5 Tips for Working at a Startup

Scouted was a hiring marketplace that matched candidates to roles based on potential, serving clients from high-growth startups to Fortune 500 companies.

5 min read • Originally published July 19, 2019 / Updated March 19, 2026

By Scouted

Scouted was a hiring marketplace that matched candidates to roles based on potential, serving clients from high-growth startups to Fortune 500 companies.

5 min read • Originally published July 19, 2019 / Updated March 19, 2026

Working for a startup is no cakewalk, but it is very fun! Startups are risky, fast-paced and constantly changing, and as a result, startup jobs are hard. People who work for small companies can be under a lot of pressure, but their jobs can also be very rewarding. Here are 5 helpful tips for working at a startup!

1 | Time management is key

When you are working for a startup, there are always tasks to be completed, projects to work on, and ways to help out. It’s easy to spend too much time on one specific task and accidentally leaving other projects to the wayside. You should always be aware of how you are spending your time, and always check to make sure that your time would not be better spent doing something else.

Pro tip – make a daily list of what you would like to accomplish before going home, and at the end of each day, reflect on what you did or didn’t get done. This is a useful exercise for two reasons. First – it will give a chance to consider all of your daily tasks and decide how to prioritize your time at the start of each day. Second – there is great value in reflecting on how you’ve spent your day. It can make you aware of time management habits you may not have noticed about yourself, and it provides the opportunity to improve.

Also read: How to Get a Job at a Startup

2 | Always look for ways to help

Growing a company is hard. Startups have limited money, very little time, and intense competition. With this shortage of resources, it is important that you are pulling your weight and helping where you can. Before you approach your supervisor asking if they have any work for you, it’s often a good idea to look around and find ways you can help out on your own. This way, you aren’t making someone else use their time to try to find work for you, and if you look for work on your own, you can get involved in the things that interest you and are helpful to the company!

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3 | Be aware of what your coworkers are doing

Because startups are small, each employee often has a variety of responsibilities, some of which may not even directly relate to their position. Some departments may even only consist of one person! One issue with startups is that when they are really small, if one person is out sick or quits their job, it can be hard for others to know how to fill in for them. This is why it’s important to know what your coworkers spend their days doing, and how they do it.

Knowing about what your coworkers are doing will also help you do your job better. Virtually all of the departments in a small company must constantly communicate with each other, and knowing how your co-workers spend their days will not only make you more useful to them, but it can help make communication between departments better.

Also read: What Size Startup Should You Join?

4 | Always be learning

In a startup, every employee matters, and every decision is consequential. As mentioned earlier, employees of startups wear many hats, and are responsible for a variety of projects. Because of this, it is crucial to always be learning. Learn both from the projects you are working on, and also take time to learn outside of the office. Keep up with current events, read books, and pay attention to the industry, even if your job doesn’t directly require you to do so. You never know when something you’ve learned may end up being useful, or when you’ll have the next big idea!

For example, as an employee of Scouted, I was tasked with researching new and innovative ways to get to know the personalities of Scouted users to better match them to job opportunities. In the process of combing through assessments, quizzes, and scientific psychology journals, I learned quite a bit about how a person’s personality can predict the types of work environments they would thrive in. The things that I learned ended up not only being useful for Scouted, but they will be useful at any other startup I work at in the future!

5 | Make sure you are having fun

Startups are a lot of fun, but only if you allow them to be. Fast-paced environments can be stressful, and it can be easy to get too wrapped up in your work. Employees of startups often feel that they never run out of work to do. It is not uncommon for people who work at startups to unintentionally neglect their friends, family, or health because they are unable to find work-life balance. This can be avoided with careful planning. It is crucial to draw a line in the sand and make it clear to not only yourself, but also your co-workers and boss what your limits are. At the start of any startup job, write out a list of what your work-life balance demands are, and stick to them. For example, “I will not do any work after 9:00 PM more than three days per week” could be a good goal to have.

It is also key to plan vacations one or twice per year, and take a few self-care days in between. Everyone needs time off to maintain their sanity, no matter how important work may feel. Depriving yourself of sleep, exercise, or free time to decompress will not only hurt you, but it will hurt your productivity, which in turn affects your company. Kick-off your shoes and watch that show you’ve been too busy to start, read that book that’s been collecting dust, book tickets for that band that’s finally going on tour, or stay in bed past noon on a Saturday. Taking a break every once in a while isn’t just fun – it’s essential.

If you have any pro tips of your own that you’ve used to impress your boss, keep to deadlines, or have more fun at work please leave them in the comments below – we’d love to learn from you!

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Candidates, Climb the Ladder

Climb the Ladder

How to Choose Between Two Job Offers

By Scouted

Scouted was a hiring marketplace that matched candidates to roles based on potential, serving clients from high-growth startups to Fortune 500 companies.

5 min read • Originally published July 25, 2019 / Updated March 19, 2026

By Scouted

Scouted was a hiring marketplace that matched candidates to roles based on potential, serving clients from high-growth startups to Fortune 500 companies.

5 min read • Originally published July 25, 2019 / Updated March 19, 2026

With unemployment near historic lows, it is a seller’s market when it comes to looking for a new job. There’s a good chance that while you’re on the job hunt, you might have multiple job offers in hand and need to make a decision about which one you will choose. While it might be tempting to take the job that offers the higher salary, there are several other factors to take into consideration before signing on the dotted line. Not sure what criteria should be on your pros and cons list? Here are some questions to ask when choosing between two job offers.

What does career progression look like in each company?

Some companies have a defined career path (such as from assistant account executive, to account executive, to senior account executive) over a set period of time, like a promotion every year. Others companies have larger jumps in title and responsibilities (such as from coordinator to manager), but at a slower pace, like a promotion every two to four years. Ask yourself how long you think you would realistically stay at the company and how quickly you want to grow your career. There are merits to rapid growth in smaller increments, as well as significant growth across a longer timespan. Regardless, you will want to take a position where advancement is achievable and the company encourages your professional development.

