The Boston Phoenix
April 6 - 13, 2000

[Features]

Got.com?

Seems like everyone's working online
but you. Here's how to join the crowd.

by Jumana Farouky

It's a dot-com world out there. Even the least Web savvy can do anything from buying groceries to getting a divorce online, and the success of Amazon and eBay has made e-commerce a household word. Thousands of new sites are springing up each day, and everyone who doesn't work at an online company is starting to feel out of touch. Now you want a piece of the IPO pie. You want to come to work wearing jeans and sandals, surf the Net for a living, and play indoor Frisbee with the boss. You want in on the action.

First the bad news. Not everyone who works for a dot-com gets to be Time's Person of the Year, or even a garden-variety millionaire. If you're hoping the leap to the Web world will finance that yacht collection you've always dreamed about, don't quit your day job.

The good news is, with so many dot-coms around, opportunities to enter the New Economy are virtually endless. If you're looking for a chance to use the other side of your brain and you're excited by the idea of joining a potential "next big thing," quitting your day job -- and getting a new one at an Internet company -- might not be such a bad idea.



Unless you started an online dating service for lonely house pets out of your MIT dorm room, though, you probably haven't noticed dot-com companies throwing offers at you. You need to get a foothold in the world of the Web, and that's all about networking. It's not just who you know, but who they know, and who they know. "Honestly, it can be really tough to get in if you don't know anybody in the industry," says Susan Kaup, the founder of Geektogether.com, who calls herself an independent online marketing geek. "It is definitely important to know a lot of people, and to be known as well. It's always easier to get work when you know someone at the company that is hiring, someone who can directly pass on your résumé."

But if you run down your list of friends and realize you don't know any dot-commers, have no fear. Many people are in the same boat, and many others are willing to help. Kaup, for example, began organizing Independents' Lunches last December to bring budding Internet insiders together on a regular basis. Held on the third Friday of each month somewhere in the Boston area, the lunches are "part networking group, part human interaction, and part support group," Kaup says. Several other organizations also hold face-to-face gatherings that breed networking opportunities. Kaup suggests that industry newcomers join groups such as the Association of Internet Professionals (http://boston.association.org), Boston Webgrrls (www.bostonwebgrrls.com), and the Massachusetts Interactive Media Council (www.mimc.org) to get in touch with both online novices and Web veterans.

Internet gurus also recommend doing your research. Any good bookstore or library will carry shelves of journals, such as Red Herring and the Industry Standard, dedicated to the Net industry. And, of course, spend as much time as possible exploring the Web for industry resources and possible employers. News and information sites like eBuzz.org allow you to sign up for e-commerce bulletins and newsletters that will keep you abreast of upcoming conferences and lectures. Sooner or later you're bound to hear about a job opening at a promising dot-com.



Once you've got the lowdown on which companies you'd like to join, the next step is to get that crucial interview. Luckily, the Internet hasn't been around that long, so your lack of computer wizardry isn't as much of a disadvantage as you might think. Obviously, knowing how to navigate the Web and use basic software are pluses, but don't be discouraged if you don't know HTML code from Morse code. "The issue is transferability," says Tim Butler, director of career-development programs at Harvard Business School. "You have to be able to demonstrate that you have skills that are relevant to the industry, even if they weren't developed in the industry. If you were in project management in a non-Internet environment, you should pitch yourself as a project manager and show them you have the skills." Butler says the same goes for designers, writers, accountants -- anyone with real-world skills that can translate to the virtual world.

Anything else you need to know, you can pick up along the way. Many companies, especially the smaller ones, will happily take the time to train a new employee who brings some necessary skills to the table. And even if you can't find any advertised openings in your area of expertise, it doesn't mean you're stuck delivering pizzas. Most small Internet companies don't have formal human-resources departments and are too busy staying afloat to go out and recruit people. You have to go to them.

That's what Frank Fessenden did recently when he left his job as director of Boston College's career center to join the ranks of the soon-to-be-launched Experience.com, a Web site that helps students and recent graduates search for jobs and research potential employers. He first heard about Experience.com when the company's promotional material crossed his desk at Boston College. "It was a matter of ascertaining the needs of the client and realizing that I am someone who can fill those needs," he says.

