| Interviewing with Start-Up Companies | |
About Interviewing with Start-Up Companies
|
When interviewing, start-up companies are not likely looking for "typical" employees, because they have much more at stake than established companies. While most established companies focus on sustaining and growth, most start-up companies are struggling just to survive. So they are more likely looking for sharp, highly-skilled self-starters, who take ownership of projects, wear many hats, work long hours, play well with the team, and juggle many projects in a hectic, understaffed, under-budgeted, unorganized environment. Sounds wonderful, doesn't it?
Still, some find this challenging environment to be exciting. Although investing your time in a start-up is not a reliable road to early retirement, it can be rewarding long term, especially if you get in early. But, many start-ups go under, run short on funds or overestimate growth. Just as the financial backers are risking their money, you are risking your time and maybe even a big chunk of your retirement benefits.
If you're among those who find this type of environment attractive anyway, be ready during interviews to present yourself as the entrepreneurial type of employee outlined above. You'd also be wise to research the company's financial health, plans and profit potential as much as you can beforehand. It's a good idea to research these things about any company with which you're interviewing, but even more so for a start-up, since you have much more at stake. Search the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to see if the company is already filing as a public entity or has filed for an initial public offering (IPO). Such filings often include financial reports and forward-looking information. Also browse IPO news sites. Take it all with a grain of salt, though. It's not unusual for a start-up to operate at a loss for several years, and forward-looking information is inherently speculative.
Many start-ups are privately owned, at least at first. If it's not yet a public company, hasn't yet filed for an IPO or doesn't meet the SEC's filing criteria, you might be hard-pressed to find much, unless it has been newsworthy lately or caught the ever-watchful eye of Wall Street. Visit the company's Web site for press releases and links to business articles. (These are typically in the investor relations or "about us" sections.) Also search for the company's name on the Net to see what pops up. Articles and such might be speculative too, but at least they'll give you some idea what the business community thinks. If it's consumer-oriented company, check with the Better Business Bureau to see if anyone has filed complaints. That won't tell you much about their financial condition, but if they are starting out with a bad rap, their future may not be too bright.
Also prepare yourself with plenty of questions about the start-up company.
Next Page > Interview
Questions to Ask Start-Up Companies
Page 1, 2
Job Searching:
Technical supports Equal-Opportunity Employment.
Copyright © 2000, J. Steven Niznik. All Rights Reserved.