Startups across the country are adding staff. If you want to join up with one of these exciting, potentially lucrative ventures, a resume tailored for the pursuit is a good place to, um, start.
Tech-sector experts we spoke to said that while the space is crowded and competitive, startups are always hiring innovators with passion.
So, how does that translate to resume-speak? Here are a few tips from the pros that will help you get your resume in the call-back pile.
Don't Be Too Specific
"In a startup organization, first and foremost, they're looking for people who can wear a lot of different hats," says John Reed, executive director of Robert Half Technology, the tech-focused practice of the international recruiting firm.
In a big company, you might work on a very specific part of a large project, and subsequently hand it over to someone else. In a startup, you might do every step. "Startups don't have the luxury of hiring a lot of specialized people, so it's important to highlight a broad skill-set," says Reed.
Focus on Soft Skills
When you're working at a tech giant, technical skills tend to be more valuable, particularly in the nascent stages of your career.
"At a startup, however, everyone has to work with everyone," says Sam Lightstone, author of Making it Big in Software, and senior technology recruiter at IBM. "It's not possible to sit in an office and do your own thing, so soft skills become more valuable early on."
The higher you climb on the corporate ladder in technology, the more important being a people-person is -- and the ladder at startups is a notoriously short one to climb.
"What's hard to find is a culture fit," says Joe Ciarallo, director of communications at New York-based social media marketing management startup Buddy Media. "We have a strong company culture, so we look to see if they have worked for companies with cultures similar to ours."
Emphasize What's Unique
"Hiring managers know that by the fact that you went to a good school you'll have a good understanding of basic skills," says Lightstone.
So, point out the coaches' award you received from your college swim coach, or the research project you worked on that was published in a journal.
"Put the juicy stuff at the top half of page one," says Lightstone. "High grades, awards, distinctions that are not technology-related, social or community service awards -- anything that makes you not just another resume in a stack of 20,000."
If You Know What Hard Skills Are Required, Emphasize Them
If you know what specific programs or technologies you'll need in the position, it's key to emphasize the ones you're fluent in and not just list all the ones you know.
"Simply listing them is entirely useless," says Sam Gaddis, Chief Marketing Officer at Austin-based startup Mutual Mobile. "You can't be an expert in 100 kinds of software."
Instead, explain how you've used the software in the past -- whether it's in a past job, or through a course you took -- in a way that's translatable to the employer's specific operation.
"Show the employer the programs and apps you used, and how the company benefited from your work," says Reed of Robert Half. "If you start listing too much, you'll appear to be too much of a generalist, and not enough of a specialist."
As a side note, explaining how you know something is a great way to downplay experience with a startup that folded; explaining what you did to help a company in its infancy is always relevant, regardless of what happened to that company later on.
Don't Skimp on Experience
Previous experience is one of the first things recruiters with startups look for.
"The vast majority of recruiters gloss right over a summary," says Reed. Highlighting your experience is crucial, especially if it's relevant to the startup.
"Previous startup experience is always a bonus, because it shows you have a mastery of what we're doing," says Ed Ireson, Director of Recruiting at Mutual Mobile.
Know the Company, Tout Your Industry Experience
Non-technical experience that reflects your understanding of a certain industry can help, depending on the startup. If the company has a number of clients in healthcare, having a biomedical degree is particularly useful. "If you have experience with similar brands, or if you have worked with us in the past, you should share that," says Ciarallo of Buddy Media.
Show Domain Expertise
Do your industry research and make it pay off.
Before you apply to a startup, do research on the industry that the startup focuses on and integrate industry-specific names, news, and trends into your resume.
"By definition, smaller companies have a narrow focus. Startups must have a narrow focus to get off the ground and be successful," says Lightstone.
If you're applying for a data analytics job with a social media startup, you should highlight the expertise you have with relevant keywords that will let the recruiter there know that you know your stuff.
Write to Kelly Eggers
