The fallacies of starup recruitment

 

New York start-up scene is thriving.Many startups have popped in, addressing the bulging scene of social media, mobile apps and advertising, each one aspiring to be the next Twitter , Facebook or Google. It is amazing time to be part of that massive wave and embark in search of opportunities.
However most of those startups have the inherent naivety of a rookie. 
The successes of Facebook and Google created a culture of "me too" mentality in the Silicon Valley spawning legions of imitators. "It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation" (Herman Melville)
Intoxicated by their latest investment round and blinded by their enthusiasm , startups almost always describe themselves as "disruptive" (the most overused word in the startup world) and indeed start to think that they are the next Google. So,they start looking for "rockstars"  ( probably the second most overused word) .Their job titles sound  like cartoon characters as the trite "Looking for a "Rock star programmers" to: "Design Ninjas"  , "Ninja/Rockstar/Hacker" , "Swiss-Army Knife Hacker" , "Web Guru" , "LAMP Wizard" etc.
Here are snippets of a typical post: "We're a disruptive new web startup/small group of guys taking on a big problem ( read : two guys on in a co -working space) "
.."investors are already interested in leading and raising a considerable Series A round once the MVP is ready" ( we don't even have a product) . However here is what they require from you : "You need to be a ninja"!?  .."Attended a top-tier school" , "Demonstrated leadership and top of your class in GPA".  Quite often they will even email you programming test based on well known algorithm  that has served as somebody's thesis. (Once I was send a coding test to design a solution for a game ( in 48 hours) based on the apriory algorithm for association rule learning.)
 Here is what they pay : "This position is part-time/full-time for equity only. Upon raising capital, we will offer a full-time position with a competitive salary and benefits." (i.e :  nothing)
So , I graduate from MIT after countless stressful nights , spent more than $100 000 on education and incur a  huge debt .
Instead of going to work for a boutique quant hedge fund, where my  starting base salary is going to be 200K ,  full paid benefits and competitive matching 401K , you want me to come and work for you for no cash  , vague hope of future payout , sit in co -working space with a chair , a Mac and a table shared with fifty other people (as in the DMV office ) , wait for the mercy of your investors , hope that somebody will buy you,wait for IPO..??
WAKE UP! You are not Google ! Perhaps you will never be or perhaps you are even going to surpass them.In any case this doesn't give you the right to be unreasonable and demand MIT  Phd's just because Google does, or interview the same way  Google does or believe that nobody measures with you just as Google did.
Don't be a copycat ! Google gives healthy and lucrative stock options plan , competitive salary ,  free real food ( sodas and pizza don't count as food) ,and numerous other tempting perks. What do you give ? -a Mac  , "being part of the revolution" , paltry desk or couch , Friday's pizza and maybe fridge with beer ..  Hm.What makes you have the audacity to demand what Google demands !?