What is the company culture like?

The Harvard Business Review has reported on research suggesting that company culture and values, rather than salary, tend to be the top predictors of workplace satisfaction. Since you will be spending the bulk of your day at work, it’s no surprise that company culture is one of the most important factors to think about. Company culture encompasses a variety of things, from the atmosphere in the break room to expectations around work-life balance. For example, does the office offer social events, and what does the rapport seem like among team members? Are you expected to work nights and weekends? Are you allowed to work remotely? Do most employees use their vacation days–and are they encouraged to do so?

Also take into consideration what the company’s larger mission is and if it fits your personal beliefs. Maybe one of the companies emphasizes social impact or volunteering, or maybe one provides a solution to a business problem that you think is important. There is no right or wrong answer for what is most important to you, and you should be honest in your assessment of if each company shares your values.

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What is your impression of your future boss?

You may have heard the phrase that you don’t choose your company; you choose your boss. Usually, the person who interviewed you will be your immediate supervisor. When comparing job offers, consider which hiring manager you clicked with the most and who you can envision yourself working with. During your interview, you should have gotten a good impression of each boss’s personality and leadership style, and you should have asked questions about their experience working at the company. Based on what you discussed and observed, think about who would be the best mentor and help you grow in your career. Conversely, if the hiring manager at one of the companies didn’t seem like a good fit for you or didn’t seem to respect other employees, it’s okay to use that negative impression as one of your deciding factors.

What are the benefits like?

Salary is only one part of the compensation package. Retirement and insurance benefits are other major players. For example, there is a huge difference between a job that pays $50,000 but doesn’t offer any insurance and a job that pays $45,000 but covers medical, vision, and dental insurance.

Look for the answers to these benefit questions when filling out your pros and cons list:

Does one company offer 401k matching, but the other does not?
How much (if anything) would you need to pay out-of-pocket for health insurance?
If you are interested in pursuing a graduate degree or continuing education, will one of the companies offer tuition reimbursement?

You should also think about vacation days, commuting benefits, parental leave, and other factors that apply to your unique situation. Sometimes better benefits outweigh a higher salary.

Where is each job located?

If you applied to jobs in different places, location should also be a major determinant in your final decision. Will either job require you to relocate, and if so, will you receive a relocation allowance? If the jobs are located in different cities, how does the cost of living compare? Will moving take you farther away from friends and family?

Even within a city or region, location can be important. If the jobs are local, what will your commute be like? Ask yourself questions about public transportation vs. driving, and transit schedules or traffic based on your expected work hours.

Can you negotiate a higher salary for your preferred job?

After taking all these factors into account, you may find that you want to take the job offering the lower salary. However, there is usually room for negotiation. You can leverage that fact that you have multiple offers on the table in order to garner a higher salary at your preferred company. Come prepared with research and statistics showing a fair salary for the position and the industry, and why your professional experience would be an asset to the company. If there’s no flexibility with salary, you might be able to negotiate a few extra vacation days or the option to work from home once a week. Remember it never hurts to ask for more money or a few extra perks.

After you’ve made your decision…

First of all, congratulations! Accept the first offer in writing, and write a formal withdrawal letter for the second offer. Thank them for their time and explain that you ultimately decided to choose another employer. Most importantly, when saying “thanks, but no thanks” to the second offer, be kind and courteous. You never know when you might cross paths with that company or hiring manager again.

Looking for more job search tips? Check out the Scouted newsletter and the rest of our revamped website.

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Candidates, Climb the Ladder

Climb the Ladder

What’s the Difference Between Culture, Environment, and Perks?

By Scouted

Scouted was a hiring marketplace that matched candidates to roles based on potential, serving clients from high-growth startups to Fortune 500 companies.

4 min read • Originally published August 1, 2019 / Updated March 19, 2026

By Scouted

Scouted was a hiring marketplace that matched candidates to roles based on potential, serving clients from high-growth startups to Fortune 500 companies.

4 min read • Originally published August 1, 2019 / Updated March 19, 2026

There are several factors that contribute to making your office somewhere you want to go to everyday. While a lot of it is (hopefully) the work that you are doing, a significant part of it is also the company culture, the office environment, and the various perks that your workplace offers that make you feel valued. These factors are intermingled, but it’s important to not get them confused. Sometimes, companies can provide superficial perks in lieu of building out a robust and supportive culture.

So, how can you spot a slew of perks versus a thoughtful company culture?? And how can you make sure that you’re landing at a company whose culture is going to jive with you?

Here’s our take.

Finding the Right Office Environment

The office environment is the physical space that you are existing in every day. Sure, a flashy office space might not make or break your decision to accept a job, but it can certainly make your days more enjoyable. Having a spacious office with lots of natural light and plants has been shown to improve general office morale and employee happiness. It can also be an indication of the larger office culture–how much time and energy your company devotes to employee happiness.

It’s also important to be aware of what kind of work environment is going to facilitate your success at the company. Do you absolutely loathe open plan office spaces? Or does having a cubicle or office make you feel too isolated? It’s good to get a sense of your own preferences so that you can keep this in mind when you’re considering a new role.

What Perks to Look For

Job perks are another important factor that you don’t want to overlook when searching for a new gig, but it’s important to focus on the right perks.

While free snacks, Thirsty Thursdays, and ping pong tables in the office might sound like fun, these aren’t the kind of perks that will necessarily make you happy in the long run at your job.

Instead, look out for benefits like remote work flexibility, bonuses, time off for vacation or parental leave, wellness programs, or transportation and parking reimbursement programs. Look for perks that will add long-term value to your life while making it easier.

And again, the types of perks offered can give you an indication of the overall company culture. Are they trying to cultivate a fun “party” atmosphere at work? Or is it a more traditional office environment? The perks you’re offered can give you an indication, and it’s a good idea to keep in mind the things that are really important to you as that will go into the type of culture you will thrive in.

