Advice for Students and Recent Graduates on Finding Jobs – Liz Wessel of WayUp | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

The founder of WayUp shares her journey of starting a company in college and provides insights on finding the right career path.

Key Insights

• 🚀 Starting a business: The entrepreneur started her first business in college after being inspired by a loyalty program at another university. She saw the opportunity to create a similar program for her own college and successfully sold thousands of loyalty cards.
• 💻 Tech startup: Despite not being an engineer, the entrepreneur was drawn to starting a software company and eventually co-founded a software-based startup called WayUp. The company has grown and gained traction, demonstrating the power of creating something from nothing.
• 📝 Hiring and managing: The entrepreneur has learned the importance of hiring and managing people effectively, especially as the company has grown. She emphasizes the need to find the right team members and create a positive work culture. She also acknowledges the challenges of managing different personality types.
• 🔢 Recruiting and job search: WayUp differentiates itself from other job boards by providing personalized job recommendations, candidate sourcing, and content and advice. The company aims to help candidates find the right job opportunities by focusing on individual preferences and needs.
• 🎯 Finding a mission-driven company: The entrepreneur believes that companies should focus on more than just a college degree and instead prioritize skills and passion. She encourages candidates to find companies with a clear mission and a strong team, as these are often more important than the compensation package. ⏰ Time management and work-life balance: The entrepreneur emphasizes the importance of time management and staying focused in a fast-paced startup environment. She admits to not needing much sleep, but recognizes the need for work-life balance and hopes to start a family in the future.
• 🔮 Future goals: In the next ten years, the entrepreneur hopes to have a significant impact on the world and be remembered for making a positive change. She also hopes to continue learning and improving in all aspects of her life, both personally and professionally.
• ✨ Finding the right fit: The entrepreneur advises college students to find a job that aligns with their passions and values. She urges students to prioritize finding a job or career that will make them happy, rather than solely focusing on financial considerations.
• 📚 Education and career preparation: The entrepreneur appreciates the shift towards valuing skills over college degrees. She believes that education should be about learning what you are passionate about, regardless of whether it directly relates to your future career. She also emphasizes the importance of internships and part-time jobs in gaining valuable experience and exploring different career paths.

Transcript

at what point did you know you wanted to start a company um so my sophomore year of college I was at Penn and I actually started my first business at the end of sophomore year so I went to Stanford for a three-day boot camp called basis entrepreneurial boot camp or something like that and I remember going to the Jamba Juice at Stanford and they ask... Read More

Questions & Answers

Q: At what point did the founder realize that she wanted to start her own company?

The founder knew that she wanted to start her own company during her sophomore year of college after attending an entrepreneurial boot camp at Stanford.

Q: How did the founder convince restaurants to participate in her loyalty program without paying them?

The founder approached restaurants with the idea of putting their logos on loyalty cards and offering discounts to students in exchange for free advertising. The restaurants agreed because it would attract more customers and generate goodwill.

Q: How did the founder manage to hire senior employees despite being a young entrepreneur?

The founder worked with recruiters to find senior employees and focused on selling the company's mission and potential for growth. She highlighted the strength of the team and convinced candidates that they would be part of something special.

Q: What is the founder's advice for college students looking for internships or job opportunities?

The founder suggests applying for a wide range of opportunities and emphasizing research, enthusiasm, asking thoughtful questions, and sending a follow-up thank-you note after interviews. She also recommends creating a WayUp profile to stand out to recruiters.

Q: How did the founder navigate managing people with different personality types?

The founder acknowledges that she works best with type-A personalities but recognizes the value of diversity in thought. She leverages the strengths of her team members and focuses on effective communication and delegation to ensure everyone's success.

Q: What does the founder think about the future of education and employment preparation?

The founder believes that companies are moving away from solely valuing college degrees and focusing more on skills and individual passions. She encourages students to study what they are passionate about and highlights the importance of finding a job that brings happiness and fulfillment.

Q: What are the unique aspects of WayUp's platform that differentiate it from other job boards and career services?

WayUp offers personalized job recommendations based on individuals' interests and profiles, provides candidate sourcing for recruiters, and offers content and advice to help individuals make informed career decisions. The platform aims to connect candidates with opportunities and showcase the uniqueness of each job and company.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The founder started her first business in college after realizing the potential of offering loyalty programs to students.

• She hired a company in China to create loyalty cards for various restaurants and sold them to students, which was a successful venture.

• She then went on to start WayUp with her co-founder, focusing on helping college students find campus ambassador jobs.

• The founder emphasizes the importance of research, enthusiasm, asking questions, and following up in job interviews.

• She shares her experiences in managing people, hiring a team, and the challenges of scaling an organization.

• The founder highlights the shift in the job market where companies are increasingly valuing skills and diverse backgrounds over college degrees.

• She discusses her plans for the future, including making a difference in the world and finding a work-life balance.