Aug
12

4 Strategies to Immerse Yourself into the Boston Startup Scene

burst bubble(Note: This post originally was written for the BostInnovation blog and re-posted here as part of my blogging portfolio.)

From the outside looking in, you may think getting a job at a startup is like getting a job at any other company – Starbucks, Staples, Macy’s, etc. I hate to burst that belief, but it’s a bit tougher than just filling out an application, having a formal interview, and hoping to get chosen among the multitude of applicants.

Getting into the start up scene is about who you know and how much you are willing to give to make a company succeed. Being in Boston adds another unique layer to this; we are a very tight-knit community. Although Boston is a relatively big city and it may seem like a large pool of companies and candidates, we all talk. Why? Because we all are on social media or go to events regularly!

Coming from a small town in Connecticut myself, I had to learn the hard way that getting involved in the startup scene in Boston was no easy task. However, it was the best journey I’ve ever been on. Being here a year and a half now, I want to share with you how you can go about getting a job in an awesome start up in Boston without wasting time.

1. Network – work the scene

networkign bostonDue to our tight-knit community, we all tend to navigate towards the same type of events. I find myself saying “Long time no see!” in a sarcastic manner to many people who attend the same events as I do. We all know the right events to go to, whether a casual beer and networking event or a knowledge-based event. Start attending events, talking to various people about the events they attend, look for patterns, and deepen your network.

This will allow you to become recognized in the area and allow you to learn from this group and get the ‘in’ on potential job openings.

2. Get involved on social media

Let’s face it – Boston is full of nerds. It is also full of social media enthusiasts – and we’re a bit proud of it.  I highly suggest you create Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and even YouTube accounts and start interacting with influencers in Boston.

You can find these influencers by noticing how many followers they have, how much they engage with others and by catching them in person at events. By following conversations and talking with other people in Boston, you will build up recognition of your skills and interests.

3. Create your own personal brand

personal brandingJust like any consumer brand, it is important to distinguish yourself in the market. Making yourself both memorable and visible is crucial today. Chances are, if you are being interviewed for a job, the employer is Googling you to view your personal brand and digital footprint.

I highly recommend starting a personal website or blog that demonstrates what you are interested in, your past experience, and anything else career-related you want others to see.

For me, I blogged about digital marketing, posted videos on how to brand yourself online, and posted my video resume. On top of that, build out social sites like Twitter and LinkedIn demonstrating the same information on your site to create consistency.

People will come to expect certain content from you and will know where to get it. This is crucial when you are on the job hunt. Being visible and helpful online can go a long way.

4. Be yourself

It is important to first and foremost act like the same person whether online or in person. Your personal brand online should reflect who you really are. If you are a fun, bubbly person, write in a conversational, easy-going tone. That way, no matter which way a person is communicating with you, they know it is truly you.

At the end of the day, it is who and what you know that can get you into the Boston startup scene. Networking properly and demonstrating your expertise both online and offline are critical to getting seen and remembered by potential employers.

Most of us at BostInnovation have done these above four things to get jobs at really awesome companies and involved with this blog. Ask any of us, it was more than worth it!

Jun
13

“How Do I Get Involved in a Startup Company?”

get involved in startupTwo years ago, I never really knew what a ‘startup company’ was. Being from a small town in northern Connecticut, all I knew about were the large insurance corporations and chain restaurants and clothing stores. (Truth be told, it wasn’t surprising I didn’t know of any startups, as there are not that many in Connecticut). As of today, I’ve been working for a startup, Backupify, for 14 months. Did I ever see this coming? Absolutely not. Am I glad I’m here? Absolutely!

Many friends have approached me asking the exact question proposed in the title of this blog post. “So, how do I get a job at a start up company?” Truth be told, it is tough if you don’t know the right people. It took me a few months to carefully network and feel out the startup culture.

When people tell you it’s all about who you know, they are right. When a small company like a startup is looking to hire, they are very reliant on referrals and recommendations of good hires as they cannot risk making a wrongful hire.

In short, below I’ve answered the most common questions I’ve been asked regarding getting into a startup:

How do you know who to contact?

First, determine what it is you’re looking to do. If you’re into marketing like I am, start contacting marketing professionals in the area (either via email or Twitter) to make an initial connection. Thankfully, through college, I received a marketing scholarship from an organization based around Boston, so those were the first people I went to when I was looking for a job.

Essentially, network creatively. Find out what topic of interest you want to start a career in and find others who are doing just that. Get their attention either by chatting on Twitter, sending an email or attending an event and making a personal introduction. I was able to meet many very successful marketers around the Boston area by doing just that. After you’ve made your first successful networking contact, they can surely help you branch off and meet others.

How do you know what events to attend?

It’s always good to make a personal connection. If you can attend the events that admirable professionals in your industry are attending, that is a great start. You can also get recommendations about events and conferences from your first few contacts. I’ve found that some networking events are more valuable than others. Here in Boston, there are events where it is just a social gathering involving small talk and beer. Then there are conferences with learning sessions and breakout networking times. I value both for different reasons. I started going to both when I began crafting my way into the Boston startup scene. I found that the social ‘drink-ups’ as they’re called were great to have casual conversations and get your name known. You may not learn too much, but there sure are a lot of people to meet. That’s actually how I got involved being a writer for BostInnovation.

Conferences are a great way to learn and get your name out there. Conferences tend to be larger, so it’s always important to find out who is going and make a point to meet them there.

How do you know when to take a chance?

Working for a startup does involve some risk. Unlike an established brand or corporation, startups are small and often bootstrap or VC funded. This meaning that there is a limited cash runway and hard work involved to push through the competition and challenges to make it to the top. Before I accepted my job offer with Backupify, our CEO Rob May made a point to explain to me exactly what taking a job at a startup meant. It meant there was risk of failure, hard times among the good times, and long hours. Thankfully, I was up for all of that – but many are not.