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Company Culture

A company’s culture has much more to do with the tone set by the people running the company and who they choose to hire.

When it comes down to it, culture has much more to do with the intrinsic values of your company and the people who work there. Your company’s approach to inclusion, the way it values its employees, their approach to problem-solving, development, and morale, etc. all play a part in a company’s overall culture.

You may have read online or in the news about companies or startups with “toxic” and exclusive C-suite executives. Or you may have heard of companies making strides for equality or providing much-needed benefits for their employees. These are all symptoms of either unhealthy or healthy company cultures and it’s important to do your research on what a particular company is like before signing on.

Ideally, the hiring manager you work with will also be able to provide some general descriptions as to their company culture, because it is better for everyone to know upfront if it’s going to be a good fit (see: Questions You Should Always Ask in a Job Interview). It can also be helpful to make a list of things that are important to you in a company culture.

At Scouted, we use some of these words to describe our partner companies’ cultures:

“Crunchy”
Fun
Meritocratic
Relaxed
Fast-paced
Formal
Fratty
Irreverent
Other
Preppy
Sophisticated / Classy
Structured
Traditional

What are a few that stand out to you?

It’s also a good idea to ask questions about promotions and if the company wants to encourage its employees to try out different roles and move up in the company (see: Why Companies Should Offer Employees Mentorships, Certifications, and Personal Growth Opportunities).

Company culture can often be what makes or breaks a job for someone, because if you don’t mesh with your coworkers and the culture where you spend a large portion of your time, it’s unlikely you’ll want to stay very long.

Office environment, company culture, and perks are major factors in employee satisfaction and retention, so it’s very important to consider all of these elements when searching for a new job.

You want to work for a company that is considerate of its employees and hopes to provide you an enjoyable workplace with high morale so that you can do your best work. The type of company culture that you want could also change throughout your career so don’t be afraid to have an open mind when working somewhere new! Ask questions and find the company culture that is right for you!

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Candidates, Climb the Ladder

Climb the Ladder

How to Create an Effective Elevator Pitch

By Scouted

Scouted was a hiring marketplace that matched candidates to roles based on potential, serving clients from high-growth startups to Fortune 500 companies.

4 min read • Originally published August 23, 2019 / Updated March 19, 2026

By Scouted

Scouted was a hiring marketplace that matched candidates to roles based on potential, serving clients from high-growth startups to Fortune 500 companies.

4 min read • Originally published August 23, 2019 / Updated March 19, 2026

When you’re ready to enter the job market, creating an elevator pitch should be at the top of your to-do list, next to making a resume.

Surprised? An elevator pitch is essential for starting a career-based conversation today. Plus, it appeals to the modern recruiter: the average person has an attention span of 8 seconds. Although that seems like a short amount of time to define yourself, you can grab their attention with the right pitch.

Even if you’re not looking for a new job, the elevator pitch can still be a useful tool. You can use a well-honed short speech for a variety of situations: networking, mentorship, and sales all could use an elevator pitch.

Read on for what you need to know about an elevator pitch, tips for making one and examples of pitches that will open up the conversation to your next job.

What is an Elevator Pitch?

An elevator pitch is a short speech where you summarize your accomplishments and goals in a couple of concise sentences. It should take no longer than 30 seconds.

The point of the elevator speech is to capture your listener’s interest in a matter of seconds. It isn’t something you should or could even make up on the fly. It needs to be planned out precisely to avoid any fluff or filler words that might bore your listener.

In conversation, there are few things that you can really plan to say ahead of time. You never know exactly how someone is going to respond. However, elevator speeches have an advantage for the introverted or shy: it’s a conversation you can actually plan. It gives you the chance to come across as polished and put together.

With a little forethought, the question “tell me about yourself?” can go from your most dreaded question to your favorite.

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Tips for Making Your Elevator Pitch

Coming up with an elevator speech doesn’t need to be intimidating. Here are some tips for putting together an elevator pitch that will get your audience asking more:

Write Everything Down

Start your process by getting everything down on paper. Write down your accomplishments and goals. Think about your strengths. Don’t think too hard: let it flow.

Once you can take a look at it all on paper, start to edit ruthlessly. Get rid of anything not related to your intended career. Delete of any fluff and phrases that aren’t concrete.

For example, instead of saying, “I’m a great leader,” try, “I had 99% on-time execution for projects while running a team of 15.” Also, don’t describe yourself as a “people-person.” You’ll immediately start to see eyes glaze over once you use that phrase.

Create different versions of your elevator pitch to emphasize various aspects of your career. It will allow you to be flexible, depending on the situation you find yourself in. For example, you may want to use jargon with other industry professionals to showcase your expertise. However, if you’re speaking with recruiters, you may want to use more natural language to lay out your accomplishments.

Practice, then Practice Some More

One common fallacy with public speaking is that practicing too much will make you sound robotic and unnatural. In reality, though, the opposite is true. The more you practice, the more natural it will feel to you, and that’s how it will come across to everyone else.

Practice on family and friends. Get honest feedback from them. It’s better to get constructive criticism from your loved ones than potentially miss out on a valuable opportunity because your pitch is too dry. Bonus points if they aren’t a part of your industry. They can give you the perspective of a recruiter or hiring manager that doesn’t have a deep understanding of your position.

Record yourself to see yourself firsthand. You can get a sense of where you need to practice and get an honest view of how you sell yourself.

It’s also essential to remember body language as you practice. You want to express confidence and enthusiasm to draw your listener into the conversation. Keep your head up, chest out, and maintain eye contact. Also, avoid closed-off body language: crossed arms, slumped shoulders, etc. Many experts believe that communication is 55% body language, 38% tone of voice, and only 7% of words spoken—your non-verbal communication counts.

