As a soon to be grad, I'd love to work for a startup when I get out of school. However, I would need enough money to live, and to make payments on my student loans. Can these be reconciled? Will I need to find a startup that already has some VC?
Recent grad who worked for a startup (the past 6 months) here.
You have to be extremely lucky to find a startup that:
1) actually has the funding they say they currently/will have
2) actually will pay you what they told you they would pay you
Your best bet as a new grad is finding some impressive startup people who have great track records. Do some cool stuff for them, and tutor/wait tables for real cash on the side.
Part-time jobs will reduce your risk of running out of money. Working for the right startup founders will improve the chances that your startup succeeds. I can't find the source on this, but people who have previously failed to start companies are much more likely than not to fail again; people who have been successful in the past are more likely to succeed in the future at starting a company.
It's way easier said than done to find the right people. The amount of deception out there for new grads is sickening. People know that new grads don't know jack. You're up against a lot, even if you are smart and you regularly browse HN. Be careful out there.
