Intensive: Joiners: Skills for a Startup Career

The Joiner's Intensive prepares students for startup careers, offering hands-on experience, networking, and professional development opportunities. Apply to gain skills, connections, and potential funding.

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The Joiners Intensive: Skills for a Startup Career is designed for students who aspire to be a startup Joiner - someone who works at an early-stage startup but does not necessarily want to be a founder. This intensive provides hands-on opportunities for students to learn key skills in becoming a Joiner. Students in the cohort will work closely with student ventures, network with early-stage and serial Joiners, and hear key insights from a startup recruiter on professional development for Joiners. By the end of the program, Tsai CITY Joiners will have networked with other Joiners, be able to add project work with an early-stage startup to their resumes and LinkedIn profiles in preparation to effectively network as a Joiner, and be eligible to apply for up to $300 in professional development funding to continue learning as a Joiner.

Program Components:

  • Joiner Insights: The cohort will meet 5 times for 90-minute sessions featuring early-stage or serial Joiners who will speak to the cohort about their careers working at startups in product development, marketing, and operations. A startup recruiter will also provide the cohort with key guidance on professional development for Joiners. 
  • Builds: Each student in the cohort will be matched with one of Tsai CITY’s student ventures to provide them with project-based support in product development, marketing, or operations. Students will gain valuable, hands-on experience working with early-stage startups in a project area of their choosing.
  • Professional Development Funding: By completing the intensive, students in the cohort will be eligible to apply for up to $300 in professional development funding to advance their efforts in continuing their Joiner skill development. Intended for students who are serious about continuing developing skills they learned during the intensive, the funding can be used for conference tickets, online courses, boot camps, or software.

Selection Criteria:

Students without experience working with startups are encouraged to apply. To be considered for this intensive, you…

  • Must be a current Yale student
  • Have a demonstrated interest in working with startups and developing skills in marketing, product development, and/or operations to use as a future Joiner
  • Can commit to attending each weekly session and completing project work with student teams (3 hours weekly commitment) 

Program Timeline: 

 

  • 12/6, 9am | Application opens
  • 1/23, 9am | Application deadline
  • 2/6, 4pm-5:30pm | Cohort orientation and Founder Meet & Greet
  • 2/13, 4pm-5:30pm | Week 1 Joiner Insight
  • Asynchronous: Week 1 Build
  • 2/20, 4pm-5:30pm | Week 2 Joiner Insight
  • Asynchronous: Week 2 Build
  • 2/27, 4pm-5:30pm | Week 3 Joiner Insight
  • Asynchronous: Week 3 Build
  • 3/5, 4pm-5:30pm | Week 4 Joiner Insight
  • Asynchronous: Week 4 Build