If you think entry-level jobs are scarce in this economy, try scoring one with a six-figure pay package. "I see the strain on the faces of my classmates who are looking for jobs," says Marc Cenedella (right), founder of TheLadders, a job networking site that caters to the $100,000-plus job market. "I want to get rid of that strain." The company, which doesn't disclose revenues, has raised a total of $7.6 million in investment capital and says it now has 5 million registered job seekers. However, it faces stiff competition from LinkedIn, now the go-to site for high-end job seekers, and not all headhunters are enthralled by the service. "I don't think TheLadders is that relevant," says Heather Fitzpatrick, an executive recruiter at Artemis Consulting. "There are lots of other online tools that help identify the right candidates." Cenedella counters by pointing out that the number of recruiters registered on the site has tripled in the past year to 10,000.
--R.M.M.
These budding entrepreneurs didn't have to wait for an MBA to get down to business.
