

Ask HN: How to Handle Failed Startup on Resume/Interviews?  - AndresIniesta

My startup failed to attract investment capital, and I&#x27;ll be back in the job market. How have you handled explaining a failed venture on your resume, as well as during the interview process?
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t0
You have a finished product that you released to the public. That's further
than most ever get and shouldn't be considered a "failed" startup. Display it
proudly.

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thailehuy
Just be honest in the interview. If it failed, say that it failed. Admitting
you are lacking in some aspects doesn't sound bad at all.

You might or might not put that into your resume.

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taproot
I would put any factual evidence of skills / experience gained into your
resume, the fact that it succeeded or failed is irrelevant and should be left
out and brought up in the interview as required.

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karangoeluw
Say you failed, but what you learned for the experience.. Recruiters don't
really care what you did, but how you did and what you learned for it.

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zachlatta
This may sound a little counter-intuitive, but failed startups are great!
Going through the process of failing is one of the most valuable learning
experiences, and employers recognize that. Be honest when discussing it. Talk
about the mistakes you made, what you learned, and how it's made you a better
engineer.

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morkfromork
Focus on whatever positive things came from that experience and how those
things can benefit a potential employer.

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ninja2789
I echo this statement. Don't forget to specifically identify experiences from
your start-up that are applicable to the job you're applying for (sales,
project management, coding, etc).

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sachin0235
You should be proud on your start-up. A startup experience may have exposed
you to all aspects of a project workflow and not just limited to
technical/design sight of it. Let your interviewer know those points and it
could work well in your favour.

