[HN Gopher] Ask HN: What will motivate you to apply for a job at...
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       Ask HN: What will motivate you to apply for a job at a pre-funded
       startup?
        
       How would you evaluate an early-startup in the first place to build
       that motivation?  And also, what would repel you from applying at
       an early-stage startup?
        
       Author : _448
       Score  : 5 points
       Date   : 2022-10-31 21:44 UTC (1 hours ago)
        
       | ac2u wrote:
       | >How would you evaluate an early-startup in the first place to
       | build that motivation?
       | 
       | Lots of equity. (If you're pre-funded you can't offer good
       | salary)
       | 
       | > And also, what would repel you from applying at an early-stage
       | startup?
       | 
       | Not having lots of equity. Lots of pre-revenue roadmaps instead
       | of figuring out how to charge early. (Unless it's a social
       | network)
        
       | themodelplumber wrote:
       | Connections that really feel good can be extremely motivating,
       | funding or no. If I had a hiring role for that organization I'd
       | emphasize connection over exact job skill matches if it came down
       | to it. I'd make sure every new hire felt really good to at least
       | 2-3 leaders they'll work with, too, so the leadership could reach
       | out to them comfortably to seal the connection.
       | 
       | Then I'd build on that in future hiring and interviews, and get
       | other employees involved as a way of building the collection of
       | motivated folks who can soak it in and enjoy our vibe.
       | 
       | This organization in a pre-funded state and wanting employees
       | should have an amazing vibe, no excuses. But it doesn't have to
       | be _everybody's_ amazing vibe. It has to be something positive,
       | reasonably energetic, and then the other stuff can follow as
       | suits the situation: Geeky, specialized, diverse in a particular
       | way, and so on.
       | 
       | If I somehow ended up as a hiring candidate I'd be doing so much
       | backgrounding on the organization that I'd have a full outline of
       | everything I'd be getting from it every day I was there, and
       | right through its implosion if needed. Really wish I had done
       | this in the dot com era!
       | 
       | Repellent to me, to give an example, would be a cultural mismatch
       | based on factors that weren't accessible to me before
       | interviewing, but which should have been. For example if I arrive
       | on site with no accessible context to mull over beforehand, and
       | the environment is extremely particular in a given way, that's
       | really awkward to have to work through and can indicate an
       | important but missed connection already.
       | 
       | "Particular" could be: Most people here WFH except you, and it's
       | a warehouse in a sketchy area; we are divided into two teams, and
       | you'll be on the one that's more workaday and has to stand up
       | much of the day; we have a warm-greetings environment and nobody
       | is WFH because they all love being together, etc.
       | 
       | Anyway. Just some thoughts, hope they can be helpful.
        
       | kerblang wrote:
       | - Honesty about difficulties you're facing (repellent would be
       | gushing hipsterism)
       | 
       | - Empowerment to get things done
       | 
       | - A pursuit of legitimate business opportunity (repellent would
       | be craptocurrency, spamware)
        
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       (page generated 2022-10-31 23:02 UTC)