Key Moments
Advice for Students and Recent Graduates on Finding Jobs – Liz Wessel of WayUp
Y CombinatorKey Moments
Advice for recent grads on job hunting: cold email effectively, utilize WayUp profiles, and master the REAF interview model.
Key Insights
The "college student" badge is a powerful tool for seeking advice; leverage it before graduation.
Cold emailing success relies on a compelling subject line, clear purpose, and demonstrated research.
WayUp profiles offer a holistic view of candidates beyond traditional resumes and LinkedIn.
The REAF model (Research, Enthusiasm, Ask Questions, Follow-up) is crucial for successful interviews.
Prioritizing a fulfilling career over immediate compensation is essential for long-term happiness.
Starting a company is challenging but rewarding, with team and mission being key drivers for employees.
THE GENESIS OF A STARTUP IDEA
Liz Wessel's entrepreneurial journey began during her sophomore year of college at Penn. Inspired by a discount program at Jamba Juice, she conceived the 'Penn Eats card,' a loyalty program offering student discounts at local businesses. This venture, supported by selling cards and later aided by manufacturing in China, provided valuable early lessons in creating something from nothing and solving a problem. This initial success fueled her desire to build and problem-solve, setting the stage for future ventures.
THE STRATEGIC PATH FROM GOOGLE TO WAYUP
After a successful internship, Wessel joined Google's Associate Product Marketing Manager (APM) program, strategically choosing it for two years to gain operational experience before founding a company. She sought advice via cold email from venture capitalists like Roelof Botha, who recommended Google for its exceptional operating environment and exposure to talent. This deliberate career move prioritized learning and preparation for entrepreneurship over immediate gratification, highlighting a structured approach to career development.
MASTERING THE ART OF COLD EMAIL
Wessel emphasizes the effectiveness of cold emailing, especially for college students. The key to success lies in a unique subject line that grabs attention (e.g., referencing a shared, quirky experience like water aerobics) and a concise email body. Students should clearly state who they are, why they are specific to that person, and what they are seeking. The 'college student' status is a valuable asset that garners more willingness to help, so it should be leveraged before graduation.
THE WAYUP PLATFORM AND APPLICATION STRATEGIES
WayUp's platform aims to provide a holistic view of candidates through profiles that showcase GitHub, YouTube, Instagram, volunteer work, hobbies, and fun facts, going beyond traditional resumes. Wessel advises students to create and promote these profiles to increase engagement with recruiters. She also encourages applying to numerous jobs rather than limiting applications, countering outdated advice. The core interview preparation strategy is the REAF acronym: Research the company thoroughly, Show Enthusiasm, Ask insightful Questions, and Follow-up promptly.
NAVIGATING TEAM MANAGEMENT AND COMPANY CULTURE
Wessel identifies managing and hiring a team as the most significant challenge post-Y Combinator. She highlights the importance of defining company culture and values, as well as the difficulties of managing individuals with different personality types. While Wessel prefers type-A personalities for roles reporting directly to her, she acknowledges the need for diverse thought and manages less organized but more creative individuals by implementing structured follow-ups. She emphasizes that a good manager-employee relationship is critical, often more so than the company itself.
JOB SELECTION AND LONG-TERM CAREER FULFILLMENT
When choosing internships or jobs, Wessel stresses the importance of context. Students should provide sufficient details about their goals and the opportunities to receive tailored advice. For small companies seeking to attract talent, highlighting the mission and the quality of the team is paramount, as compensation is secondary. The ultimate goal is finding a career that brings happiness, a pursuit as significant as finding a life partner. Trying out different roles and working with people who will teach and mentor you are key to this fulfillment.
THE EVOLVING EDUCATIONAL LANDSCAPE
Wessel appreciates the growing trend of companies valuing skills over college degrees and being less concerned about a candidate's major. This shift allows individuals to pursue passions and studies that are intrinsically interesting without being confined to a career path directly related to their education. The focus is moving towards a more flexible and relevant approach to employment, acknowledging that diverse educational experiences can lead to successful and fulfilling careers.
IDENTIFYING UNIQUE INSIGHTS AND EFFECTIVE CONTENT
WayUp differentiates itself through a multi-faceted approach: a personalized job board, comprehensive candidate profiles for sourcing, and content/advice. Their job board offers tailored recommendations, unlike generic platforms. The content strategy focuses on highlighting unique aspects of companies and jobs, combating common myths, and targeting specific demographics like diverse engineers or freshmen. While paid advertising is used, personalized content and database-driven outreach are key to engaging the right audience and driving hires.
FUTURE ASPIRATIONS AND PERSONAL GROWTH
Looking ahead, Wessel hopes to have made a significant positive impact on the world, ideally through WayUp, and to be remembered for driving positive change. She is continuously working on self-improvement across all aspects of her role, including management, thinking, and product development. Personally, she aspires to have a family and, professionally, to continue loving her work, emphasizing the importance of finding deep career satisfaction.
Mentioned in This Episode
●Software & Apps
●Companies
●Organizations
●Concepts
●People Referenced
Interview Preparation Checklist (REAF)
Practical takeaways from this episode
Do This
Avoid This
Common Questions
Utilize cold emailing strategically. Start by finding the correct email address using tools like Rapportive. Craft a compelling subject line that shows research or a unique connection, clearly state who you are (e.g., 'a college student'), explain why you are reaching out to that specific person, and be concise in your request. Leverage the 'college student' status, as people are often more willing to help.
Topics
Mentioned in this video
A beverage chain mentioned in the context of a student discount perk that inspired the founder's first business idea.
A startup accelerator program that WayUp participated in, mentioned for its advice on making something people want.
Tech giant where the speaker worked after college, providing valuable operating experience and insights before co-founding WayUp.
Social networking platform for professionals, mentioned for its connection to Rapportive and as a profile comparison to WayUp.
Brewing company that hired the speaker as a campus ambassador, which led to her realization about the broken college recruiting process.
A multinational consumer goods company mentioned as an example employer for which WayUp provides targeted content.
A global investment firm where the founder completed an internship in Tokyo.
The company co-founded by the speaker, which helps college students and recent graduates find jobs and internships.
Founder of Instagram, mentioned as a notable alum of Google's APM program.
A former Googler who started Stamps.com, mentioned as an example of successful entrepreneurs from the APM program.
Founder of Brit + Co, mentioned as a notable alum of Google's APM program.
Venture capitalist at Sequoia Capital, whom the speaker cold-emailed for career advice on choosing between Google and a VC fund.
CEO of OpenAI and former president of Y Combinator, with whom Liz Wessel discussed the challenges of managing people in startups.
Former Mayor of New York City and presidential candidate, mentioned as an example of someone who transitioned into politics after business.
Former First Lady, Senator, and Secretary of State, for whose presidential campaign the speaker interned in high school.
Co-founder of WayUp, met by Liz Wessel at a hackathon. Known by nicknames 'Joel' or 'Legal Man'.
A LinkedIn-owned software that helps discover email addresses by integrating with Gmail, used by the speaker for cold emailing.
Email service used by the speaker for cold outreach, integrating with tools like Rapportive.
A job search website contrasted with WayUp's personalized job board, highlighting the limitations of generic search platforms.
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