I’ve recently been consulted by a startup in HRTech. Currently, this startup offers an online job aptitude test and is exploring various B2B options. I allowed myself the freedom to brainstorm broadly, reserving judgment for later. Interestingly, almost every idea I conceived of already exists in the U.S. market. Given the sizeof the U.S. market, where companies can potentially scale 10x faster than in Europe with the same investment, this wasn’t surprising. However, the adoption of these ideas in the U.S. suggests potential markets in Europe and elsewhere.
I approached these ideas as if it were my own startup, without limitations or early judgment. One problem I recently became aware of involved a friend’s nephew struggling to find an internship. Despite being a computer science student, finding an internship in the current tough economy was challenging. So, my friend had to go the extra mile to prepare him, from polishing his resume to prepping for the interview, setting up the camera, and even advising on post-interview follow-ups. Surprisingly, universities don’t seem to offer such comprehensive support.
Which brought me to my first ideas:
- Student-Focused Platform: Create a ‘Get Ready with Me’ service, akin to the popular trend on TikTok. Once students sign up, we can expand this into an internship search platform where our candidates are briefed and prepped. Companies seeking interns could use skill-based searches and our insights to find matches based on aptitude tests and the candidates’ goals.
- Professional Recruiter Dashboard: A great opportunity to develop a tool for recruiters that streamlines the hiring process.
- Extended Outreach: Extend our services to young individuals aged 17 and up to two years post-graduation. We shouldn’t limit ourselves to just students, as every young person faces similar challenges when seeking their first employment.
- Employer Reviews: Our candidates could review employers. I feel strongly about removing companies that mistreat employees, based on my own negative experiences from a family owned company located in the same city as I live
- Talent Cloud for Young Adults: Inspired by my Work & Travel experience in the U.S., I believe in providing young people with opportunities to develop leadership skills early.
- Community Building: Establish communities around common interests, values, or problems, facilitating connections, especially for students nearing graduation or early in their careers. Getting together on a weeks long training or going to a conference could be much more fun being surrounded by people you know
- Ikigai & 4xP Framework: Align the startup with Ikigai and the 4xP framework – purpose, profit, problem, passion. This could provide a more personalized approach for those taking the job aptitude test.
- ‘Ask Me Anything’ Sessions: Host straightforward, accessible sessions for candid discussions.
- Projects Board: A platform for young people to showcase their school projects and internships, offering recruiters a glimpse into their capabilities.
- Capstone Projects with High-Profile Trainers: Facilitate project-based learning opportunities to help students stand out. Something like Coursera and Udacity offer
- Candidate Surveys: Develop surveys that align with job listings, speeding up the recruitment process, inspired by platforms like Crossover
- Career Readiness Competencies: Implement training based on the NACE Career Readiness Competencies to complement university education and ease the transition into internships or first jobs. I think that may be unique to US to consider such aspects of preparation. I really loved the idea.
How Work&Travel Program in USA Shaped Me as a Student
I often look to the U.S. market, not just because it’s mature and English-speaking, but also due to my personal experiences there.
I spent 3.5 months in California, Santa Barbara, as part of a Work&Travel program during my student years.
My jobs included working in a creamery and a pet shop. Remarkably, the creamery was managed by someone my age, and the pet shop was staffed by local college and university students. It was amazing to see how adept they were at customer service, managing operations profitably, and acting as responsible young adults.
This experience contrasts with the situation in Poland, where, although there is now more work available for young people, I don’t believe we offer as many opportunities for them to develop leadership skills at a young age. Half of the Millennials in Poland, including myself, were born during the communist era, a time that taught us to be resourceful like our parents. However, this resourcefulness is different from cultivating entrepreneurial skills from a young age.
Career Change Made Easy?
With over 18 years of business experience and currently navigating a bumpy career change, I have expectations from job aptitude tests that go beyond simply suggesting ideal roles like IT Architect or Venture Capital. Most of us understand that, unless we start our own company and designate ourselves as CEO or CTO, it takes years to grow into such roles, and only a few actually achieve them.
What I’m looking for is a realistic career path, not an unattainable role that merely aligns with my preferences or talents. For instance, I’m at an age where pursuing a career as a professional pilot of large airplanes isn’t feasible due to the extensive training and time required to build such a career. This insight comes from spending a year training for a gliding license; I know firsthand how demanding amateur training in airspace can be. I can’t imagine going professional now.
Speaking of career exploration, I came across an intriguing tool from LinkedIn (https://linkedin.github.io/career-explorer/), which I find remarkable. However, it seems underutilized or unpublished – I wonder why. As Generative AI integrates into our daily activities, I hope for more advanced career navigation tools based on real-life data. These could offer a more efficient approach than the trial-and-error method I’ve been experiencing every time I attempt to transition away from my corporate career.
I really enjoyed exploring ideas about how to build better tools for better future. I wish my idea in HRTech goes live in Q1 2024 and I can share it with you.
For those of you who want to connect with me, here is my LinkedIn profile.
For those who would like to use my professional services, I have my profile on Fiverr
Ali
