What to Know Before You Apply to a Startup

However, the survey also revealed that 50% of candidates don't know what it means to actually work for a startup.

Co-founder of HireArt Elli Sharef commented on the disparity between expectations and reality for candidates applying to startups: "People think these days they want to work at a startup. It's a new hot thing. There is an ethos, like 'Oh startups are so sexy,' but people don't really understand what it means. It's a ton of grunt work, the pay is really low, a lot of startups are pressure cookers and you have to achieve results quickly. Yeah, there are some really fun parts to it, but one of the things we found is that people aren't realistic about what working for a startup really is."

So how do we close the gap between the glamorized perception and the reality of working at a startup? Below we will delve deeper into HireArt's findings and explore the five most scarce skills in startups, and how to make sure you're a good fit for a specific company.

The Skills

For those pursuing a job at a startup, knowing the skills that are difficult to fill could be an advantage; if you have certain skill sets that are high in demand they will set you apart from the competition. The five most difficult skills to fill at startups are described below.

1. Sales Experience: Most startups are selling something, and they often need effective salespeople. But very few experienced salespeople are applying to work at startups. In the absence of previous experience, startups also look for people with the right attitude for sales: self-starter, high energy and persistent.

2. Marketers With SEO/SEM Skills: Although there are many people looking for marketing and social media positions at startups, very few appear to have the necessary qualifications. Chief among these skills is SEO/SEM, which any startup with a website (every company ever) would like to have.

3. Data Analysis: If entrepreneurship is a management science, then knowing what to measure and how to measure it is important. But rarely do startups get candidates that have appropriate experience to conduct data analysis for starting companies.

4. Engineering Experience: Plain and simple. Engineers are the most coveted hires at startups and that still has not changed. For web development, most startups are looking for Ruby or Python skills, while app-based products vie for iOS and Android developers.

5. Ability to Wear Multiple Hats: If you are not an engineer, it is very helpful and nearly necessary to have at least two of these skills. Startups are looking for people who have experience in different areas and give intelligent opinions about nearly everything, so the more specialty skills you have, the more valuable you are.

Execution

Although it is important to be skilled in many different areas, Elli Sharef recommends picking one skill that you are particularly good at and emphasizing it: "Some people we interview come in and say 'I'm an awesome marketer, but in addition I'm really great at business development, and by the way I'm also really wonderful at design, and I also know how to code.' No, clearly you aren't excellent at all those things. Pick one thing you're good at, and emphasizing that will help you land a job at a startup for sure."

If you've got a few of these skills, it looks like you're in a great position to apply to a startup. However, finding the right company is extremely important. In regards to employee retention, 25% of companies reported losing 50% or more of their non-technical hires within six months. Of the candidates who left within six months, companies said the biggest reason was "bad fit."

In order to decrease this high turnover rate, Elli Sharef shared some insight into how you can see if you're a good fit for the company: "Envision a day in the life, and ask the founder: What will I really be doing all day? Break it down to me in terms of hours. And really think that through. Also really know yourself, and really know what a startup is before you jump into it."

So, before you decide to work at a startup, make sure you have the necessary skills and a realistic mindset about what your day-to-day will look like. Also, do some soul-searching to make sure that a startup is where you really want to be, and that the company is the right fit for you.