US Navy

Command Master Chief

The Optimizer Group

CEO of The Optimizer Group. We are a premier boutique focused on optimizing organizational performance. A Veteran own business.

President

Simple philosophy alert!



1. Managers are the most impactful force in modern organizations.
2. Senior leaders who can direct this force lead successful organizations.

I can help create both.

Who is this guy?

For the past 22 years, I've helped build the World's most powerful Navy. I have led impactful teams in contested environments and I'm responsible for producing over 7K leaders. 

I'm on a mission to help 10 million leaders chart a new path forward, optimize their management, and lead the charge for high performance and well-being at work.

Two more things:

1. I post daily about leadership. Share One Pro Tip. You can hit follow, and you'll see my post.

2. I am known as The Management Optimizer because it sounds better than Management Yoda.

I would like to know about you. 👋Feel free to DM me.

Cesar Rojas

Kyle Thomas

Early

We have built a proven system and community that has helped hundreds of ambitious job seekers land their dream roles at world-changing startup companies and make their career visions a reality without the anxiety, uncertainty, and loneliness of the job search.

Early's job seekers have landed their next role in an average of just 3 months.

And these compensation increase numbers are for just the last 12 months...

Average % Change in Salary: 24% or $24,475

Average % Change in Equity: 994% (9x the Equity) or $100,828

Average % Change in Total Compensation: 66% or $125,303

Total Salary Increases: $420,800

Total Equity Increases: $1,218,874

Total Compensation Increases: $1,639,674!!!

And we're just getting started.

We have helped people land roles as...
Chief Operating Officer
Head of New Products
Head of Product Marketing
Head of Brokerage & Expansion
Director of Platform
Director of Operations
Director of Global Sales
Senior Project Manager
Sales Operations Manager
Marketplace Growth Manager
Program Manager
Technical Sourcer
Growth Manager
Go To Market Finance & Strategy Manager

The list goes on and on because the method works no matter your area of expertise or desired startup stage.

You don't need an upskill program or a certificate to land your next role.

You need the systems and processes that work and a well-connected startup community.

That's what we have built.

It's my mission to eliminate the anxiety, uncertainty, and loneliness of the job search and to help millions of others have the same career-accelerating dream job startup experience I had as an early Uber employee... 

and maybe make some millionaires and even billionaires along the way!

These methods took me from cubicle data entry to a job as Uber employee 250 and from unemployed to startup executive.

It's everything I wish I had when I was looking for my next startup role.

I'm not special. 

I can teach you to do the same.

Come join us and make your startup dream a reality!

Founder

On Deck

A community of senior startup operations leaders sharing best practices from the trenches.

Strategy and Operations Fellow

Kyle C Thomas Consulting LLC

I leverage my past experience growing and managing the Uber and JUMP businesses to advise and consult start-up companies, primarily focused on launching and scaling two and three sided marketplaces, overall business strategy, business growth, operational best practices, and best techniques for scaling processes, teams, and organizations

Consultant / Advisor - Business Operations & Strategy

• Scaled and matured the operations organization from $2M annual run rate to over $15M in a little over a year while growing a mostly in-person team from 10 to 170+ during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Expanded service operations from one market into three (NYC, CHI, HOU) and from one product line to five.

• Managed HR, recruiting, finance, data reporting, merchandising, and procurement from Series A ($29.6M) through Series B ($45.0M).

• Assisted with fundraising efforts, including pitch decks and presentations to investors like Kleiner Perkins and Insight Partners.

• Created operational SOP’s, HR guidelines, employee onboarding, employee experience and growth programs, review process, and data reporting structure including operational KPI’s and financial metrics.

• Worked cross-functionally with teams across the business (sales, account management, growth, customer service, product, data, finance, legal, etc.) to build products and processes to address the company’s operational needs.

• Worked directly with the founding team on overall company strategy and operationalization of their vision.

• Drove the operations organization’s efforts to achieve perfect product/experience quality through monitoring and improving the “defect rate” while aggressively pursuing profitability targets.

Vice President Operations

Uber

• Led JUMP launch in New York City and oversaw all business management and operations resulting in the completion of hundreds of thousands of trips within the first year
• Managed a team of over 100 across two warehouse locations (Bronx & Staten Island)
• Fostered positive relationships with community organizations and local elected officials

Senior Operations Manager - JUMP New York City

• Led the launch of Uber Rides in New York State resulting in the fastest growing US launch in the history of the company with over 1MM trips and $300MM in bookings in the first year
• Created and implemented an analysis framework to account for seasonal changes resulting in healthier business metrics, increased growth, and hundreds of thousands of dollars saved
• Monitored key marketplace metrics (growth, P&L, competition) for New York City (the largest Uber market in the US) and executed recommendations to resolve market issues and boost growth

Senior Operations & Logistics Manager - New York City Territory Management

• Successfully passed a ridesharing bill through the Connecticut state legislature
• Managed driver growth and recognition
• Built the first remotely operated driver support network at Uber consisting of 1 permanent and 3 remote locations
• Created strong ties in the community through partnerships with the NAACP, MADD, local colleges & universities, Connecticut state legislators, and other local organizations

Operations & Logistics Manager - Connecticut

•  Launched Uber operations in New Jersey and Connecticut and oversaw all efforts until annual run rate reached $24M in Connecticut and $137M in New Jersey.
•  Created expansion and launch operations strategy and execution including rider and driver growth, rider and driver support, marketplace efficiency, and incentives.

Operations & Logistics Manager - Launcher (Connecticut & New Jersey)

• Organized first ever NYC driver insurance event providing over 700 partners with access to affordable coverage
• Managed all payments for Uber the Tri-State including weekly payments, incentives, guarantees, and payment issues
• Responsible for driver supply growth

Operations & Logistics Manager - New York City

Expeditors International

• Account manager and consultant for imports from large national and multi-national companies
• Analyzed data and processes to inform clients of product functions, industry information, and best practices
• Specializations in customs brokerage and customer relations

Customs Brokerage Representative - National Accounts

United States Senate

Office of Senator Dick Lugar and Senate Foreign Relations Committee

Kotis Design

I smiled and dialed selling t-shirts and other swag to fraternities, sororities, and college groups across the country.

