Backdoor
5 min read
What Happened to Sonara, and What to Use Now
Sonara shut down in February 2024 and came back under BOLD. Here's the dated history, what it costs today, what reviewers say in 2026, and what to use instead.
Read
Field notes from the startup job hunt.
What works when you write to founders, what does not, and what we learn building Backdoor.
7 min read
How to Get a Startup Job in India: Naukri vs Instahyre vs Cutshort, and What Works
Naukri, Instahyre, Cutshort, Wellfound and the rest compared for startup jobs in India, why startups hire before they post, and how to write to an Indian founder.
Read
7 min read
Will Auto-Apply Get Your LinkedIn Banned?
What LinkedIn's User Agreement says about auto-apply tools, what enforcement is on record, which tools touch your account, and what to do instead.
Read
6 min read
How to Follow Up When a Founder Doesn't Reply
When and how to follow up on a cold email to a startup founder: the 3, 4, 5 day cadence, what each follow-up should say, and when to stop.
Read
8 min read
How to Cold Email a Startup Founder for a Job (With 5 Example Emails)
What to say when you write to a startup founder for a job: the four-part shape, how to find their email, five example emails by role, and when replies come.
Read
4 min read
Most Startup Jobs Are Never Posted. Here's How to Get Them.
You've heard that 70 to 80% of jobs are never posted. At startups it's even more true. Here's why, and how to reach the founder before the job post exists.
Read
8 min read
How I'd Get a Job in 7 Days
Companies are always hiring. You're just applying wrong. Everyone says the job market is bad. I disagree.
Read