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Participant FAQs

1. Why JumpStart NYC?
2. What does the program cost?
3. What will I learn?
4. Who can apply to participate in JumpStartNYC?
5. How can I apply?
6. When will I be notified if I am accepted?
7. How often do the JumpStartNYC Bootcamps take place?
8. What is an Action Learning Project?
9. Do I get to choose my internship?
10. What companies/organizations are participating in the internship program?
11. Will I get paid for what I do?
12. After completing this program, will I have a new job?
13. What should I do if I get a full time job during the program?
14. Who are NYCEDC and The Levin Institute?
15. Can I apply if I do not live in New York City?

Project Company FAQs

1. What is JumpStart NYC?
2. What is "a project"?
3. What kind of project is best?
4. What organizations are eligible to apply for a JumpStart NYC consultant?
5. How many projects can I submit and how many will be chosen?
6. How much work should a project represent?
7. How are projects and consultants matched?
8. Is “speed matching” mandatory?
9.  Am I guaranteed to have someone assigned to my project? 
10. What happens if my match doesn't work out?
11. Do I have to keep my consultant on permanently?
12. What should I look for in a JumpStart NYC consulting fellow?
13. What is the fee to participate in this program?
14. What’s the catch? If there are no fees, then what’s expected of me and my company?
15. What are my responsibilities toward the program participant with whom I am matched?

Participant FAQs

1. Why JumpStart NYC?
Mayor Bloomberg and the New York City Economic Development Corporation want to keep New York’s young talent here in the City, gainfully employed in other sectors.  They also want to help individuals quickly transition into new opportunities.

2. What does the program cost?
The costs of this pilot program are subsidized by the NYC Economic Development Corporation and the Levin Institute, which is a branch of the State University of New York – so there is no charge to the participants.  

3. What will I learn?
The overriding goal is to help you get a new job.  You’ll learn about your own strengths and skills, and how you might use them to transition into a next job.  You’ll learn about the entrepreneurial world in New York:  how venture capital (VC) works, the different mindset of the start-up, how VCs judge investments, and what sectors are lively in New York.  You’ll learn through a proven simulation how to put a small business plan together.  You’ll learn networking tips, and have the chance to regularly get connected to influential NY networks.  You’ll also learn a lot about your own skills, to think about how to define your own value.
 
4. Who can apply to participate in JumpStartNYC?
JumpStart NYC is open to all unemployed professionals with a minimum of a 4-year college degree who reside in New York City.  These professions include, but are not limited to: finance, IT, sales, research, retail, media, legal, accounting, marketing, etc.   

5. How can I apply? 
Application are available online.  Please follow the directions on the "Participant Information" page. 

6. When will I be notified if I am accepted?
Participants are typically notified via email approximately three weeks prior to the start of the session as to their acceptance status.

7. How often do the JumpStartNYC Bootcamps take place?
Sessions are offered four times a year, and the website is updated with future dates as the sessions are confirmed and applications become available. 

8.  What is an Action Learning Project (ALP)?
An ALP is similar to a professional internship in that it is an opportunity to learn by doing about the opportunities in a different business sector.  Your work assignment will match your skill level, and give you a chance to you to check out a different opportunity, and determine if it’s for you.
 
9. Do I get to choose my internship?
We’ll do our best to match you with an opportunity that suits your interest and qualifications, but we can’t guarantee you complete choice. Please specify your interests in your application essays. 
 
10.  What companies/organizations are participating in the internship program?
They will mostly be entrepreneurial start-ups, including digital media, software, healthcare IT, life sciences, green technology, as well as smaller services firms.  There will likely be a few not-for-profits, including several involved in economic development, for those who are interested in exploring this option.
 
11. Will I get paid for what I do? 
There is no direct compensation, however some companies may provide a stipend or metro card for required travel, but it is not assured.
 
12. After completing this program, will I have a new job?
We hope that you will be able to demonstrate that you can deliver value in the long run, and will be offered a longer term opportunity, but it is not guaranteed.  For the participating companies, this is a chance to “try before you buy”. 

13. What should I do if I get a full time job during the program?
The point of JumpStart NYC is to help you find a job.  If you do, it’s a success for all.

14. Who are NYCEDC and The Levin Institute?
New York City Economic Development Corporation is the City’s primary vehicle for promoting economic growth in each of the five boroughs. NYCEDC’s mission is to stimulate growth through expansion and redevelopment programs that encourage investment, generate prosperity and strengthen the City’s competitive position. NYCEDC serves as an advocate to the business community by building relationships with companies that allow them to take advantage of New York City’s many opportunities. The Levin Institute is a branch of the State University of New York (SUNY), which delivers graduate and professional education programs that address critical global business issues and leadership challenges.  It was founded in 2004 and is located in midtown Manhattan.

15. Can I apply if I do not live in New York City?
All participants of the JumpStart NYC programs must be residents of New York City.

Project Company FAQs

1. What is JumpStart NYC?
JumpStart NYC is a program for out of work, mid-career professionals who are looking to transition their skills and talents into new roles. A key element of this program is a pro-bono consulting fellowship in small businesses like yours which allows our participants to expand their skills and learn “on the job” while providing your organization with their skills, experience and insights.

2. What is "a project"?
We solicit projects from small companies like yours for our participants’ to work on as pro-bono consulting fellowships. These projects should have a clear deliverable at the end, with identified milestones.

Our participants are highly experienced so they are not “interns” in the traditional sense; rather, we refer to them as “consulting fellows” and they are available to perform pro-bono consulting engagements on strategic projects in your business.