Fessenden says enthusiasm and flexibility are the most important qualities you can have if you want to work for a young dot-com. The smaller the company, the more roles you can fill and the more familiar you will become with all aspects of the online industry. "You have to want to work," he says. "Be willing to take the initiative, willing to do other jobs. Get your foot in the door -- always good advice." And according to Fessenden, Boston is full of foot-worthy doors. "There are lots of dot-coms based in Boston," he says. "Boston is one of the top five metro areas for Internet start-ups, after San Francisco and New York. It's a great place to be."



Let's say you've got the skills and you've found a company that needs them. If you think you're just one step away from spending the rest of your days in isolated bliss in front of a glowing computer screen, think again. Just because a keyboard will be your main mode of communication doesn't mean you can dispense with the people skills you needed in your last job. "Everything today is based on groups. You at least need to know how to work with other people," says Michael Mahoney, who has been working in information systems for six years and teaches several Internet-related classes at the Boston Center for Adult Education. "No one in an Internet company is a successful lone wolf. Everything hinges on team players. That is very important for dot-com careers." So before you take the plunge into the Web, ask yourself if you're a people person, because you can't hide behind e-mail forever. Eventually you'll have to talk to clients over the phone, or even face-to-face. "With the speed of the Internet, you can get a bad rep really quickly," warns Mahoney.

In fact, the main distinction between a dot-com job and other jobs is how quickly everything happens. The Web transmits information instantaneously, leaving little room for hesitation or mistakes. That kind of pressure to perform well and perform now calls for a quick and organized mind. "The Internet is so fast and furious, there's never a dull moment," says Christa Ventikos, director of executive research at CMGI, a network of Internet companies (including Intel and Microsoft) with more than 4000 employees. "There's no time to wait. You have to think on your feet, act fast, and be organized. Just know that every day is a day that you have to conquer."

Exciting words to somebody willing to take the risk of giving up a slower-paced job to work for a dot-com. A risk it is, though. The Internet industry is only about five years old and has grown at hyper-speed. Not every company can keep up the pace, and for every successful dot-com, there are hundreds that fold within months of launching. That's why Harvard Business School's Butler says the most important attribute for a dot-com employee is risk tolerance. "Uncertainty in dot-com companies comes in different flavors," he says. "The future existence of the company, a lack of structure, and a lack of seasoned management. Lots of dot-coms are founded by people who are not managers, so you may not have a mentor, someone who's done your job before you."

Butler warns against believing all the golden-egg stories about the Internet industry. There are plenty of articles and news segments about the huge successes, but the press doesn't report on the many companies that are struggling just to stay in business. "You have to be honest with yourself about how you feel about taking a lower salary so the company can continue to exist," he says. "And about the possibility that the stock options may be worth zero."



Those risks aside, moving from a dependable nine-to-five into the uncertain realm of online-company employment can mean 12-hour days, fewer benefits, and tight deadlines. It takes courage and a solid belief in what you have to offer. But many people who have taken the plunge agree it was the best career move they ever made. The chance to get in on the ground floor, help build a business, and experience the thrill of success can make all the uncertainty worthwhile.

Just ask Jack Morris, who graduated from Boston University in May with a master's degree in print journalism. During his studies, he worked as a reporter at several local newspapers. Now he is Boston's music-content producer for Citysearch.com, one of the world's largest online city guides, and swears he'll never go back to traditional journalism. It's not only the better pay, creative outlet, Ping-Pong table, and office gym that keep him hooked. It's simply life on the Net. "The Internet is more immediate," he says. "I can find out about a music event in the morning and have it published two hours later. In fact, I'd have the information out to our readers right now if I wasn't speaking to you."

And would he recommend this life to others? In a second. "I would highly recommend working at a dot-com to anybody who was interested," he says. "This is the future of our lives. It's really exciting to be a part of it."

Jumana Farouky can be reached at jfarouky[a]phx.com.