What It Takes to Get Hired at a London-Based Startup
Learn how to find a startup job in London and get ahead of your competition in just four easy steps.
What does it take to get hired at a London-based startup?
And how do you stand out from the tough competition?
In today’s guide, we’ll show you why London is a growing hub for startups and share our four best tips for getting your foot in the door.
Why London is a Hot Spot for Startups
Since we’ve already covered why startups are flocking to London, we’ll give you a quick rundown of why that’s excellent news for you:
London is the fastest growing city on its continent, which means new jobs are popping up all over. So far, London has 52,000 tech businesses that employ as many as 315,000 people.
Venture capitalists have already invested $9.4 billion in London to help grow their startup base. More growth equals more opportunities for companies, and subsequently, more possibilities for you.
The government encourages startup growth with attractive incentives. Again, the more startups that flock to London, the better.
With all this growth, you’re probably wondering how you can tap into this job market and, more specifically:
How to Land Your Next Job at a London Startup
Follow our top four tips to get snatched up by a London-based startup:
Step 1: Skip the Job Boards (For Now)
Look, we totally get it.
After hearing about those perks, you’re probably itching to check out the latest startup jobs in London, and we can’t blame you.
But we recommend holding off on the job listings for now until you get a few things in order. Don’t worry — this crucial groundwork won’t take long and will be so worth the extra effort.
First, do some soul-searching to consider and answer these questions:
- What role(s) are you looking for? Many startups require you to wear different hats and use all sorts of skills on any given day. What can you bring to the table?
- What types of startups are you considering? Do you want to work at new startups with less than a year of existence under their belt, or startups holding it down for longer with more employees?
- What are your minimum compensation requirements? You may need to be flexible when it comes to your pay, health benefits, 401(k), and your work environment at a startup. So what are you willing to bend on? What’s a non-negotiable?
Narrowing down this information first will save time later on. Instead of applying to every startup job that pops up, you’ll be more selective and only choose the ones that check most of your boxes.
Start identifying the companies in London that you may want to work for. Research their websites, social pages, press, investor news, and more.
If any companies spark your interest, jot down their names and move on to the next important step.
Step 2: Update Your Resume and Cover Letter
It’s time to talk about your resume and cover letter. When was the last time you updated those?
If it’s been three to six months or longer, it’s time to give both a fresh update.
Your cover letter and resume should be unique for each position you’re applying to. While your resume won’t change much, your cover letter definitely should.
The point of a cover letter is to introduce yourself and show potential employers how you can get the job done based on your experience.
You’ll need to do this quickly and succinctly. So get to your points and don’t waste time.
Having both your resume and cover letter ready to go before you start job hunting ensures that when you do find the perfect position, you can apply right away.
For now, consider this version of your resume and cover letter a template which you’ll update for each position you apply for.
With those all set, you’re ready to tackle your portfolio.
Step 3: Build Your Portfolio or Update an Existing One
Whether you’re a coder or a copywriter, it pays to have a portfolio that you can present to potential employers and recruiters.
This free sample helps to build trust and shows that you’re capable of handling the job requirements.
It also gives you a leg up on your competition — especially if they don’t have a solid portfolio ready to go.
You can build a digital portfolio on many free sites and then link to it in your application submission. Try to keep a hard copy (if possible) so you can present it during the interview phase too.
While you may not normally print things, having a paper copy available is clutch in case you run into technical difficulties or weak WiFi. You won’t need to scramble or get flustered in the moment with a hard copy in your back pocket.
Technically you could skip this step, but if you’re serious about wanting to get hired at a London-based startup, you won’t. It’s one of the best ways to separate yourself from the competition.
Step 4: Now You’re Ready to Find the Job That’s Right for You
Complete those three steps and you can finally start checking out the job boards to browse current openings.
This is something you’ll want to do as often as possible, not just once a week or every morning.
Job postings can (and do) go up at all times of the day. The longer they sit posted, the more applicants companies will receive.
So the sooner you apply to a job ad, the better. This simple step will zip your resume to the top of the stack.
Now, before you spend countless hours trying to sift through hundreds of job ads to find startups worth applying to, we’ll show you a better way.
Find Your Next Job at a London-Based Startup
If you want to save time during your startup job hunt, use a job board that’s targeted for London-based startup jobs only.
Here at Unicorn Hunt, we do the heavy lifting for you by finding the latest job openings from the top and emerging startups in London.
You can browse job postings updated in real-time 24 hours a day. So no matter when you’re available, you can always take a peek at the current startup job market at-a-glance.
The rest is up to you. Start working on your resume and cover letter so they’re both ready to go when that perfect role pops up. Browse startup job postings frequently and you’ll find your dream gig in no time.