3. What kind of project is best?
We seek projects that are strategic in nature (e.g., NOT data entry, filing, book-keeping) and can be completed within 200-240 hours during the course of 10-12 weeks. These projects should have a specific deliverable upon completion with clearly identified milestones and success criteria. Examples might include a business development roadmap, strategic marketing plan, creation of a customer service plan, financial models, etc. Additionally, we recommend you look at the “Project Company Information” section on our website.  This will help you to understand the types of skills that the JumpStart NYC consultants are likely to have.  It also gives some examples of projects that worked well in earlier JumpStart NYC programs.

4. What organizations are eligible to apply for a JumpStart NYC consultant?
JumpStart NYC will place its consultants in small-to-midsize entrepreneurial companies, as well as in non-profit organizations. Among entrepreneurial firms, any and all are welcome as long as the project is strategic in nature and will provide a meaningful learning experience for our participants.  All JumpStart NYC host organizations must be located in the five boroughs of New York City.

5. How many projects can I submit and how many will be chosen?
Many companies put in multiple applications, and several companies had more than one JumpStart NYC consultant.  The key is to have projects that will engage the high quality professional talent represented in the JumpStart NYC group. It is crucial that you only take on as many consultants as you can work with simultaneously. Please contact us if you need additional guidance.

6. How much work should a project represent?
200-240 hours spread over a 10-12 week period is what we anticipate, depending on the scope of the project and the consultant’s evaluation of the time necessary to complete the project.  Consultants and companies are asked to jointly determine the consultant’s daily work routine based on a mutually agreeable work plan.

7. How are projects and consultants matched?
Once admitted to JumpStart NYC, the consultants will have the chance to view the available projects and select up to six projects that are of interest to them. We will then send you the consultants’ application package (including resumes). When you submitted your project, you signed up for, and committed to participate in, a “speed matching” session. “Speed Matching” offers you the opportunity to conduct a mini (10-minute) interview with those participants who are interested in your project(s). After “speed matching”, you will rank the participants you met with, and they will rank you. At that time, we will assign matches based on mutual rankings (e.g., you will not be guaranteed your first choice – nor will participants).

8. Is “speed matching” mandatory?
YES! Speed matching provides both participants and companies the opportunity to meet each other for a quick 10-minute meeting. As we have progressed in the program, it has become evident that the better matches arise from candidates who have met their project sponsors. If you do not participate in speed matching, you cannot participate in the program.

9.  Am I guaranteed to have someone assigned to my project?
Unfortunately, you are not guaranteed to have a consultant placed with your company. As described above, after “speed matching” both the participants and the companies rate and rank each other at which time we compare rankings and assign the matches. In some cases, based on mutual preferences, no match is assigned. We will of course notify you if this is the case.

Similarly, there will be participants who are not assigned to projects either. These participants go back to the pool of unassigned projects and might select yours. In these cases we will reach out to you for consideration. In other words, if you don’t get a participant assigned after the initial speed matching round, you may get one within a few weeks.

10.  What happens if my match doesn't work out?
If a match turns out not to be a good one, then every effort will be made to make a better one.

11. Do I have to keep my consultant on permanently?
There is no obligation to offer the consultant a position. However, there have been cases from earlier programs where consultants were offered a position, or awarded paid consulting work. This is encouraged and a desired outcome of the program.

12. What should I look for in a JumpStart NYC consulting fellow?
As we stated above, one of the program objectives is to allow our consulting fellows the opportunity to develop and enhance their skills in live work situations. As such, the participants who are interested in your project may not have the exact skills that you might look for if you were hiring a full-time employee. We suggest you look for people who demonstrate adaptability and desire to learn, who are interested in learning about your business, and who would like to develop and broaden their skills.

13. What is the fee to participate in this program?
Currently there are no fees; however, we do ask that you cover any/all out-of-pocket expenses and you are strongly encouraged to cover transportation costs to and from your offices/meetings.

14. What’s the catch? If there are no fees, then what’s expected of me and my company?
Our participants are in transition. We ask you to treat them with respect as you would any employee or experienced consultant. We expect you to help them in their transition, and invest time in them to ensure that they have a meaningful engagement with your company. Specifically, we ask that you help them explore transition pathways, provide mentorship and guidance, provide networking opportunities, and make introductions within your network that might help them land paid work and/or gain insights into alternative careers. We encourage you to provide clear and constructive feedback that will help them articulate their personal brand and value proposition.

15. What are my responsibilities toward the program participant with whom I am matched?
Consultants are not employees and do not receive a stipend. Because they are completing their projects as part of their educational experience in the JumpStart NYC program, we do expect you to help provide a stimulating project and an enriching experience.

Specifically we ask the following:

• Dedicate one hour per week (either you or a designee) to your JumpStart NYC consulting fellow. This should be one-on-one time dedicated to the project and/or mentoring your participant in their career transition. Preferably and optimally this will be done face-to-face.

• Provide appropriate “on boarding” (e.g., education, introductions to teammates, company background, relevant documentation to support project), mentoring, and networking opportunities for your program participant.

• Work with participant to create a formal scoping document spelling out all expectations and work arrangements.

• Provide a meaningful work experience that enhances the participant's chances of successfully completing the project and earning your full support in their transition.

• Ensure that the projects are clear in their scope, with an identified, specific project deliverable(s) so that all parties will be clear in their expectations.

• Be available to begin projects as soon as matches are assigned. Further, invest the time needed to on-board and acclimate your consulting fellow.

• Complete all projects by the mutually agreed upon date.

• Cover all out of pocket expenses that are related to the performance of your project (e.g., printing costs, seminar fees, any entertaining – coffees/lunches, long-distance phone charges). Further, it is strongly suggested that you either provide them with a Metrocard or a commutation stipend.