ENTREPRENEUR-IN-RESIDENCE COLUMN

When Interviewing for a Startup, Bring a Plan — Not a Dream

Myth #1: Passion is everything

As a tech entrepreneur and startup advisor, I’m often asked for my take on startup issues from fundraising, to team-building, to dealing with difficult people at work. For this week’s Entrepreneur-in-Residence column at EH, I’m replying to a submission from Jason.

Question: I interviewed for a startup that aims to make nutritional counseling available to anyone — a mission I care deeply about. I’m confident I conveyed my passion in my interview, and they were impressed that I had volunteered with nutrition initiatives around the world. Making a difference in the nutrition field is my dream. But I didn’t get the job. Instead, they hired Oscar, an Operations expert who couldn’t care less about the mission. What went wrong? — Jason

Jason, let’s first debunk a common myth: passion isn’t everything. Not even at startups. Passion is a driver — not an outcome. And when it comes to startups? The bottom line is always outcomes.

When startups say they’re “looking for passion,” what they mean is they’re looking for the exceptional performance that can come with having passion for your work. It’s hard to do well if you don’t care. Passion fuels effort. And effort drives performance. Startups need people who will do whatever it takes, so passion is crucial when it comes to success — but it’s just the beginning.

For those of you who don’t believe me, consider this:

You’re getting a hair cut before appearing on television. Your usual hairdresser is out sick, so Jay offers to cut your hair instead. “It’s always been my dream to cut someone’s hair for a televised event,” he tells you. “I’m really passionate about it — you’re my dream client.” But…this is Jay’s first time cutting hair.

Are you going to let him anywhere near your hair, just because it’s his dream?

Of course not! When the stakes are high, the last thing you need is more risk.

The same principle applies when you interview for a job.

Let’s assume that during the interview you framed your pitch around your passion, and Oscar framed his pitch around his experience. Let’s further assume that you don’t have direct relevant experience.

You might have talked about all the ways you connect to the cause — the products you use and the products you avoid, the many nutrition books you’ve read, and the brands you follow — to prove to this employer that your dream authentically aligns with their mission. But this just makes you a fan. At best? A loyal customer.

Meanwhile, Oscar explained how he saved his previous company seven figures in fulfillment costs when he migrated their expensive warehouse to a third-party party fulfilment site. And that his vendor relationships allowed his company to bypass broker fees and negotiate wholesale deals at a 20% cost reduction. Perhaps Oscar also has passion — not for the cause, but for being a shrewd operator.

Who do you think a cash-strapped startup is going to hire? The “super fan,” or the guy who just proved he delivers?

Now, all is not lost. Even if you lack direct experience, you do have another card to play — Making a plan.

A plan is your roadmap that shows a future employer how you’ll bring value, even without experience. It shows them what actions your dream will drive you to take. It outlines how your passion will help them. And one tool in particular, available to everyone, can help you — research.

Backing up your ideas with research is what turns a dream into a plan. If you’ve done the research to demonstrate how you’ll execute and move the company toward its goals, you are playing a strong hand.

Your plan will depend on the role you’re applying for. Will you save them money? Can you think of ways to cut down on inefficiencies? How will you create new opportunities for your potential employer? Can you name some partnerships you’d try to bring in, and explain why and how you could make this happen? How will you attract new customers? How will you collect customer insights?

Pick one or two, and walk them through it.

Here’s the thing — it doesn’t have to be the right plan. But it does have to be a relevant plan that reflects the company’s priorities, competitive landscape, and market dynamics.

Even if you don’t have experience, if you can show that you’ve developed a roadmap for how you can start adding value tomorrow, you’re now going head-to-head against Oscar. Your passion has lead to action. Your dream is driving a valuable end-state. Most important? It’s now something the company can take to the bank.

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