Nail on head.
135 karma · joined June 21, 2011
You have got to be kidding me.
Networking events are invaluable, especially to new graduates. It's important to know how to interact face to face with other human beings. It's important to show you can have a real human conversation with someone, understand body language, understand emotions and social cues.
I realize these skills aren't highly valued on HN for some, but if you really want to be successful they absolutely are.
Also - Elon Musk and Steve Jobs networked their asses off. Homebrew computer club. Speaking engagements. Hustling investors. That's all networking.
However, when a company has access to state data, and banking data, and social data, and... etc.
Not hard to see how they can build a network.
You think DOD isn't begging Palantir for AMEX's customer data, even anonymized? Or any of the other financial institutions they provide services for?
... probably not. But it's easy to see how they could.
The relationship they have with the DOD/NSA is simply unreal. their offices on the east coast are full of high-ranking officials, generals, etc -- all the time.
Palantir powers a lot of the retina-database insurgent tracking software in Iraq and Afghanistan.
I've personally heard from US Army Special Operations forces that the imaging software they use to plan "missions" is powered by Palantir (but is frequently slow and buggy, so they resort to Google maps)
I noticed that an Operator featured in Sanjay Gupthas CNN documentary on Marajuana had a Palantir patch next to his US Flag patch on his carrier chest rig.
Creepy stuff.
These students are no more "special" than any other students at any other university.
Even more-so, the students that "made it" to UC really, really don't need yet another person telling them that.
I've never liked Android's implementation of home/app screens (widgets + some apps, tap to reveal all your apps).
I guess if you want a lot of clocks, Android is great.
This adds another app/button layer...
I don't know what "fixes" this - a massive correction in tech wages? Another recession? Not sure.
They absolutely, positively will not cover you unless you've raised money.
Even if you have stats that blow competitors out of the water - crickets.
It's been demonstrated more than once that their traffic isn't useful to the vast majority of startups (doubly so for B2B companies).
It's a nice thing to have coverage from them. But in no way needed for a successful launch of a company.
There's gems in there, but lots of bad, bad advice.
I'm sure your HR department, and therefor - you - are ignoring some outstanding candidates.
It's cool though, we'll hire them.
So a candidate is more qualified because they ran a (potentially) meaningless gauntlet of bureaucracy, debt, and busywork?
I know that's not quite what you're saying. As I stated below - the issue is the gatekeepers. Large companies are ignoring incredibly talented individuals - simply because their HR departments are inept - or their hiring prerequisites don't allow anyone without a degree.
That said - startups can use this to their advantage. Review code samples, ask REAL questions, get to know your hires.
I love finding the savant coder, the incredibly motivated sales rep, etc - and using them to build our company - and looking at their past projects, samples, experience to make a hiring decision.
New kid in suit: "No no no, you don't understand - I have an MBA"
Woman: "Oh? Oh. Then I'll have to SHOW you how it works."
Even if you have a savvy, dynamic, progressive team in a large company - looking for coding/sales/marketing savants - HR will typically not even pass candidates resumes if they don't have a BA/BS etc.