I’ve spoken with many colleagues who started their career off at a standard corporation, being a number among thousands of other employees, and just living day-by-day, not enjoying their job. I’m always interested to hear how one day they snap and realize they want to enjoy their career and find a company and a job that is truly rewarding. Many times, landing a position at a startup company can be just that opportunity with exposure to almost every activity in the company including being involved with executive decisions, being challenged like never before, and having a say in the direction of the company.

I’m thrilled I took the leap into the startup world as my first career job. It has been the most rewarding, creative and challenging job I could have ever wanted.

What other questions do you have in regards to learning about startup culture? If you made the move from a ‘regular’ job to a startup, what was your experience like? I’d love to hear from you!

Apr
14

Blogging and Your Personal Online Brand

This is a guest post by Corve DaCosta, of corvedacosta.com. (See full bio below).

Can you imagine the world without the internet? We would go crazy, running around like chickens without a head trying to solve the problem. We have grown accustom to the internet and social media that I don’t know if we are ready for the internet to fail us for a minute. If you happen to tweet and tweet a lot, sometimes you reload the page and it says “Twitter is over capacity”. In seconds when it returns, Twitter users are ‘tweeting’ #whentwitterwasdown followed by what happened to them. The world is all about connectivity and sharing your opinions. I am positive Secret Service will think it’s an attack on the US and not a system failure worldwide should the internet go down. The fact is the internet has changed our lives and we cannot go back. No! From where I ‘lowly’ sit it’s best to adopt these trends and see how it may work for you. Indeed, it is working for millions worldwide as they own a piece of the internet. And the only way to touch it is by touching your laptop screen and now your iPad. The internet and the advent of social media, directly blogging provides the ability where people can build personal brands. The success stories are immense and the benefits are not only lucrative but may benefit the individual in many other ways.

Recently, I was in a heated discussion with a fellow blogger on joining Twitter. He couldn’t fathom how it works and how it could help his blog generate more viewers – he uses Facebook. After our conversation he logged on to create his account. The internet has broken down so many barriers and has opened the world in many ways people are finding it unbelievable. The world is literally at our fingertips when we sit before a PC with internet capabilities. Realizing the phenomenon of what is happening; bloggers are using it to their advantage. More than ever, people have something to say and if you have an informed perspective there is an area for you.

I started my blog back in May 2009 and I would not have imagined where I am today. It is true for many bloggers, you start out with one post and the interest grows and continues to grow until you are reaping benefits. Most bloggers make their websites sociable places and they practice ‘personal branding’ (although they don’t know). According to Wikipedia, it is the process whereby people and their careers are marked as brands. Especially if you use your name on your blog, you run the risk of people associating what is on your blog to your character. Bloggers have to be keen on ensuring they edit and are managers of what is posted on their blogs on the internet. The minute something is posted on the internet, it is not the case where they have to visit your page to see it, but Google in minutes will record your data in their search engine. It benefits us all but there are certain dangers to this.

There are many benefits to blogging. More bloggers are gaining employment through what they do, they are using their websites to make money and all of this is through the personal branding they have done. Most bloggers do not get overnight success, unless you are established, but it is a work in progress. Over months and years people find out what you do, value your opinions and take you seriously. The world is grappling with the introduction of blogging/bloggers and the influence they have on the internet and shaping opinions.

Just recently, Vogue Magazine decided to do a photo shoot with about nine fashion bloggers, simply showcasing and recognizing the work they do. There is currently a huge discussion in the fashion industry on whether fashion bloggers are editors. People are taking what bloggers do seriously because of the hard work it takes to produce a good blog. You have team blogs but most times, a blog is a ‘one man show’. It is that individual writing the posts, sourcing the images, promoting the post on the internet, replying to persons who have found it interesting and ensuring it fits in the entire presentation of the blog. It is hard work and keep in mind that to have a good following, you are updating your blog 3-4 times for the week. When you really get into blogging, most bloggers are not out to build personal branding; at the end of the day, they want to know they are satisfying their audience and hopefully pleasing them will increase their overall image.

I do not know if another development will come along and surpass the experience blogging provides. For now, it is the latest trend, not only for individuals but companies are using it to communicate with their customers, in addition to many other platforms at their fingertips. Blogging is great for potential employment. Employers are now using Google to research their candidates and having a space on the internet to share what matters to you or your interests is good to any potential employer. A well produced blog may tell someone how well you can work, your ethical standards which could prove beneficial. You do not have to gain employment; however, I am a firm believer that experienced individuals should share their perspective. Where they may not be seeking employment, their opinions are valued and respected.

In concluding, humans are walking brands. Your reputation is the most valuable thing you can ever have. The internet provides the space for your brand to be published online through a blog. Blogging is wonderful, it takes a lot of time but the benefits are fantastic. Blogging allows you to share your passions, your interests in a space where like-minded individuals can find you and connect with you. You may be thinking ‘I’m not a good writer or an artist’ but you will see huge improvements in whatever you do. All of us are different, and sharing your perspective – there’s always a place for that and that is blogging.

Start a blog today and watch your personal brand grow.

Corve DaCosta is a native and resident of sunny Jamaica, He is a self-professed media junkie who particularly enjoys people – their points of view, experiences, idiosyncrasies, strengths and flaws. A graduate of the University of Technology (Kingston, Ja.), where he earned his BA in Marketing and Business Administration, Corve has been featured in several advertising campaigns in his home country. He is currently very committed to developing his blog, but welcomes any opportunities that may arise, particularly in marketing, mass media and modeling.

Go back to top