College Sales Specialist

Went from cubicle data entry to Uber Employee 250 & Startup Exec | Helping you land your career-accelerating role in less than 90 days | Founder & CEO of UpEmployment Accelerator

When it comes to startup job seeking everyone wants to be an early employee at a unicorn 🦄 & earn millions 💸.

But what's the secret to landing those opportunities? 

Here's a hint...

They don't come from the "traditional job search".

When I was job seeking I had no idea what I was doing, but with experience and research, I found ways to stack the deck in your favor.

That's what led me to land a job as Uber's 250th employee. 

After Uber, it's what led me to a VP role with a $100k salary increase at a Y-Combinator startup.

That's why I built Early.

Do you have amazing experience & want to take the next step to accelerate your career in a startup, but not sure where to start?

I wished that someone had a playbook for how to do that. 

It didn't exist, so I created it.

The Early Accelerator gives highly talented job seekers a complete playbook for how to land your next dream role plus accountability & a community to guide you along the way.

The program is designed to allow you to:
- 10x your job hunt efficiency
- Know where you want to go
- Build your personal brand
- Know the salary and equity you command
- Create a system to generate connections & opportunities
- Generate 100x more warm network connections
- Leverage repeatable frameworks
- Get in a peak performance state
- Create unwavering confidence
- Get to your dream role

Despite the challenging job market, we have seen incredible results.
↳ Average job searches lasting ~3 months (90 days vs US avg of 5 months).
↳ >$200k in salary increases.
↳ >$800k in equity increases.
↳ Total compensation increases of over $1M.
↳ Advancements from Manager to Department Head.
↳ Major career jumps from VP to the C-Suite.

I formalized the proven system into an easy-to-execute framework that anyone can use to land their dream job.

My mission is to help millions live extraordinary lives by accessing opportunities that change their careers forever.

You deserve to work in a job that lights you up, pays you what you are worth, and accelerates you toward your vision of your dream future.

Let's go get you that job!

So, D.M 📩 me here or email me at kyle@BeEarly.com today so we can accelerate your startup career the right way.

Stop wasting time applying to every company where you meet the minimum qualifications and learn our proven way to land your dream job!

P.S if you would like to learn how startup job seekers can cut their job search by 50%, beat over 95% of all other candidates, and land a job at a top startup check out my newsletter in my Featured Section!

I take groups of people from A to Z in their job search so they can land their dream job without applying online.

These methods took me from cubicle data entry to a job as Uber employee 250 and from unemployed to startup executive. I'm not special, I can teach you to do the same!

Two weeks ago our sales lead told me he was leaving for a new role... and I am incredibly happy for him.

He joined Early last year when we had a massive backlog of interested leads - more than I could handle alone.

Over the last year, he absolutely crushed it.

He completely took over the application process.

He reviewed all the applicants thoroughly.

He spoke with every one of them.

He had worked in a startup before this role. 

That gave him a deep understanding of what they were going through.

It didn't matter whether they were in a job but looking for their next big break or between roles, seeking their next opportunity.

He knew them because he was one of them.

He leveraged that deep understanding to secure the help they needed and welcomed almost 100 new members into the Early Accelerator so far this year.

Those members have gone on to land roles at top startups with tremendous growth and top VC backing. 

Many received significant title bumps, massive pay increases, and the dream job they were after.

When all was said and done, he had a significant impact on their careers and ultimately their lives.

We have a great culture, great people, and a great product at Early. 

But Early is not a hyperscaling venture backed startup with $422M raised, a $2.2B valuation, hockey-stick growth, and a PitchBook IPO success probability of 97%.

But... EliseAI is all of those things.

And that's who came knocking with a sales opportunity he couldn't refuse.

The opportunity to spin up a new office in Boston and join a team and a product that is absolutely ripping.

So when he gave me the news, I was sad to see him go but incredibly happy for him and where this will take him next.

As a manager, it's not your job to hold back your team.

It's your job to support them and their growth, helping them reach the heights they envision for themselves.

I remember the days at Uber when people moving onto their next opportunity weren't looked down upon, they were celebrated.

So, in the morning meeting today, we played "Graduation" by Vitamin C and celebrated him and all he brought to Early and our members.

Congrats to him and to the team at EliseAI.

Go build something special in Boston! 🚀

I want to hear from you all...

Who's the company (or manager) that most supported you to take your next big step?

Tag them in the comments and share what they did that made the difference.

I Teach Ambitious Startup Job Seekers How To Land Career-Accelerating Roles at World-Changing Startups | “De-Risk” the Search w/ Proven Methods & Investor-Grade Data | Apply to our Startup Job Search Accelerator Below

NYC is consistently #2 in startup funding behind SF. Curious who's hiring fast? Check out this list👇

The companies below all have:
💰 Investment from a top VC
🗽 HQ or an office in New York
👫 Headcount btwn 25 and 250 employees
📈 90D headcount growth btwn 15% to >166%
✅ Current open roles on their careers page

These are 30 of the fastest-growing startups not just in NYC but worldwide.

Join them and have fun building a rapidly growing startup with some of the smartest, driven people around.

I'll shut up now and just give you the list...

 1. Polymarket - Decentralized prediction markets
 2. Tabs - AI-driven revenue automation
 3. Profound - AI search analytics
 4. Norm Ai - AI-driven compliance automation
 5. Savvy Wealth - AI-enhanced wealth management
 6. FLORA - AI content creation platform
 7. Adaptive Security - AI cybersecurity training
 8. Finch - AI legal case automation
 9. Allara - Women’s hormonal health platform
10. Taktile - Credit decision automation
11. Garden - AI patent automation
12. Basis - AI accounting automation
13. Eight Sleep - Intelligent sleep optimization
14. Hungryroot - Personalized grocery delivery
15. Reflection AI - AI code automation
16. Twill - Referral-based recruiting platform
17. Eon.io - Automated cloud backups
18. Oasis Security - Machine identity management
19. Rilla - AI sales coaching platform
20. incident.io - AI-powered incident management
21. Rain - Crypto payment card platform
22. Starbridge - Public sector sales intelligence
23. Diana Health - Tech-enabled women’s healthcare
24. Graphite - Automated code review
25. Sesame - Voice-assisted smart glasses
26. Phia - AI resale shopping assistant
27. HERE - Secure enterprise browser
28. Assured - AI healthcare credentialing automation
29. Inspiren - AI senior care monitoring
30. NetBox Labs - Open-source network management

Go get that job and build something awesome 💪

____________________________________
For more lists of who's hiring, follow me, Kyle Thomas.

We create unlimited lists like these for the startup job seekers in the Early Accelerator, tailored to the exact size, stage, industry, growth, and success metrics they're looking for.

