Projects for Portfolios/Resumes
How do we determine what counts as a startup vs a project on our resume and portfolio?
I worked on what I believed was a startup years ago and called it quits when my co-founder decided to bounce and I deferred my National Science Foundation funding.
Would this count as a startup or a project? Is it only when we have a large number of DAU / money that it counts as a startup, or is is just seen as a research project? What "counts" as substantial to be seen as impressive enough that is worth to take up space on either one that an employer will care a lot about this?
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Discussion
(6 comments)- 2
17 days agoEngineer @ RobinhoodDid you register it as a non-profit or a Delaware LLC? If not, it's a side project.
- 017 days agoSenior Software EngineerTaro Community
Gotcha. For another company yes I registered a Delaware C-Corp with co-founders. Okay then this other one is more 'research project then.'
- 1
16 days agoTech Lead @ Robinhood, Meta, Course HeroAs Jonathan mentioned, I think the bar is incorporation. If you didn't file any business paperwork with the government, it's probably a side project and you shouldn't have it as work experience on your resume (this can get you in hot water during the interview if you do).
Even if you work on something for many months or even years with someone else, if you never filed to incorporate as a government-recognized business, that's not a startup. That's just a more serious side project.
- 016 days agoSenior Software EngineerTaro Community
Gotcha, I incorporated a Delaware C Corp working with co-founders and staff I managed for 2 years for one, and the other one was probably more like a research project.
- 016 days agoTech Lead @ Robinhood, Meta, Course Hero
Got it, the first one is definitely a startup and you should claim credit for it. Work experience is the most valuable on a resume.
- 116 days agoSenior Software EngineerTaro Community
Yup, I filed for one of them and our other co-founder raised about 10M and we had a split (that was a real company). The other one again, was more like a research project...
