The NYT writes about how people in Haiti are using texts to broadcast their need for help.  They set up a number for distress and had that broadcast by the carriers and radio stations.   It's heartbreaking to think about but what another great use of mobile technology and something that will no doubt be used to help manage future disasters. 

I often get asked about how to get a job at a startup by people looking to switch careers.  Basically, it's all about signaling.  If your background consists of working at large companies considered to be non-entrepreneurial environments, or else in a different industry, then why should a startup take a chance on you?  There are no signals that you would thrive in such an environment and so the risks are, at least on paper, greater than if the startup were to hire someone from the industry.  Here are a few thought processes that startups go through when looking to hire:

-Can they thrive in the unstructured yet fast-paced environment of a startup?  Can they 'roll up their sleeves' and make a difference?  Will they be a cultural fit?  For example, the resume from someone that has worked at a large company for many years most likely would not have many encouraging signals that they would excel in the startup world.

-For business development/sales candidates, can they be effective on the 'sell-side'?  It's one skillset to do 'buy side' biz dev at a large media company where everyone is pitching you to license them.  Quite another to try and strike distribution deals when you're at a little known startup.  

-Advisory vs Operational. Often times people from advisory professions like consulting, law or advertising want to 'go client side' and on the operational side.  A history of being on the advisory side is very much a yellow flag for hiring managers at startups when looking at candidates.  Again it's a different skill-set to be an operator vs. advisor and so it's important to show evidence that you can 'get things done'.

-Why us?  Having and showing passion for the mission at hand goes a long way, especially with early stage startups.    There are many ways of showing this interest to your prospective employers.

I could go on but, if you don't come from an obvious background that a startup would consider, get creative about how you can signal to them that you'll be a risk worth taking.