Elevator Pitch Examples

Position: Sales Representative

Hi, I’m Sam. I’ve been a sales representative at company XYZ where I offer creative solutions for business professionals. I have consistently exceeded my quota the past five years and currently rank as their top salesperson. My goal is to translate my expertise into additional customers for your company.

Position: Graphic Designer

Hi, my name is Abby. It’s nice to meet you! I’m a graphic designer at company ABC. I am passionate about creating striking and intuitive designs that attract clients in our marketing collateral. I also have a master’s in graphic design. I’m looking into moving along my career path and would like to use my expertise in an Art Director role.

Use an Elevator Pitch to Get Your Next Job

You can start a conversation for your next job with the right pitch. Don’t wait until you’re speaking with a recruiter or leader to put one together, though. If you start out with one perfected, you’ll be ready for the job market!

How would your elevator pitch sound? Leave yours in the comments below!

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Candidates, Climb the Ladder

Climb the Ladder

How to Answer ‘Why Should We Hire You?’

By Scouted

Scouted was a hiring marketplace that matched candidates to roles based on potential, serving clients from high-growth startups to Fortune 500 companies.

4 min read • Originally published August 29, 2019 / Updated March 19, 2026

By Scouted

Scouted was a hiring marketplace that matched candidates to roles based on potential, serving clients from high-growth startups to Fortune 500 companies.

4 min read • Originally published August 29, 2019 / Updated March 19, 2026

Almost every candidate believes they should get the job, but putting the “why” into words isn’t as easy as it seems. At some point in the interview process, the hiring manager is likely to ask, “Why should we hire you?” Your answer to this key question could be the difference between getting the job and losing out to someone else.

As career development guru Liz Ryan points out, there’s always an asymmetry of information in the hiring process. Unlike the hiring manager, who is speaking to multiple job candidates and can compare their skills and experience, the only information you have is about your own work history and your research about the company itself. In essence, “why should we hire you?” isn’t about why you’re better than other candidates, but why you are the ideal person for the job.

It might be tempting to focus your answer on yourself, but instead you should frame your response to highlight how your unique set of skills and experiences can benefit the company. When answering this tricky question, keep these tips in mind.

Match your qualifications to the job description

Review the job description again before going into the interview. What about it drew you to apply in the first place? The job description might include requirements such as a certain educational background (like a bachelor’s degree in finance), a set of technical skills (like Python or JavaScript), a certain number of years of work experience, or practice working in a leadership capacity.

For example, a recent college graduate applying for an entry-level marketing position might match her experience to a job description by focusing on her degree in marketing (educational requirements), a previous internship she had that taught her about relevant platforms like Google Analytics or Mailchimp (technical requirements), and her role as president of her university’s Marketing Society (demonstrated leadership experience).

Also read: How to Talk About Why You’re Leaving Your Old Company

Listen during the interview and adapt your answer as needed.

While the job description can be a great place to start thinking about your answer, the job description rarely encompasses everything you need to know. If you craft your answer based only on the job description, it can signal to a hiring manager that you weren’t really listening during the interview to what the role requires. Instead, be an active listener as the hiring manager fleshes out the role, and when possible, reference something specific from your interview conversation. Which brings us to the next point:

Tell a story to show how you can use your previous work experience to solve the employer’s problems

During the interview process, you should start getting a better idea of the employer’s pain points and how your role will solve a real need within the company. Use the STAR method to tell a story of how you’ve solved a similar problem in the past and why you think you can apply that experience to this new role. The STAR method follows these steps:

Situation: What was your previous work context?
Task: What was the problem you were asked to solve?
Action: How did you solve the problem?
Result: How did your efforts impact the company?

Let’s say the hiring manager explains that the company’s main goal is to launch a new ecommerce site. You might talk about how in your previous job at a retailer (Situation), you were tasked with launching a new ecommerce site within a year (Task). You might focus your answer on how you led the search for a new web developer, worked with company stakeholders to determine the new site’s needs, and performed quality control measures before the site went live (Action). As a result, sales doubled over the next fiscal year (Result). While telling this story, you would reference similarities to the company you are interviewing with, as well as what additional steps you could incorporate to ensure success in the role.

Also read: How to Respond to A Job Rejection Email

Quantify the impact you had in your last job

Numbers often speak louder than words, which is why the “Results” part of the STAR method is so important. Think about how your previous position led to positive growth in the company. What was the impact on the bottom line? For example, if you were in a sales role, talk about how your performance compared to the quota you were given. You might also quantify your impact by talking about how many people you influenced. If you were in customer service, how many people did you speak with in a specified timeframe? If you work in HR, how many new employees did you train or onboard? The more you can focus on clear results, the more the hiring manager will remember you.

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Be confident!

There’s a reason that you were brought in for an interview. The hiring manager is looking for an opportunity to give you the job, and the “why should we hire you?” question is your opportunity to concisely convey what you bring to the table. Think of it as an elevator pitch designed to leave a good final impression. You don’t want your answer to sound “rehearsed,” but having a good idea of some talking points in advance will ensure that the question doesn’t catch you off guard.

Looking to switch companies in the near future, or want to position yourself for a new role at your organization? Subscribe to the Scouted newsletter for more career development tips.

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Candidates, Climb the Ladder

Climb the Ladder

What If Your Career Path Isn’t a Good Fit?

By Scouted

Scouted was a hiring marketplace that matched candidates to roles based on potential, serving clients from high-growth startups to Fortune 500 companies.

4 min read • Originally published September 6, 2019 / Updated March 19, 2026

By Scouted

Scouted was a hiring marketplace that matched candidates to roles based on potential, serving clients from high-growth startups to Fortune 500 companies.

4 min read • Originally published September 6, 2019 / Updated March 19, 2026

Let’s say you’re a couple years into your career and you’re at the point where you’re thinking about what’s next.

