Entry-Level Positions For Aspiring Chiefs of Staff
Caldwell's unconventional path to Chief of Staff highlights the atypical nature of entry-level roles in startups; the advice offered is to "just start working for companies that [one] thought were interesting," actively engaging in early-stage startup communities and focusing on contributing valuable skills rather than seeking a specific title.
Startups, Networking, Early-stage Involvement, Strategy, Problem-solving
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Caldwell Clarke
Chief of Staff
Mesh
University of Maryland
UCLA Anderson School of Management - MBA
Engineering - Mechanical
Gaming, Technology
Product / Service / Software Development and Management
None Applicable
Video Highlights
1. Get involved in startup communities and early-stage projects to gain experience.
2. Focus on contributing to teams and finding areas where your skills are useful, rather than searching for a specific title like 'Chief of Staff'.
3. Be proactive and involved in strategy conversations from the beginning of projects to demonstrate your interest and capabilities.
Transcript
Q10: Entry-level positions
What entry-level positions are there in this field that an undergraduate college student might consider? Startups don't have a traditional path; they are inherently a little chaotic.
What I did was start working for companies I found interesting in any way. The first company I was at had only five people, so you could just try and get involved with whatever pieces were interesting to you.
Chief of Staff is a unique role. Half the companies don't know it exists, and you're probably not going to be reached out to unless you've already held the title.
My suggestion is to be very involved in startup communities. Even if you're at a bigger company or a midsize startup, be involved in the really early-stage stuff. Participate in conversations around strategy.
You'll have to figure out where you can help a team you're interested in joining. What you call that role is pretty flexible. This might be a non-answer, but get involved with startups early and figure out how you can be useful to them, rather than asking them what they want.
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