If you want to land your next startup role in the new year, use the link in my profile to apply to our Startup Job Search Accelerator, and we can jump on a free strategy call.

♻ Share this to help startup job seekers find a new role.

#startups #startupjobs #hiring #NYC #NewYorkCity

Microsoft and Amazon made Seattle a tech powerhouse. Now there’s a next generation of startups looking to follow in their footsteps. Here’s who’s hiring...

No Seattle startup with top VC investors has grown headcount faster over the last 90 days than these companies.

Chainguard - Trusted container security & supply chain
L90D Hires: 72
Current Openings: 46
Careers Page: https://lnkd.in/eYyNyu8x

Temporal Technologies - Durable workflow execution platform
L90D Hires: 54
Current Openings: 30
Careers Page: https://lnkd.in/ehCEepDv

TerraPower - Nuclear innovation company developing advanced reactors
L90D Hires: 51
Current Openings: 68
Careers Page: https://lnkd.in/eRHwhWaS

XBOW - Autonomous pentesting platform
L90D Hires: 31
Current Openings: 7
Careers Page: https://xbow.com/careers

Zenoti - AI-powered unified platform for medspa management
L90D Hires: 31
Current Openings: 99
Careers Page: https://zenoti.com/careers

Helion - Building the world's first fusion power plant
L90D Hires: 26
Current Openings: 97
Careers Page: https://lnkd.in/ea5bSKT7

Qumulo - Modern file data platform for edge & cloud
L90D Hires: 24
Current Openings: 31
Careers Page: https://qumulo.com/careers

BRINC Drones - AI-powered drones for public safety
L90D Hires: 21
Current Openings: 15
Careers Page: https://lnkd.in/eaQejW6S

Stoke Space - Unlocking the space economy with reusable rockets
L90D Hires: 15
Current Openings: 49
Careers Page: https://lnkd.in/ekGKKwmX

Supio - AI platform for law firms
L90D Hires: 15
Current Openings: 8
Careers Page: https://supio.ai/careers

Common Room - AI-driven customer intelligence for GTM teams
L90D Hires: 14
Current Openings: 5
Careers Page: https://lnkd.in/e_pVwnQ3

Porch Group - Vertical software & insurance platform for homebuyers
L90D Hires: 12
Current Openings: 38
Careers Page: https://lnkd.in/eZbp-tTP

Dropzone AI - Autonomous AI SOC analyst platform
L90D Hires: 11
Current Openings: 3
Careers Page: https://lnkd.in/eYWnpKu9

Rippl - On-demand dementia care platform
L90D Hires: 11
Current Openings: 11
Careers Page: https://rippl.com/careers

Gradial - Agentic marketing platform using AI
L90D Hires: 10
Current Openings: 22
Careers Page: https://lnkd.in/eJqrPsEC

Orchard - AI farming company building an AI farmer
L90D Hires: 8
Current Openings: 14
Careers Page: https://orchard.ai/careers

More companies in comments 👇

I live in New Jersey now, but Washington State will always have a massive part of my heart.

Go get that job and build something awesome in the Emerald City! 💪☔

And Go Hawks!

---------------------------------

P.S. Want more lists like these? 

We share personalized target company lists with the members of the Early Accelerator so you can find the hiring companies that match your dream job description.

If you’re looking for your next startup role, apply using the link in my profile.

This list will help startup job seekers land roles in 90 days.

It’s the same info I share inside the Early Accelerator to help our community.

Earlier this month, a member made the leap from consulting to FinTech - landing her first startup role in just over 90 days.

If you want to break into FinTech or just land your next startup role at a rapidly growing FinTech company, this list is for you.

The 30 startups below all have:
• Series B funding
• Investment from at least one top VC firm
• Open roles in the US, UK, or CAN
• The most Series B FinTech hires in the last 90 days

𝗣𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗸𝗲𝘆: 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘆 – 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗱𝗼, # 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗲𝘀.

Kikoff – Credit‑building service, 𝟯𝟯
Liberate – Voice AI for insurance, 𝟰𝟰
SentiLink – Identify fraud protection, 𝟮𝟭
Adyen – Global payments platform, 𝟮𝟲𝟭
9fin – Debt‑market analytics platform, 𝟯𝟬
Pipe – Revenue‑trading capital platform, 𝟲
Hebbia – AI document‑analysis platform, 𝟯𝟭
LayerX – Browser‑security SaaS platform, 𝟳
Turnkey – Verifiable crypto infrastructure, 𝟭𝟭
Blockaid – Blockchain‑transaction security, 𝟲
Appcharge – Mobile payments for games, 𝟮𝟯
Félix – Chat‑based savings & finance app, 𝟲𝟲
Arch – Digital platform for alternative assets, 𝟮𝟬
Whop – Digital marketplace and membership, 𝟳
Hearth – Software & financing for contractors, 𝟳
Clutch – Digital platform for auto refinancing, 𝟭𝟭
Taptap Send – Cross‑border remittance app, 𝟮𝟭
Credit Genie – Credit‑building & savings app, 𝟮𝟯
Hi Marley – Insurance conversational platform, 𝟴
Nanonets – AI document‑processing platform, 𝟭𝟰
Savvy Wealth – Wealth‑management platform, 𝟭𝟲
Vontive – Mortgages for investment properties, 𝟭𝟰
Aspora – Cross‑border money‑transfer platform, 𝟭𝟵
Setpoint – Operating system for capital markets, 𝟭𝟵
Middesk – Business‑identity verification platform, 𝟭𝟯
Crux – Climate‑focused capital‑markets platform, 𝟮𝟱
TRM Labs – Blockchain intelligence & compliance, 𝟵𝟵
Rogo – Generative‑AI platform for wealth advisors, 𝟮𝟲
Agora – Procurement & accounts‑payable platform, 𝟮𝟬
Tilt (formerly Empower) – Personal finance & benefits, 𝟯𝟯

Go get that job and build something awesome 💪

Credit to Harmonic for the granular data.

