Ask HN: Moving from Education to Startup?

6 points by podopie 15 years ago | 1 comment

A friend suggested I post here for help after lurking here for awhile.

I'm losing my job as a high school English teacher and am interested in going into the startup world, particularly because I think it's where I can truly be useful and my work habits would be appreciated more. I have no idea where to start though with rebuilding my résumé; I've only been teaching for two years, but teaching and coaching is about the only experience I have beyond the sales positions I had in college years ago.

I was hoping to get some advice about how to reformat my résumé to appeal to startup positions. I'm very limited in CS (some Unix and Ruby/Rails) and would be more useful in a marketing or management position, or so I think. Would appreciate any help. Thanks, HN!

namank 15 years ago |

#1 startups like people who like getting down and dirty

#2 build upon your strengths

#3 improve your weaknesses

It's actually Ruby on Rails thats hot right now and what most startups are looking for right now. I'd say take some time to learn that, maybe make some simple application for practice.

Secondly, use your strengths! English? I'm assuming copywriting is something that won't com to hard to you? OWN that space! Research marketing and user interaction for websites. Then go to some startups' websites and see how you can improve their text/site layout/whatever. Show it to your friend and get some opinins. Then let the startup know your thoughts. In-person is best but email just may work. In all this, remember that your strenght(and thus, the differentiating factor) is copywriting and the fact you know English well enough to teach it.

You are gonna have to build a portfolio, or resume as you put it, before anyone will take you seriously...figure out how to get those first initial clients

Good luck!