Hi all, hope everyone is well. This is my first post.
I'm interested in working in the start-up world but before I start approaching companies I'm interested to know if the C-T community has any thoughts how to respond to start-up job postings. These companies often post vague and colloquial job adverts written half in slang. The company I'm looking at is growing rapidly and posted seeking "exceptional and talented people", but that's it - very little in terms of specific skills, experience, etc. How should I submit my cover letter and resume? Should I keep it in the typical C-T style or should I "speak their language" and be witty and individual? Or something else perhaps?
Any thoughts?
Start ups have different rules
Dan,
Start up companies are, by their very definition, not your traditional work place environment. The practice of thoroughly delineating responsibilities for positions is not something many start ups are NOT going to do. What they are looking for is a personal connection with somebody they believe is going to be "brilliant" and "flexible" enough to go wherever they end up. In the book "Good to Great" this is referred to as getting the right people on the bus.
It does make it far more difficult to tailor your resume, applications, and interview to their particular needs. To compensate I would encourage you to find a few start up mentors. People who have been in a start up or two and who can help you define what skills you need to show and how to make them visible. This is also going to build your network which is how more than half the start up jobs get filled anyways.
Best of luck.
Startups don't have rules!
mfculbert hit it on the head, insofar as startups are different, and they aren't looking for the round peg for their round-shaped hole; they're looking for a universal peg that's capable of fitting into any hole, on a daily (or even hourly) basis.
If you understand that aspect of the situation, your resume/cover letter and interviewing technique really do fall out naturally. You want to highlight your flexibility and "getting-things-done" attitude. Remove things that scream "bureaucracy" and "repetition", and emphasise the time you had to deal with 18 different things in one week.