After facing rejection, you don’t need to “think positive.”

You need to rebuild your self-belief, one step at a time.

This is called the Belief Ladder, and it’s how you climb back from doubt to confidence without relying on fake affirmations or blind optimism.

Most people try to jump from “I can’t” straight to “I believe I can.”

But that’s not how belief actually works.

Belief is built through evidence, small, credible actions that rebuild self-trust.

Each step you take, no matter how small, becomes a rung in your ladder.

𝘏𝘦𝘳𝘦’𝘴 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘴:

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟭: “𝗜 𝗰𝗮𝗻’𝘁.”

This is where most people start after rejection. You feel defeated. You question your ability, your direction, maybe even your worth.

That’s okay, it’s honest. Awareness is the first rung.

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟮: “𝗜 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼.”

You begin to want change more than you want comfort. The desire to try again starts flickering, even if you’re not ready to act yet.

Shifting from "I should do this" to "I want to do this" is a major step.

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟯: “𝗠𝗮𝘆𝗯𝗲 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗻.”

You start noticing proof around you, people who’ve succeeded after setbacks. Instead of feeling envy, you start feeling curiosity.

If they did it, maybe it’s not impossible.

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟰: “𝗠𝗮𝘆𝗯𝗲 𝗜 𝗰𝗮𝗻.”

You take a small, believable action, apply for one role you actually want, send one message, redo one section of your portfolio.

You don’t need proof yet - you’re just gathering data.

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟱: “𝗜’𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜 𝗰𝗮𝗻.”

You start seeing signs of progress, better replies, smoother interviews, a clearer story.

Your confidence grows because your effort is producing evidence.

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟲: “𝗜 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲 𝗜 𝗰𝗮𝗻.”

This isn’t some empty mantra. You've earned this confidence.

You’ve proven to yourself that you can follow through, adapt, and recover.

The Belief Ladder is a reminder that you can't create brute force positivity and confidence through brute force. 

Confidence is built and rebuilt through small, repeatable proof.

So if you’re in that post-rejection fog right now, don’t pressure yourself to “bounce back.”

Start with one small action you can actually believe in, and let that action rebuild the next rung.

You’ll climb faster than you think.

Tell me about a time you struggled with belief the most, and how you overcame it.

I’ll go first in the comments: a time I completely lost belief, and the one action that started rebuilding it.

Let’s normalize rebuilding confidence without the fake positivity.

📌 𝗦𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁 - you’ll want it when your next interview loop starts.

👋 𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗺𝗲, Kyle Thomas, for practical startup job-search strategies + weekly curated job lists.

✉️ 𝗪𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗷𝗼𝗯 𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵? DM me to learn how Early can support you.

Some of you need tough love right now so here it is.

You have to 𝗗𝗢 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗞 to 𝗦𝗘𝗘 𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗨𝗟𝗧𝗦.

𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗡𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚 about the thing is 𝗜𝗦 𝗡𝗢𝗧 doing the work.

𝗧𝗔𝗟𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚 about the thing 𝗜𝗦 𝗡𝗢𝗧 doing the work.

𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗖𝗛𝗜𝗡𝗚 the thing 𝗜𝗦 𝗡𝗢𝗧 doing the work.

𝗣𝗟𝗔𝗡𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚 the thing 𝗜𝗦 𝗡𝗢𝗧 doing the work.

𝗗𝗢𝗜𝗡𝗚 other things 𝗜𝗦 𝗡𝗢𝗧 doing the work.

𝗗𝗢𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗜𝗦 𝗗𝗢𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗞.

𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗛𝗔𝗩𝗘 𝗧𝗢 𝗗𝗢 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗞 𝗧𝗢 𝗦𝗘𝗘 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗚𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗦.

Sounds simple.

But I guarantee that the majority of you reading this right now are avoiding doing the work.

It's natural because the work sucks at the start.

Which is why we avoid it and also precisely why we need to do the work in the first place.

I just see so many smart people who would make much faster progress in whatever they're pursuing if they just looked in the mirror and said, "Am I actually doing the work?"

What is the work you need to be doing?

What is the thing that you've been avoiding?

What is the thing that, if done, will eliminate half of your to-do list or make all the other tasks easier or more effective?

If you're brave enough, write it in the comments below.

If you're not, no sweat, write it on a piece of paper.

Then ask yourself, am I doing the work I need to be doing to see the results I want and expect?

These 7 people landed their dream startup roles in October.

Here’s how they did it 👇

🎉 A COO who landed her dream role after reframing her confidence and leaning into her strengths.

🎉 A Head of Growth who built a genuine relationship through cold outreach, and turned it into an offer.

🎉 A RevOps Director who broke into a new industry through consistent engagement and thoughtful follow-up.

🎉 A member who went from frustration to clarity, and landed multiple interviews within a week.

🎉 Two founders who met through the community and launched a startup together.

🎉 A new Director of IT Operations who accelerated through the process with transparency and timing.

🎉 A long-time member who persevered through starts and stops, and finally landed the perfect next step.

Each one of these wins is a reminder that the right mindset and approach change everything.

But these stories aren’t about luck, they’re about showing up with clarity, courage, and consistency.

Every one of these members faced rejection, setbacks, and self-doubt, but they stayed in the game, because when you approach your job search with strategy, structure, and data, opportunity starts finding you.

There’s a clear common thread in every single win. Did you catch it?

Networking.

Not the forced, transactional kind, but the kind built on genuine curiosity, value, and consistency.

These members didn’t wait for job posts to appear. They built relationships, followed their curiosity, and started conversations before opportunities were public.

That’s what creates leverage in your search, and it’s how most people in Early land roles faster and more intentionally.

These aren’t one-off success stories. They’re proof that when you combine data, direction, and discipline, you create momentum that compounds.

If you’re in the middle of your own search, keep going.

The difference between being “stuck” and “hired” is often just one conversation away.

How these 7 people landed their dream startup role

Job searching in startups can feel brutal.

