STARTUP SPECIAL.. START-UPS ARE LOOKING FOR YOU!

START-UPS ARE  LOOKING  FOR YOU!   If you are waiting to be picked up by start-ups as well, here are a few tips to outshine the rest and get hired Colleges usually have the same drill year in and year out when it comes to CV and interview tips. But what works for the big companies may not necessarily impress when it comes to start-ups. The way they operate is different. The kind of talent they need varies slightly too. So how can you get hired by your dream start-up company, whether you're a fresher looking for an out-of-the-box work environment or a seasoned professional all geared up to take a break from the structured multinationals? THE IDEAL CANDIDATE “Start-ups work on this simple principle when it comes to hiring ­ `hire people who are smarter than average and look for passion not just skills'. As every employee is part of a core function in a start-up, the stakes are a lot higher. We want to hire candidates who wish to grow with the company and are not treating a role as a temporary halt before they move on to better jobs,“ says Aditya Malik, CEO and MD, Talentedge, an interactive learning platform. He lists the factors that startups look for in a potential employee: CULTURAL FIT: Most of the startups stand for a culture beyond their product. It's important we see a prospect hire blending in with that culture and enriching it in the long run; PASSIONATE EMPLOYEES: Passion for the job and the ability to translate that into their domain of work is important; ABILITY TO ARTICULATE THE COMPANY'S VISION: A candidate will hit the bulls-eye if heshe is able to articulate the company's vision during interactions at the time of hire. They should be able to tell how they would make a positive contribution to it; CREATIVE AND RISK TAKING APPROACH: An ideal candidate should be innovation driven and have the acumen to take calculated risks when required. ENHANCE YOUR CV Your CV is all that stands between you and an interview with the start-up you want to work for. So, how do you make sure it doesn't land in the recruiter's  trash mail, but on their desk instead? Ajit Pandey, CTO and co-founder, LoanStreet.in, a marketplace for loans lists the elements that start-ups generally look for in a potential candidate's CV: >> Hard core skill set >> Stability track records in terms of job hopping; >> Extra-curricular skills showing an entrepreneurial bent of mind;  >> Adaptability to work in changing circumstances; >> Openness to exploring new geographies. It's clear that more than a series of fancy job descriptions, start-ups want evidence of your desire and ability to experiment, adapt and deliver. “Start with a short summary of who you are and why you're the right person for the job. Emphasise accomplishments over responsibilities and highlight projects and initiatives undertaken at previous workplace institution beyond your desk jobacademic course. Finally, be creative; especially if you are applying for marketing and design related roles. Add personality and flavour to your resume,“ advises Harshvardhan Lunia, CEO and cofounder, Lendingkart, a company that provides short-term working capital loans to entrepreneurs. ACE THAT INTERVIEW The interview is the real `make or break' stage, isn't it? And one wrong step can cost you dearly. Ankit Jain, CEO & co-founder, MyOperator, a customer  relationship management system for calls, has some useful tips to offer: 1 Use the product: No matter . what role you're interviewing for engineering, sales, marketing you should always use the product before our first interview; 2 Bring your ideas: Now that . you'd be familiar with the product, be ready with ideas for how you'd like to improve it in your role. What new features would you be most excited to build? How would you engage users (or re-engage existing ones)? How could the company increase conversions? How could customer service be improved? 3. Be ready to interview back: These conversations will not only give you helpful information to consider if you get an offer, they'll show the interviewer that you're seriously evaluating  the company yourself (and not just trying to get the first start-up job that lands  on your plate). Now you see why interviewing for a start-up job can be radically different from interviewing for a job in an established conglomerate? Mukesh Aggarwal, co-founder, MyPacco, an online logistics start-up, remarks, “A start-up is a journey to make a change in the way people do something, be it booking a ticket or purchasing an item. So, we want people who can contribute to that change, be willing to learn and think on their feet. Start-ups do something new everyday; so the candidate has to believe that change is a part of life. We don't want people who stick to their own roles. The ideal candidate should give a helping hand and not be scared of making mistakes. We need people who can listen to both, internal and external customers.“ So go out there and grab the job you always want

ANKITA SHREERAM

ET27OCT15