Ask HN: How Important is Professionalism When People Apply to Your Startup? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: How Important is Professionalism When People Apply to Your Startup?

6 pointsjackowayed5 comments

I'm currently applying to some startups looking for a summer job. My dad thinks, especially since I'm 16, and I'm mostly applying places that only have job listings for full-time employees, I have to "overcome my age" and be totally professional in the resume and cover letters.

But he's never worked in a startup. I get the sense the startups like a little bit of a more fun, laid-back attitude.

So here's the question: If a 16-year-old (with great credentials given his age) applies asking for a summer job when you're really looking for full-time workers, which makes you more likely to be interested? A candid style with an occasional joke, or a completely professional one?

I have a sample of each here:

http://jackowayed.github.com/professionalismcomparison.html

But don't tell me what you specifically like or dislike about those particular passages. I'm not trying to waste HN's time with proofreading part of my cover letter.

I want to know whether you, especially if you've done hiring on a startup or will soon, like the style of A (a little more frank, has a joke) or B (professional, formal) better.

Proofreading is useful, so have some of my time. Or skip to last paragraph.

Now for the downside: I'm not looking for the position in your job posting. I'm much more inexperienced (I believe the business term is "cheap to hire[no period here]") than you want for that position[, and - period here. runon] I'm a junior in high school looking for a summer job working remotely - [, as ]relocating is unrealistic given my age.[avoid brackets] I would be able[really?] to perform the Rails and Java work [that you want done - remove], but I would do so from my house[you've mentioned this], and after summer[, no comma here] I would have to drastically reduce my hours. [I would need drastically reduced hours?]

I hope that my lack of job experience and inability to work permanently do not prevent you from considering me. I have solid knowledge of how to program[I am a capable programmer?] (see my resume for AP tests and projects [that prove it - awkward][. parenthetical notes don't get their own periods])[avoid parenthesis unless it's just a side note/quip]. I could be a jolt of energy helping you get a few new, cool features out the door. I also have a business-oriented facet of[to] my mind, so I could help think of [premium - don't need this] features that people would actually pay for [that would generate revenue, etc.] or possibly even float other business models[I hope you have serious credentials to back this up].

As a high school junior, I am looking for a summer job working remotely. [After summer,- move this...]I would be able to continue on a part-time basis [after the Summer [when classes resume]]. While[Though] I plan to continue my computer education in college, I have solid knowledge of how to program right now (see my resume for details). As a young person[you think older persons aren't "jolts of energy"?], I could be a jolt of energy helping you get a few new, cool features out the door.

Not bad overall for writing. It lacks tact in a couple of places. You need to make these of similar length, content, and quality if you want an accurate comparison.

I prefer A, ending right after "than you want for that position", followed by B. Make it casual but terse.

I actually like B a lot more, and not for the reasons you cite. It's not that it's more "professional", whatever that means, but that it's shorter and more to the point. The A version is riddled with apologies and "but this" and "but that", lots of preconditions on what kind of work and conditions you'd be qualified for, etc. Overall, A is very convoluted.

A is better. The kind of person who prefers B doesn't hire 16-year-olds to work remotely.

I'm not a hirer but that was the same impression I got. Put it this way, I read A and got bored by B - despite the fact that B is considerably shorter.

You already know my opinion, but yes I've done hiring, I like A much better, and I got interviewed at my very first tech job (at least partially) because of a funny cover letter.

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