You’re doing all the right things… tailoring your CV. Writing custom cover letters. Clicking “apply” on roles that genuinely excite you.

But… nothing is landing.

What if I told you that you don’t have to work harder to land your dream role? 

You can just work smarter.

See, most startup hiring doesn’t happen on job boards.

It happens through search, networking, and LinkedIn.

But only if your profile actually shows up and shows who you are, what you do, and why it matters.

This post walks you through how to rebuild your profile from that lens.

One Early Accelerator member followed these steps and went from hearing nothing back… to getting a cold message from a Series E recruiter who said his LinkedIn profile was exactly what they’d been looking for.

It’s not about looking impressive. It’s about being discoverable. Clear. Relevant.

If you’ve been stuck in the cycle of sending out applications and hearing crickets - this might be where you start to turn that around.

♻️ Save it for later. Share it with someone else who’s deep in the search.

📩 And if you’re rewriting your profile right now and need a gut check, you know where to find me (in the DM’s).

Guide to Optimizing Your LinkedIn in 60 Mins or Less 

If you think switching roles every two years makes you look unreliable, think again.

In startups, that’s often the mark of experience.

The data tells a clear story: shorter tenures are normal in high-growth companies.

Let me be very clear. I don't advocate for job hopping just for the sake of it. 

What I mean is it’s important to understand that as a startup scales, the role you signed up for often becomes a different job entirely.

Teams evolve, roles shift, founders pivot; and the skill sets needed to take a company from 𝟬→𝟭 are rarely the same ones needed to go 𝟭→𝟭𝟬 or 𝟭𝟬→𝟭𝟬𝟬.

On a recent podcast, Molly Graham (one of tech's top scaling operators - ex-Google, Meta, & Quip) said the average executive tenure in a startup is about 18 months, and that’s not a failure, it’s the rhythm of growth.

Here’s what this means for you:

1️⃣ 𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗮. Early-stage roles average around 18-24 months; growth-stage around 2-3 years; corporate often 4+. Anyone familiar with startups knows this indicates a different pace, not a lack of loyalty.

2️⃣ 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗲𝘁. Shorter tenures often show agility, people moving as the company changes, or doubling down where they’re most effective.

3️⃣ 𝗞𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲. If your role’s shifting away from what you’re great at or what energizes you, moving on is the oposite of instibility. It’s purely smart career design.

I went through this myself. 

Once Uber hit 33,000 people, the role I loved (building new markets) turned into optimizing spend spreadsheets - not what I was great at, or what I loved doing.

So I joined JUMP, Uber’s startup-within-a-startup, to get back to the 1-10 stage where I thrive.

This is the cycle of startup careers.

Build, grow, pivot, repeat.

Sounds just like a startup, right? Hmm... I wonder why?



Want to understand the real patterns behind startup careers?

📌 Save this post - you’ll want it when you’re planning your next move.

👋 Follow me, Kyle Thomas, for practical startup job search strategies and weekly curated job lists.

Industry Insights

78 days after joining Early, Cooper landed his dream role in a top startup.

But what he saw next, once he became a hiring manager, shocked him.

Like many in this market, Cooper had been laid off despite a stellar background leading finance for startups.

He’d spent a month searching for a new role:

💼 20 applications

🎯 4 interviews

❌ 0 offers

🧠 Confidence in his strategy: 6/10

He knew there had to be a better way.

78 days after joining the Early Accelerator, Cooper had 3 offers, and chose to join a Series B startup with over $100M raised from Sequoia and Andreessen Horowitz.

But this post isn’t about how he landed that job…. It’s about what happened next.

Two months into his new role, Cooper posted an opening on his team, to which over 500 people applied, 𝘪𝘯 24 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴. He had to take the post down.

A week later, he shared something in the Early community that floored all of us:

“Out of 500+ applicants, only 4 people sent me a personal message.”

Four.

That’s less than 0.8% of all applicants.

And guess what? Because that level of effort and humanity was so rare, he’s interviewing every single one of them.

𝗦𝗼 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀?

Stop trying to optimize your job search for speed, this isn’t a numbers game.

It’s a connection game.

In the age of AI, anyone can apply to 50 jobs a day, but the people who win are the ones who slow down and show up like humans.

Efficiency is focusing on the right roles and taking every meaningful step to land them.

Humanity is showing who you are, what you do, and why you care. You won’t get that from an auto-apply service.

So yes, submit your applications, but also:

💬 Send cold outreach messages.

🤝 Leverage your existing network.

🎯 Craft value deliverables for the team.

🎨 Find creative ways to stand out.

It might feel like more effort, because it is, but the people who take those extra steps shorten their job search, build real momentum, and end up in better roles, faster.

Because in 2025 and beyond:

Humanity > Speed.

Most people approach job searching like throwing darts blindfolded.

They scroll job boards. Hit apply. Paste the same resume into 30 forms and hope one sticks.

But hope isn’t a strategy. Clarity is.

When you get clear on what you actually want - the kind of work, team, and company that matches your strengths - everything shifts. Outreach feels natural. Interviews feel like conversations. And offers feel like progress, not compromise.

Here’s the framework we teach inside Early to help members land faster and more intentionally:

𝟭. 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗜𝗱𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗝𝗼𝗯 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

Define what a good-fit role actually looks like for you.

What kind of work energizes you?

What stage of company fits your personality, stage of life, and risk level?

What type of manager brings out your best work?

What are your deal-breakers - mission, salary, values, flexibility?

This becomes your filter. If a role doesn’t align, skip it.

𝟮. 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗮 𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝟭𝟬–𝟭𝟱 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲𝘀

Start with industries you’re excited by.

Look for companies whose problems match your skill set, and whose culture matches your goals.

Don’t apply everywhere. Apply where you’d genuinely want to grow.

𝟯. 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗱𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆

What problem are they solving, and who are their customers?

Have they raised funding recently?

Do they have momentum, or are they still finding product-market fit?

If you can speak intelligently about their product and growth, you’re already ahead of 90% of applicants.

𝟰. 𝗖𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴

Tailor your resume, cover letter, and messages.

Show relevant wins that prove your value.

Use their tone and language where appropriate.

Avoid generic templates and impersonal intros.

