Workable helps companies improve the quality and efficiency of their hiring by simplifying the most time-consuming task: browsing, screening and managing candidates. Workable is also sponsor of ‘TechStartupJobs Fair London 2014’.

1. Startup employee
Recruitment software – B2B SaaS
Fast-growing co’s in 87 countries
Startup recruiter
Hiring for fast-growth technology companies
(Mind Candy, Wonga, Google, eBay)
@_roblong

2. VC for a day
picking a startup to work for

3. Startup jobs are investments
The job
- Seed stage startup (<$1m raised)
- 0.5% equity with 3-year vesting
- $20k below market salary

4. Startup jobs are investments
Should you invest?
- $60k for 0.25% at exit
(assume 3 rounds of 25% dilution)
- $150m exit for a 6x return in 5-8yrs
(to match the risk profile)
- ..and that would be a good scenario!

5. Think like a VC
Expect high levels of transparency
Evaluate the business fundamentals
Do your own research
Accept uncertainty, embrace risk
Don’t throw dice, make a calculated bet

6. Product
Is the product solving a real problem?
Is it good / better than the alternatives?
What’s the competition?
What do people use now?

7. Market
Who wants this product and how badly?
How much are they willing to pay?
How easy it is to reach them?
What’s the addressable market size?

8. Business Model
How will the company make money?
What’s the lifetime value of customers?
What’s the customer acquisition cost?
Can the company build cost-effective
and scalable distribution channels?
Check metrics vs industry benchmarks

9. Team
Startups are accelerated learning.
But you only learn if you work alongside
great / smart / cooperative people
You’re betting your career on the
ability of the founders to achieve
a rare success
This should be 80% of your decision

10. Financing
Is it well-funded? Check history and
ask for future financing plans
Ask for burn rate, run rate, runway
What milestones/achievements will be
needed to achieve next funding or profit
Ask VCs or angel investors for feedback

11. Work life
Workplace culture is more than free pizza
Learning and training opportunities
Work practices, tools, methodologies
Work ethic – startups are hard work
but beware of management by heroics

12. Due Diligence
Ask for references
Ask to speak to employees or investors
Get feedback from friendly investors or
entrepreneurs
Google founders, employees
Ask customers

13. Be diligent, NOT paranoid
Startups are messy and risky. Don’t expect
everything to add up 100%
If it doesn’t feel a bit risky, you came late
Do it before 30 if you can
If it fails, it’s not the end of the world

14. Are you hiring?
Workable is a beautifully simple
recruitment tool for startups and fast-
growing companies. Try it out at
www.workable.com