Help Niels get a job July 30, 2008
Posted by Niels in : Personal , trackbackIt’s taken a few iterations, but I finally have a good sense of what I’m looking for. A product marketing manager or product manager position would put me back in the tech world, but on the business/marketing side, which is where I want to be right now.
The problem, with startup jobs in particular, is that they often are unadvertised and positions are commonly filled through word of mouth and references. In other words, my entire job search is really about finding the right person to connect me with the right person who knows someone in the right company.
So if you’re reading this and know someone in the Seattle area that I should meet (startups, venture capitalists, etc), please connect me! Drop me a line at blog AT nielshoven DOT com. I’m doing pretty well on my own, but help is always appreciated.
My background: I come from a technical background (two masters degrees in EE) but have spent the last two years in more marketing/sales/business roles, including running my own public speaking business.
I spent three years in the electrical engineering Ph.D. program at UC Berkeley. I specialized in wireless communication, specifically cognitive radio, and spent a summer at Philips Research.
Following that, I sold and taught high-priced training seminars on interpersonal communication. I managed workshops and teams of instructors across three continents and delivered record-setting sales figures. I branched out on my own and began speaking professionally as well as running my own classes, but eventually realized I missed the rate of learning and growth demanded by being in the technology field.
I took a short-term position at a startup in Seattle, designing a new strategy and business model to more effectively monetize their existing assets and tripling sponsorship revenue within two months. It was a great experience, and now I’m looking for a longer-term challenge.
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Good luck. I’m doing the entry-level job search right now. It’d help if I knew exactly what I wanted to do. I’ll probably end up in Portland, but I could see myself landing in Seattle as well depending on the opportunity.
Why not sell yourself to the highest bidder on ebay or hang up posters in your hometown (you know, like in the “Lost and Found”-section in your grocery store. “I’m lost, hire me”). That way you can show off your salesmanship and also marketing abilities. It also proves that you can make independent descisions and take a risk.
justsomechick- You read that CNN article about “weird tactics getting you a job” didn’t you? I’m unconvinced that it’s a good idea except under very specific circumstances (not mine).
No, I didn‘t, but I have now. For me, finding a job in a rather unconventional way helped. It also gave me more benefits and 28,5% more money. However, it’s understandable that unconventional doesn’t work for everyone. At the end of the day you have to be comfortable with your own decisions and tactic. For the record, brutal honesty at the actual interview also paid off for me ;)
Don’t hold hold your breath or your hope in getting a job in an area you don’t have direct experience in. The positions that you are looking for usually require direct previous experiences. A good way of getting into those positions is working as a developer on a product for a number of years to the extent that you understand the product inside out and leap into a product manager role in the same company. After proving yourself in that company’s product, you could then jump ship to another company easier.
Yes this sounds negative, but only being truthful.
Thanks for the advice Julie. But I’ve never been one to take the easy road.