Every word should feel like it was written 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 - because it was.

This is only becoming more important in the age of AI where everyone is outsourcing everything to the LLMs - even why they’re interested in the company.

𝟱. 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗱𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗹𝘆

Don’t wait to be found. Message founders, hiring managers, or team members.

Even a short, thoughtful message makes a difference:

“Hey [Name], I’ve been following [Company] since [milestone]. Would love to hear how you’re approaching [specific challenge].”

Add a short Loom if you can - it builds connection and makes you memorable.

𝟲. 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗽𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲

Don’t rush applications just to hit a quota.

Answer questions with care.

One strong application is worth more than ten rushed ones.

𝟳. 𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝘂𝗽 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹𝘆

Set reminders to follow up 5–7 days after applying.

Use a different channel if needed - LinkedIn, email, a reply to a post.

Keep it short, positive, and specific.

Stay visible, not annoying. Think polite persistence.

Track who you’ve contacted and when.

Clarity is a force multiplier.

When you stop chasing the wrong roles, the right ones start showing up.

“I feel like I’m sending applications into the void.” 

…is something I hear from job seekers all the time, and there’s a reason it keeps happening.

When I speak to people on the job search, they’re usually trying to move 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘺 from something. 

They can list out everything they don’t want: 

 • Toxic culture
 • Micromanaging bosses
 • Companies without traction
 • Companies without robust funding
 • An employee base where they’re the smartest person in the room

And they apply in volume to applications which feel like the opposite. 

But the issue is rarely tactics. It’s because they’ve skipped the first step of the process. 

Figuring out what their ideal role looks like. 

It’s helpful to know what you’re running from, but there’s a problem with using your ‘don’t wants’ as your only source of motivation. 

The further you get away from those things, the less motivation you feel to keep going.

But the closer you get to the thing you really want, the harder you push because you’re ALMOST there.

So yes, write out all the things that you don’t want in your next role.

But crucially, take the time to put pen to paper and figure out what it is you do want.

 • Where do you want to be in 2-5 years?
 • What are the skills, experiences, network, and teachers you need in your next role to get there?
 • What is the title of the next role?
 • What is the role scope, scale, and responsibilities?
 • What are the industries you want to work in?
 • What are the problems you want to be solving?
 • What are the sizes and stages of companies that will allow you to do your best work?
 • What is it that is really exciting you out in the world today?

Here’s an exercise we walk everyone through in the Early Accelerator to get clear about what they want. 

Follow these steps to a T before sending another application, and I promise you’ll get more traction out of every future action.

📌 Save this post - you’ll want it when you’re planning your next move.

👋 Follow me, Kyle Thomas, for practical startup job search strategies and weekly curated job lists.

If you’re not getting rejected, you’re not aiming high enough. You've got to stop seeing rejection as failure.

As cliché as it sounds, rejection is feedback, not failure.

But, that's only the case if you know how to learn from it.

So, gather around and let's explore how you can make the most of every “no” 👇

1️⃣ 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗶𝘁

Don’t turn rejection into a story about your worth.

“They said no, I guess I suck” - this attitude is neither true, nor helpful.

The best operators ask: “Isn’t that interesting? I wonder why that happened.”

Approach it with curiosity instead of criticism.

2️⃣ 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗶𝘁

Pull what you can from the experience.

Take the time to evaluate your performance, and give yourself feedback on where you could’ve shown up better.

Often, we can pinpoint areas where we didn’t feel 100% confident.

Notice these things to best prepare yourself for the next one.

The goal isn’t to win every role; it’s to improve each time.

(I'm going to assume you're ambitious and want to win, so that's a given, but you can only control your inputs, not the outcome.)

3️⃣ 𝗔𝘀𝗸 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸

Always ask, but expect silence.

Most companies are legally advised not to give detailed feedback.

But, you should still ask, as some will be open to sharing this with you.

If you do get a few insights, treat them as a gift and learn from them.

(P.S. Don't expect feedback after a rejection to feel good. Typically, it sucks. But that's how we grow.)

4️⃣ 𝗗𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗶𝘁

Don’t spiral.

Sometimes a “no” has nothing to do with you.

The startup world moves fast, and you have no idea what's going on behind the scenes.

This is not you being rejected by the market.

Detach your emotions from the rejection and move on to the next.

(P.S. Salespeople are great at this. They don't crumble after a prospect says "no". They hang up the phone and dial the next number with a smile.)

5️⃣ 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁

A “no” today doesn’t mean “never.”

Keep the lead warm, comment on their posts, share thoughtful replies, and stay visible.

We just saw this inside the Early community:

Amr applied for a role and got rejected.

Two weeks later, the same company reached out about a new opening, and just last week, he completed his final-round interview.

Don’t burn the connection because of a “no”.

𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿:

People call it "luck" when preparedness meets opportunity.

You cannot get prepared without rejection.

So rejection isn't a dead end. It's the necessary next step for you to land your next role.

The candidates who learn fastest from rejection are the ones who land great jobs the fastest.


📌 Save this post - you’ll want it during your next interview loop.

👋 Follow me, Kyle Thomas, for practical startup job search strategies + weekly curated job lists.

✉️ To learn how Early helps you pick the right company, DM me.

Committing to the wrong startup can set your career back years. 

But most people only realize this 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 they join. 

The team might look exciting. The mission may be inspiring. 

But if the fundamentals aren’t there, you’ll spend your best energy trying to fix what should’ve been vetted before you joined. 

And you won’t gain the experience you need to drive forward your career. 

Here’s how to set yourself up for success - a method that’s been tried and tested with hundreds of startup candidates through the Early Accelerator: 

𝘛𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘢𝘯 𝘪𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳. 

Investors make dozens of bets, and they only really need one to pay off. 

Here’s how you evaluate the role before you jump in. This 12-question framework from Initialized Capital breaks a startup into three parts: 

𝟭. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁: does it solve a real problem?

𝟮. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁: is there demand and room to grow?

𝟯. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺: can they actually pull it off?

Your job isn’t to predict the future.

Your job is to evaluate the 𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘴 that increase your odds of success.

I’ve broken the full 12 questions down in the carousel - with examples, context, and how to find the answers for any startup you’re evaluating.



