – use social networks like Facebook or LinkedIn, create a viral marketing video on YouTube; promote yourself and your company using Twitter – there are so many tools out there which you can use for free – make the most of them!
4) Seek advice: you’d be surprised by how helpful people can be. There are many successful entrepreneurs and business people who are willing to offer young upstarts advice and mentoring. One organisation worth looking into is TiE (The Indus Entrepreneurs). They have a fantastic mentoring programme where they match you to an experienced entrepreneur from your industry; developing a strong rapport with a mentor who has “been there, done that” will be invaluable to you and help you to grow your business whilst avoiding some of the pitfalls your mentor may have faced.
5) Get started, but be willing to adapt: too often I hear people saying, “I’ll start my business after I’ve worked for a few years”; “after I’ve turned 30”; “after I’ve done my 500 page business plan” etc. These are often just stalling tactics which to be honest are not going to get you anywhere. I admit, starting a new business can be daunting and you may not have a clue what you are doing at first, but do you know what – most people don’t! I am a firm believer in learning by doing, and the quicker you start the better your chances are of success. That being said don’t forget the tip about seeking advice; you should be agile enough to adapt your proposition and re-invent yourself based on feedback you receive and the changing nature of the market. If you have created a business plan for yourself then great – it’s a good exercise in getting some focus on your idea and the market you are serving but do not be fixated on following your plan to every minute detail.
It is true to say that we will be facing some difficult times ahead, but do not let that stop you making the most of the situation. Finding internships and jobs in the more traditional sector will be more challenging, so why not try and take this opportunity to do something different? If you’re interested in working in a start-up or an entrepreneurial environment then check out my new venture: www.enternships.com (new website to be launched in March 2009).We connect students and graduates to start-ups and “SMEs” (small and medium enterprises) to provide you an entrepreneurial internship – which we call an ‘enternship’. With less jobs available in corporates, now is the perfect chance to augment your CV with experience in alternative work environments. Often these can be far more rewarding and interesting, offering you the chance to take on significant responsibility and make a real difference in the company. It is also the perfect training ground for people who want to start their own business, as by being in a start-up you can learn from those around you and by shadowing the entrepreneurs themselves.
What ever you decide to do, whether it be finding a job, going traveling or starting your own venture I wish you the best of luck!
