I have often come across a lot of people (friends and family mostly) who ask me the same question time and again. Why should you work for a startup? Isn’t it risky, tiring with little (or no) work-life balance? I thought of writing a post through which I could share my personal experience and try to answer these questions- what is it like working at a startup?
In my opinion working for a startup is quite attractive – sometimes magnetically so. My experience has been a roller coaster ride in the last 5 years (and counting!). I have had incredible career experiences and learnt some invaluable life lessons too.
Joining a startup can be a fun, smart, and even a life-changing move. It is quite true that not all startups have the ambience (or the budgets) of sexy tech companies. And most of them might not even be run by a visionary who will put you on the fast-track to Facebook-like stock options. But then again they have one thing in common. All of them offer a unique opportunity to learn the ins and outs of building an organization from ground up.
My journey with my current tech start up (Knowlarity– Asia’s leading cloud telephony provider) has taught me these three working-for-a-startup-mantras:
Be comfortable with change (and accept it)
Startups will make changes really quickly. Things like job titles, desk assignments, reporting structures, and project plans are changed more frequently than the filter in the office coffee pot. So if you can accept change, startup is the right place for you!
You have to be a multi-tasker, quite literally
While you may technically have a title and a job description, your everyday activities will likely vary depending on the project du jour. So enlighten yourself, you can learn really fast 🙂
You will be working in a fast changing, challenging environment
You will find yourself working with a team that is highly passionate and enthusiastic. This can spark inspiration on every level, leading to truly innovative ideas and developments that can help the business stand out against competitors in the greater industry.
So, if you wish to stay ahead and on your toes, accept your job for what it is (a promising opportunity to learn) and what it isn’t (a sure thing), working for a startup can be a great way to kick-start your career. And frankly, I have loved my journey so far. I look forward to more hustle in my life. Hope that you find the right startup that you are looking for too!