📌 𝗦𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁 - you’ll want it when your next interview loop starts.

👋 𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗺𝗲, Kyle Thomas, for practical startup job-search strategies + weekly curated job lists.

✉️ 𝗪𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗷𝗼𝗯 𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵? DM me to learn how Early can support you.

The Wrong Startup Can Set You Back Years

If you’re 6 months into a job search and nothing’s moving…
it’s not your skillset, it’s your mindset.

After months of rejections, ghosting, and “we’ll be in touch”, even the most qualified people will start to lose momentum.

Not because they’re doing anything wrong - but because the experience wears you down in ways you don’t always notice.

And that’s usually when five mindset traps creep in and quietly stall your progress.

There’s enough competition out there. Don’t make your mindset one of them.

Avoid these 5 traps:

𝟭. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝘆𝗰𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗗𝗼𝘂𝗯𝘁

You start questioning if you’re even qualified anymore. Each rejection chips away at your confidence, so you stop applying, convincing yourself, “it’s just not the right time.”

𝘚𝘩𝘪𝘧𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 → The longer you stay in motion, the luckier you get. Confidence comes from action, not outcomes. Reframe every rejection as feedback.

𝟮. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗽

You scroll LinkedIn and see everyone else landing roles, assuming you’re behind. That mindset kills focus and rewrites your story as a failure.

𝘚𝘩𝘪𝘧𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 → Comparison is data, not judgment. Analyze what worked for them (better yet, reach out to them and ask what they did), take notes, and get back to your lane.

𝟯. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗕𝘂𝘀𝘆𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸

You’re endlessly “updating your résumé,” rewriting cover letters, or researching companies, but avoiding the real, uncomfortable work: outreach, networking, value creation.

𝘚𝘩𝘪𝘧𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 → Progress feels uncomfortable. If you’re not slightly nervous and if you don't feel any internal resistance, you’re probably just tidying the edges.

𝟰. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗹 𝗜𝗹𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻

You rely on AI optimization and “Easy Apply,” hoping sheer volume will save you. But the more you chase the masses, the more invisible you become.

𝘚𝘩𝘪𝘧𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 → Depth wins over volume. A thoughtful message to the right person beats 100 blind submissions.

𝟱. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗡𝗼

After months of rejection, you start subconsciously pulling back, applying to safer, smaller roles just to protect your ego.

𝘚𝘩𝘪𝘧𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 → A “no” isn’t personal. It’s just proof you’re playing at your next level. Keep aiming high.

Let me be clear: I know it’s a tough job market.

Competition is fierce and the noise is loud.

But every single week inside Early, I see candidates land roles in under 90 days, not because the market changed, but because they did.

They stopped repeating the same strategies. They took accountability.

And they treated their job search like a growth process, not a waiting game.

If any of these hit home, you’re not alone, most job seekers get stuck here before things finally click.

📌 Save this post - you’ll want it when your next interview loop starts.

👋 Follow me, Kyle Thomas, for practical startup job-search strategies + weekly curated job lists.

✉️ Want clarity on your job search? DM me to learn how Early can support you.

You don’t need to apply to more jobs. You need better clarity. 

Here’s how to get it. 

Most job seekers assume the secret is speed - applying faster, saying yes to more interviews, chasing every opportunity that pops up.

But speed isn’t what lands your dream role.

Inside Early, I tell people this all the time: 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗷𝗼𝗯 𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗲𝗱.

Think of it like this:

A lot of people approach their search like a Ferrari - 0 to 100, firing out applications, trying to cover as much ground as possible as fast as possible.

It 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭𝘴 productive (and sounds sexy)… but Ferraris burn the most fuel, need constant maintenance, and only look fast in short bursts.

They need to stop and refuel every 3-7 days. Just like how, if you take this approach, you burn out and need days or a week to recover while losing all momentum.

But what if you approached your job search like a Prius? On the other hand.

It’s slower and definitely not as sexy. But every move is intentional. Every mile is efficient.

It gets to the exact same destination in a little bit longer time but with far less energy. 

Prius owners only need to refuel every 10-20 days (3x more efficient than the Ferrari).

And in the job search, 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝗻𝘀 - not doing more, but doing what matters.

Your goal is to approach it in a way where you're tired at the end of the day, but excited to get back after it tomorrow.

Here are four reflection prompts to help you slow down and find your compass again 👇

1️⃣ 𝗔𝗺 𝗜 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗜 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆?

Have you drifted into chasing what’s available instead of what’s aligned?

2️⃣ 𝗗𝗼 𝗜 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗶𝘇𝗲𝘀 𝗺𝗲 𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸?

You can only sustain momentum if the work fuels you.

3️⃣ 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗼 𝗜 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝗜’𝗺 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝘆 𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗲?

Growth comes from tension. Comfort can be a major constraint.

4️⃣ 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 “𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀” 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘄?

Not five years ago. Not for someone else. For 𝘠𝘖𝘜... TODAY.

If you take ten quiet minutes to reflect on these, you’ll notice your energy start to shift, because clarity creates direction.

𝘎𝘰𝘵 𝘢 𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘫𝘰𝘣 𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘳 𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘺? 𝘈𝘴𝘬 𝘪𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘰𝘳 𝘋𝘔 𝘮𝘦. 𝘐 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘋𝘔 𝘐 𝘨𝘦𝘵! 



📌 𝗦𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁 - you’ll want it when your next interview loop starts.

👋 𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗺𝗲, Kyle Thomas, for practical startup job-search strategies + weekly curated job lists.

✉️ 𝗪𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗷𝗼𝗯 𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵? DM me to learn how Early can support you.

Last month, 5 YouTube videos dropped that could be exactly what you need to land your next startup role.

If you’ve been stuck scrolling job boards, stop repeating the same mistakes - start learning from recruiters, founders, and investors instead.

These conversations reveal how startup hiring *really* works, straight from the people doing it every day.

Here’s what I learned from each: 

1. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗱 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗽 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁

Startups don’t hire the most experienced. They hire the most ready.

Show you can:

🟠 Build from zero, not just maintain what exists

🟠 Fix what’s broken without being told

🟠 Communicate clearly and personally - no “Easy Apply,” no fluff

🟠 Stay authentic (AI can’t fake curiosity or grit)

Prove you 𝘥𝘦𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘦 the playbook, don’t just follow it.