Do you go into a management role or get trained to become more skilled at your position? What if you’ve gotten a chance to observe what a management role, or whatever the next step is for you, looks like and you’re thinking, “I don’t know if that’s what I want to do…”

Here at Scouted, we totally understand that sometimes jobs don’t turn out the way we thought they would. Or career paths, for that matter.

So what should you do if you’re on a career path that’s not a great fit for you?

Find out what you want to do

The obvious first step would be to figure out what you DO want to do. Are there other departments within your company that you’ve taken an interest in? Or a hobby that you’ve always wanted to develop?

Not to toot our own horn, but here at Scouted, we’re actually pretty good at looking at a candidate’s talents and preferences and thinking of what jobs they may be great at. And depending on the career path you’ve been on thus far, it may be something you haven’t even thought of yet! This is actually a big part of our founding story, if you’d like to read more about that, click here.

But – if you prefer to go it alone – try talking with some friends and family about industries and roles they work in. Maybe even take one of your lunch breaks to visit a friend a their work and see what it looks like from the inside.

Also read: A Day in the Life of a Sales Development Representative

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Get training and experience

Once you get a bearing on the role you’d like to have, it’s time to get some experience. Some industries and roles will be easier to get experience in than others. If you’re looking to get into something like web development, advertising and marketing, or even sales, there are many online courses that offer training in those areas. A next step would be to start offering your newly learned expertise to friends or family or freelance clients to get some real-world experience under your belt.

However, if you’re hoping to enter the world of finance, getting experience might be a little more challenging. If you’re able, snagging an internship or entry level job that promises learning opportunities could be a great chance for you to enter into a brand new role. This might mean taking a pay cut for now, but if it contributes to your overall happiness and career aspirations, it might be a worthy sacrifice.

Also read: When You Should Apply for a Job Even If You Don’t Meet the Minimum Requirements

Cross-check your skills with other roles

You never know when a new type of role may ask for the exact skills you come with.

These days, not all titles and roles are created equally and while one Operations Associate job might look one way, the same role at a different company or even in a different department might look completely different. Instead of focusing on titles, try to filter through job descriptions that ask for skills that you can bring to the table, all while pointing you in the direction of the career you wish to pursue.

If possible, stay within your company

High turnover is a real problem in virtually every industry and managers are working harder than ever to keep they employees they currently have. It’s expensive and time consuming to replace good employees!

That being the case, you might not have to start from scratch when choosing to pursue a different career. Instead, think about having an open and honest conversation with your manager about transferring to a different department or at the very least, learning new skills that you’re passionate about.

Here at Scouted, we’ve started implementing regular development meetings that help our team gauge morale among our employees. We also use them to look for ways to be continuously growing into our positions as our company grows. While startups do offer lots of learning opportunities, larger companies also often have the resources available to educate and train employees in new and valuable areas. It doesn’t hurt to ask! You never know, the start of a new career path might be a lot closer than you think.

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Candidates, Climb the Ladder

Climb the Ladder

How to Ask for a Raise

By Scouted

Scouted was a hiring marketplace that matched candidates to roles based on potential, serving clients from high-growth startups to Fortune 500 companies.

5 min read • Originally published September 12, 2019 / Updated March 19, 2026

By Scouted

Scouted was a hiring marketplace that matched candidates to roles based on potential, serving clients from high-growth startups to Fortune 500 companies.

5 min read • Originally published September 12, 2019 / Updated March 19, 2026

Asking for a raise can be really stressful, and many people avoid the conversation simply because they are afraid of upsetting their boss or having the awkward conversation. But the fact of the matter is, it is crucial to bring it up and advocate for yourself, especially if your company doesn’t have an annual review process in which cost of living raises are usually offered. Asking for a raise in your current company and role can also be crucial in terms of earning more money down the line when you switch companies or look for new roles. To take at least some of the stress out of the conversation, here are our top tips for how to prepare for and ask for a raise.

Do your research

It’s important to spend some time gathering information about how much people in your job in your geographical area usually make. You want to see not only where your current salary falls in that range, but you can use it as a reasonable goal for where you’d like to end up. Start by looking up average salaries by years of experience and industry on Glassdoor or Angelist. Then, maybe ask around to friends and family who work in similar industries if you happen to know anyone. Remember that not all companies have the ability to pay the same and that many factors go into determining salaries like the size of your company, your location, your experience, and responsibilities.

You also want to do some research about how and when your company handles salary increases. Do they have an annual review process that comes with a discussion of salary? Does that line up with the fiscal year or each individual start date? It’s important to understand how the money flows in your company so that you can time the conversation correctly.

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Choose the right time

Speaking of timing, it is crucial that you are smart about when you are choosing to have this conversation. Generally speaking, you don’t want to ask for a raise if you’ve been at the company for less than a year, or you had a salary increase within the past year. Exceptions to this rule would be if the scope of your job has changed drastically since that last increase. If you know that you have an annual review coming up, that is the perfect time to bring up a raise request, and most employers will expect to have this conversation at that time.

If your company doesn’t have a structured annual review process, then timing the conversation after a big win is another good tactic. Did you just bring in a ton of new business? Solved a long-term organizational problem? Anytime you’ve contributed something massive to the company and made your value known is the perfect time to discuss your future with the company. You also want to make sure to avoid hectic times of the year for your boss or at the end of the fiscal year when money is tight.

Be prepared to toot your own horn

During this conversation, you want to focus on the value that you have brought to the company and why you deserve a raise based on the work that you’ve been doing. It can be a great idea to write out some of the things that you’ve accomplished over the past year, and how this added to the success of the company overall. You don’t want to focus on why you need a raise, because that’s not your employer’s problem. It is a much better tactic to emphasize the hard work and dedication you’ve shown to the company. It is also very appropriate to outline the ways in which you’ve stepped outside of your role to help the team succeed and use that as a justification for a higher salary. This can also be a good time to ask for additional responsibility if you’d like to take your career to the next level, in which case a raise would be very logical.

Keep the conversation simple and direct

While you want to be prepared, you don’t need to go in with a full PowerPoint presentation on your value to the company. To open the discussion, you can start with something simple such as:

I was hoping that we could discuss my salary. It has been a year since my last raise, and I feel that my work on X and Y has demonstrated my dedication and hard work. I would also be interested in taking on some additional responsibilities over the next year to grow my role in the company. Could we take a look at increasing my salary to reflect this?

You want to be specific about your accomplishments, but you don’t need to bombard your manager with a million reasons right off the bat. Just get the conversation started and see where it goes from there. But be prepared to go into further detail if requested. You also don’t need to come out with a dollar amount that you’re looking for right off the bat, as they will most likely negotiate, but it is good to have a number in mind as they will probably ask.

Don’t worry if the answer isn’t yes

Most likely your manager won’t agree to a raise right off the bat, as they will have to run the request up the chain of command. Your goal is to get the conversation started and let management know that you’re dedicated to the company and looking to move forward with them in a way that is beneficial to everyone. If your manager does come right out and say that a raise isn’t going to possible at this time, it is perfectly acceptable to ask for additional feedback about why. Maybe it’s because of internal things, and no one is getting raises, or maybe there are concerns about your performance that haven’t been communicated to you. It’s important to be receptive to any feedback that comes out of this conversation and it can be a good idea to ask what you might need to do to qualify for a raise in the future.

While asking for a raise is something many people dread doing, it is 100% normal and required in order to further your career. Salary increases aren’t only necessary to keep up with the cost of living, but can improve job satisfaction and help to keep you at the right level for the current market. An internal raise also shows future companies that you were valued and did good work, which can be instrumental in continuing on a path of upward mobility. We’ve all got to be better at asking for what we deserve.

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Candidates, Climb the Ladder

Climb the Ladder

Your First Year at a Job Is Like an Early-Stage Startup

By Scouted

Scouted was a hiring marketplace that matched candidates to roles based on potential, serving clients from high-growth startups to Fortune 500 companies.

5 min read • Originally published September 19, 2019 / Updated March 19, 2026

By Scouted

Scouted was a hiring marketplace that matched candidates to roles based on potential, serving clients from high-growth startups to Fortune 500 companies.

5 min read • Originally published September 19, 2019 / Updated March 19, 2026

I’ve written a lot about working at a startup. I’m a huge advocate when it comes to telling people that at some point in their life they should work for one – whether it be as an intern, your first job, or as a career change – because of the huge potential for growth and learning.

Yet oftentimes when I tell people that they should work for a startup, it’s easy to leave out the actual day to day, week to week, month to month aspects of the job. It’s without a doubt a shock to the system no matter at what stage someone is coming to a startup.

That being said, in this blog, I’ll do my best to explain what the first year of working at a startup is really like. I’ll throw in some insights, tips & tricks, and a few anecdotes to provide the most accurate and holistic view of my first year working at Scouted.

A humbling experience

Going into your first startup is a little like going into your freshman year of college. It’s a whole new experience with new and interesting people in a foreign place. You’re figuring out where your classes are, how to balance school and making friends, and realizing that there are a whole lot of different things to do.

My first year of working at Scouted was very similar to my first year at William & Mary (go Tribe!). I was pretty out of my depth for the first 6 months… I struggled, plain and simple. There was a lot of self-loathing and misunderstanding, stopping and starting, and doubt. I was trying to figure out what I was supposed to be doing and how to do it, all while on the job.

It wasn’t until 6 months in where I really started to realize I needed to calm down and take things one step at a time. I started to read more, sit in on other meetings, talk to mentors/people who were more knowledgeable than me. It was this realization that really resonated with me: I need to get over the hump and get my shit together, people were counting on me to do my job and do it well, one way or another.

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New/learning things

Reading was critical in my first year on the job. Once I realized I didn’t know every single thing there was about my job, I made it my mission to learn everything that I needed to in order to be successful. On a typical day, anywhere from ⅓ to ½ my time was spent reading, listening, and consuming anything that was relevant to my job. I spent hours in the depths of marketing, business, and startup blogs.

As mentioned above, it was here I learned that people have spent a lot of time trying and failing in order to come up with successful methods. Testing was an integral part of being successful at a startup and failing (to an extent) was expected in order to find a greater outcome. By picking up these tips and tricks, I began applying them to my daily workflow, whether it be in metric tracking, building ad campaigns, or product improvements.

Testing and building

Testing has become and is an integral part of my life now – nothing I do now doesn’t start with some form of a test/experiment. But when I first started working, it took a while to realize that this was normal procedure. It wasn’t as simple as being told what to do it and how to do it, it was more along the lines of here is this very ambiguous goal figure out how we achieve it.

For example, one of my very ambiguous goals was “Double our users,” and as our marketing lead, this was an integral part of my job. Yet as a kid straight out of school – how the hell was I going to double our users while on a shoestring budget?

That’s where testing comes into play. I tried everything under the sun to see how we could double users. Everything from going to college campuses, Facebook ads, calling candidates to get them to convert, Linkedin, etc… I spent weeks working 80+ hours, and through a lot of trial and error, I was able to learn a lot of things and figure out a sustainable marketing strategy for Scouted with a lot of elements that we still use to this day.

Getting into a groove

Similar to a bicycle, I began to click through the gears and I found a rhythm that was sustainable and efficient. When I went to work every morning I knew what my, the team’s, and the overall business goals were. There’s something about this feeling of alignment that really gets me going. A collective and effective unit all simultaneously driving towards the same goal. My work felt meaningful and varied, there was no stagnation. Despite this being my first job I knew this was something special that a lot of people don’t get to experience, a job I truly enjoyed and loved.

Maybe I’m lucky, maybe it’s like this at a lot of startups, it’s hard to tell at times. Yet I knew that this was a role that I was really enjoying, I was learning, testing, and driving real business outcomes all within the space of a single year.