2. 𝗔𝘀𝗸 𝗮 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗿𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗿: 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗽𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻-𝗦𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗟𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗙𝗼r 

Startups don’t care if your résumé is perfect. They care if you can build, learn, and show up.

Want to stand out?

🟠 Contribute publicly - your projects are your portfolio

🟠 Share what you’re learning and why

🟠 Join communities before applying

In startups and open source, your work speaks louder than your résumé.

3. 𝗠𝗼𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗵𝗮𝗺 𝗼𝗻 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗗𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗘𝘅𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗗𝘆𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗰𝘀

Molly Graham has seen the inside of the fastest-growing companies on the planet. Her advice:

🟠 The “driving off a cliff” feeling is normal - not failure

🟠 Early-stage work feels lonely; be ready for launches where nobody cares

🟠 Watch for exec dysfunction - it poisons everything beneath it

Startups are hard and emotional, but knowing that makes you stronger.

4. 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗜 𝗘𝘅𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗠𝘆 𝗔𝗜 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗽 𝗳𝗼𝗿 $𝟲𝟰𝟬𝗠 𝗮𝘁 𝟮𝟱 

At 12, Michael Chime’s school was locked down when a school nearby experienced a shooting where 3 students were tragically killed. Today, he runs Prepared - an AI tool saving lives in 49 states.

His lessons:

🟠 Your role changes monthly - from doing the work to leading it

🟠 Get comfortable being uncomfortable - every day is new

🟠 Big change starts small - give value first

The hard way is often the only way worth taking.

5. 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗽 𝗪𝗮𝗿 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗦𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘆 

After mentoring thousands of founders, the Startup Ignition team shared what really kills startups:

🟠 Join problem-first, customer-validated teams

🟠 Look for clean decision-making and healthy investors

🟠 Avoid “white knight” roles - founders should already have momentum

Every operator pays tuition. The smart ones pay less.

If you’re serious about joining a startup, stop guessing what hiring managers want - learn from the people building them.

📌 Save this post for your weekend watchlist 

✅ Follow me Kyle Thomas for more startup job insights and behind-the-scenes playbooks.

Land your dream startup role with these 5 videos

Did you know, most of Uber’s early hires didn’t have any startup experience?

A while back I pulled a list of the 249 people who joined Uber before me.

They came from corporate, consulting, finance, but what mattered in their application wasn’t where they worked.

It was how they told their story.

𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗽 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗽 𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗲.

You need to know how to show founders that you can create clarity in chaos (and that you want to work hard).

Here’s how to turn your corporate past into startup potential 👇

1️⃣ Reframe your story for impact, swapping responsibilities for results. 

Founders don’t want to know what you managed, they want to know what you impacted.

2️⃣ Show your entrepreneurial traits, moments you took initiative, solved problems, or pushed through a new idea. 

These examples are proof you’ll thrive without a playbook.

3️⃣ Bridge the gap, connect your structured experience to their speed. 

You’re not too corporate, you’re the person who brings systems to the startup disorder.

Each of these small shifts changes how a founder or hiring manager sees you, from “corporate background” to startup-ready hire.

For those who’ve already made the jump, what’s one skill you didn’t expect to translate so well into startup life? 

Drop it in the comments.


📌 Save this post - you’ll want it when you’re planning your next move.

👋 Follow me, Kyle Thomas, for practical startup job search strategies and weekly curated job lists.

How To Translate Corporate Skills for Startup Newbies

If you want your work to make real impact on the environment - these 23 climate-tech startups are scaling fast and hiring right now.

All of the startups below have:
• Hired the most new employees in the last 90 days
• At least one top VC investor
• Are actively hiring today

Across these companies, there are 𝟴𝟲𝟮 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝟭𝟳 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀* 
• Engineering 409
• Operations 147
• Sales 52
• Product 27
• Finance 28
• Manufacturing 53
• Customer Success 22
• Supply Chain 38
• IT 18
• Marketing 17
• Hardware 20
• Legal 7
• People/HR 6
• Data/AI 6
• Design 5
• Security 3
• Support 1

📁 I also included a report I created using NotebookLM using the data I pulled and attached it below.

Crusoe 🦄 — Low‑carbon digital infrastructure (Denver, San Francisco, Chicago, Remote)

Base Power Company 🦄 — Energy grid optimization (Austin, Dallas, Houston, San Francisco)

Commonwealth Fusion Systems — Compact fusion power plants (Devens, Milpitas, Somerville)

Harbinger — Electric medium‑duty vehicles (Gardena, Los Angeles, Remote)

Upway — Refurbished e‑bike marketplace (Paris, Berlin, Remote)
join.com

Seneca — Autonomous electric seaplanes (Sausalito)

The Modern Milkman — Eco‑friendly grocery delivery (Loughborough, Manchester, London)

X-energy — Advanced modular nuclear reactors (Rockville, Oak Ridge, Lexington Park, Remote)

Emerald AI — AI‑powered climate risk intelligence (Washington D.C., Boston, San Francisco, Remote)

Redwood Materials 🦄 — Battery recycling and materials (San Francisco, Carson City, McCarran)

Torus — Grid‑scale energy storage solutions (South Salt Lake)

Runware — Grid analytics platform (Remote)

Terra One — Renewable energy asset developer (Berlin, Remote)

Daylight — Solar financing & design software (New York City)

Uplight — Utility customer engagement platform (Remote)

Phaidra — Industrial AI optimization (Remote)

Nitricity — Zero‑carbon nitrogen fertilizer (San Francisco, Delhi)

Gridware — Wildfire detection sensors (San Francisco)

PassiveLogic — Autonomous building control (Salt Lake City, Netherlands)

Ridepanda — E‑bike subscription marketplace (New York City, Remote)

Palmetto — Clean energy home platform (Charlotte, Remote)

Exowatt — Thermal battery energy storage (Miami)

TrueMeter — AI energy savings platform (San Francisco)

Go get that job and build something awesome 💪
————————————
For more lists, follow me, Kyle Thomas.

Want personalized lists of startups for your job search? Use the link in my profile to apply to our Startup Job Search Accelerator.

♻ Share this to help startup job seekers find a new role.

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