Autonomy and driving outcomes

When people think of startups, they think of a more open/relaxed culture, open-plan offices, cold brew and beer on tap. Yet there is a lot of hard work that goes on behind the scenes before any startup gets to that point. It took almost a year, but by this point, I was starting to enjoy more of the fruits of our labor. Things like working from home and team lunches were great, but the thing that I received by the end of my first year that I enjoyed the most was greater autonomy. 1 year out of college, I was given nearly free reign over an entire part of the business, something that is virtually unheard of anywhere else.

I want to remind you that while this experience may be shared at other companies, it definitely isn’t common. I was and am very fortunate to have founders that are extremely open to giving employees the opportunity to forge their own path and provide the tools necessary to be successful down that path.

Nonetheless, this is probably the best way I can describe the first year working at a startup, difficult yet rewarding.

Hopefully, my experience can offer some insight and informs you if you’re ever making the decision to work at a startup.

Topics:

Candidates, Climb the Ladder

Climb the Ladder

Finish What You Start: Lessons From Camp

By Scouted

Scouted was a hiring marketplace that matched candidates to roles based on potential, serving clients from high-growth startups to Fortune 500 companies.

4 min read • Originally published September 25, 2019 / Updated March 19, 2026

By Scouted

Scouted was a hiring marketplace that matched candidates to roles based on potential, serving clients from high-growth startups to Fortune 500 companies.

4 min read • Originally published September 25, 2019 / Updated March 19, 2026

Lessons come from unlikely places.

I recently spent the weekend at my summer camp’s 50th reunion hanging out with close friends and reconnecting with people I hadn’t seen in over 15 years. We slept in cabins, ate in the dining hall, went water skiing, tie-dyed T-shirts… I got to be 16 again for 48 hours and it was truly magical.

Amidst the reminiscing, there was a lot of reflecting. What was 16-year-old Jacqueline like (no one called me “Jax” back then), how has she changed, how has she stayed the same? Camp was an extremely formative experience for me – perhaps my most formative. It was a place where I felt completely free to be “me” and as a result, I discovered who I was, what was important to me, and what made me feel fulfilled and happy.

Being surrounded by former campers and counselors – friends and mentors – I was reminded of some of the most important lessons I learned; principles that have stayed with me my whole life and now, as I am several years into running and growing my own company, two, in particular, seem particularly prescient.

“Finish what you start”

“Never stop at the bottom of the hill”

For context, at camp, I was a canoe tripping guide (in Canadian speak, we called it being a ‘Tripper’), which meant that I lead campers on extended, overnight canoe trips in the Canadian wilderness for up to two weeks at a time. The two principles above came from one of my favorite Trippers who took me out as a camper. He pushed me harder than anyone and made me realize that I could accomplish things I never thought possible.

5’ 1.5”, 16-year old me was portaging a canoe (and not those light Kevlar ones that exist today, but a 90lb, water-logged, metal Grumman as well as a 60lb pack) along a 1 km portage. Normally, I’d stop for a break every 300 meters or so, but he pushed me to walk the entire 1 km without stopping. He wouldn’t let me put down the canoe. It took over an hour to complete, I was moving so slowly by the end. “Finish what you start,” he said.

And I did. And I had never felt so exhausted and so proud.

Me taking a hatchet to the portage sign just after completing it

So why do you “never stop at the bottom of a hill”? Because the hill isn’t going away… it’s better to persevere over the challenge and wait to take a (well-deserved) break once you get past the hardest part.

Despite the fact that I currently sit in an office for ten hours a day and only find myself out in the wilderness on the rare vacation, these principles are exceptionally relevant to running (and working at) a startup, especially when the going gets tough (which sometimes feels like the rule rather than the exception).

In reflecting on my experience this weekend, I emailed my friend and former Tripper a note expressing how much he influenced my time at camp and beyond, how I’ve carried his teachings with me into the real world. He wrote back that people often overlook how much they also learn from their campers: “How I manage my team now is from lessons learned from [camp]. Although I can’t push them to tears with a canoe on their backs, from those experiences I’ve learned that people have an extra gear – just need to find the right trigger to help them find it. Thank you for teaching me that.”

Figuring out how to motivate a team to achieve the impossible, how to help people grow and achieve new heights is a big part of being CEO of a company and one of the hardest parts of my job. His thoughts are particularly applicable at this time in my CEO journey as I am actively working through how to find the right triggers for each member of my team. I never would have realized it at the time, but my summers in the woods were some of the best training for my years in the office.

Reflecting back on how I helped campers have the courage to carry their first canoe, how I created an experience that left them remembering the torrential downpour and wild winds as the best part of their canoe trip vs the worst, is helping me to think creatively about how to energize my team today. We all need to be reminded every once in a while that we’re tougher than we might feel.

Where have you learned some of your most important, if not unexpected, lessons? What were they? Please share them with me – I’d love to hear your stories and thoughts.

#finishwhatyoustart

Photos from Camp:

Jacqueline Loeb Scouted — 2019 – Jamie and me en route to our camp reunion

Topics:

Candidates, Climb the Ladder

Climb the Ladder

Do You Need a Personal Brand for Your Job Search?

By Scouted

Scouted was a hiring marketplace that matched candidates to roles based on potential, serving clients from high-growth startups to Fortune 500 companies.

5 min read • Originally published October 11, 2019 / Updated March 19, 2026

By Scouted

Scouted was a hiring marketplace that matched candidates to roles based on potential, serving clients from high-growth startups to Fortune 500 companies.

5 min read • Originally published October 11, 2019 / Updated March 19, 2026

Do You Need a Personal Brand For Your Job Search?

You’re probably familiar with branding as it relates to companies, products, and services. But the idea of “branding” can apply to yourself, too.

A “personal brand” is defined as the way you present yourself to others, both in-person and online. In other words, what do you want people to think of when they hear your name? More specifically, personal branding has become much more important to your job search, especially since the rise of professional social networking sites like LinkedIn. Whether you are a college student looking for an internship, or a professional at any stage of your career, here is a quick overview of how your personal brand can influence your job search.

Why is a personal brand important for your job search?

Suppose you are a hiring manager looking to hire for an entry-level PR position. You’ve interviewed two strong candidates, and you are conducting some final research before you make a decision. After typing each candidate’s name into Google, you see that the results for one candidate include a personal blog, a complete LinkedIn profile, and a few articles that she wrote for a PR company as part of an internship. The results for the other candidate only include a basic LinkedIn profile without a headshot, and an old high school newspaper article about the candidate winning a tournament with the track & field team. So which candidate would you choose?

If you are like 35% of employers, you wouldn’t even interview a candidate who doesn’t have an online presence. In other words, if hiring managers can’t find you online, it’s like you don’t exist. Maintaining a strong personal brand, especially online, can be the difference between getting the job or not.

Since personal branding is also proactive rather than reactive, you are more likely to have new professional opportunities come to you rather than relying on traditional job search methods like applying for advertised postings.

Laying the groundwork for your personal brand

The first step for creating your personal brand involves thinking about your personal and professional values, as well as what you want to be known for. Do you want to present yourself as a visual designer with a background in illustration? A marketing guru who has a passion for nonprofits? A writer who specializes in technology topics? Like a group of founders developing a company brand, you might benefit from writing a personal brand statement for yourself to use as a guide.

After asking yourself some deep questions about your mission, interests, and values, think about who your audience is for interacting with your personal brand. When it comes to a job search, your audience is probably recruiters, hiring managers, and prospective co-workers. Your audience will dictate the voice you use (friendly, professional, authoritative, funny, etc.) with any content you develop for your personal brand. Thinking about your brand statement as well as your audience will help you stay consistent across different social media profiles and marketing channels.

Once you have your brand statement and audience in mind, it’s time to start creating! Since a personal brand is especially important for your online presence, it includes content you create for social media and websites, which can position you as an expert in your area. Take these three steps to develop and curate content your personal brand.

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Three steps for curating your personal brand

Optimize your LinkedIn profile

LinkedIn has more than 645 million members, making it one of the best places to start implementing your personal brand. To start, fill out your summary at the top of your profile. Your summary should be written in first-person and tell your professional story. Depending on how you’ve put together your brand statement, you can use this section to talk about your interests, experience, mission, or values. Your profile should also include a headshot. Compared to profiles without a profile photo, LinkedIn members with a photo receive 21 times more profile views and 9 times more connection requests.

Aside from your profile itself, your actions on LinkedIn also play a role in your personal brand. For example, you can write thought leadership pieces to publish on LinkedIn. This will establish you as an expert with meaningful contributions to your industry. It can also increase profile views. If you become an active participant in LinkedIn groups and comment on other threads related to your company, industry, or job function, this can also put you on the radar for companies that are hiring for positions that you would be qualified for.

You can also publish blogs and thought leadership pieces on LinkedIn. Along with this, you can use your profile to link to projects you’ve worked on and other places you appear on the web.

Set up a personal website

Creating a personal website is one way to put your personal brand on display. A personal website is particularly important for design-oriented professionals, writers, or creatives who need a way to present their portfolio to prospective employers. In addition to any portfolio work, your personal website should include your bio, links to your social media, and a way to contact you. Maintaining a blog related to your interests and/or your industry is another way to show that you are actively taking control of your personal brand.

Aside from content creation, use your website’s design (color palette, images, fonts, etc.) to convey your personality and brand. When possible, use your own name (like “www.janedoe.com”) as your domain name so that your website shows up at the top of search results when employers search for you on Google.

Think about your social media profiles

According to a 2018 survey from CareerBuilder, 70% of hiring managers use social media to screen job candidates and more than half have found content that caused them not to hire a candidate. We’re not going to tell you that everything you post on your personal social media channels should be completely professional and resume-worthy. But we will remind you that hiring managers will look. So go ahead, be yourself and post things you like, but remember to be kind and respectful. You know, things that hiring managers will want to see from you in the workplace.

More importantly, creating a personal brand is not a one-and-done. It involves carefully curating your online reputation and showing active involvement or expertise in your industry. Your personal brand should also evolve with you and be an integral part of your professional growth.

Looking for more job search tips? Subscribe to the Scouted newsletter.

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Candidates, Climb the Ladder

1 | Time management is key

2 | Always look for ways to help

3 | Be aware of what your coworkers are doing

4 | Always be learning

5 | Make sure you are having fun

What does career progression look like in each company?

What is the company culture like?

What is your impression of your future boss?

What are the benefits like?

Where is each job located?

Can you negotiate a higher salary for your preferred job?

After you’ve made your decision…

Finding the Right Office Environment

What Perks to Look For

Company Culture

What is an Elevator Pitch?

Tips for Making Your Elevator Pitch

Write Everything Down

Practice, then Practice Some More

Elevator Pitch Examples

Use an Elevator Pitch to Get Your Next Job

Match your qualifications to the job description

Listen during the interview and adapt your answer as needed.

Tell a story to show how you can use your previous work experience to solve the employer’s problems

Quantify the impact you had in your last job

Be confident!

Find out what you want to do

Get training and experience

Cross-check your skills with other roles

If possible, stay within your company

Do your research

Choose the right time

Be prepared to toot your own horn

Keep the conversation simple and direct

Don’t worry if the answer isn’t yes

A humbling experience

New/learning things

Testing and building

Getting into a groove

Autonomy and driving outcomes

Lessons come from unlikely places.

Photos from Camp:

Why is a personal brand important for your job search?

Laying the groundwork for your personal brand

Three steps for curating your personal brand

Optimize your LinkedIn profile

Set up a personal website

Think about your social media profiles

Danil Dmitriev