You are thinking about making a change, switching the lanes, looking for a brand new opportunity and you heard all that hype that surrounds tech startups. Of course you also heard that’s risky and that working for a startup means a disruption from your traditional career path or that you can’t transition back to a big company. But what if you were told that these are only popular misconceptions and that working for a startup can be just the catalyst your career needs?
So what’s in it for you? For starters, more responsibilities, being challenged on a daily basis taking on new tasks and working in a hectic, fast paced environment. “That does not sound very good” you would say. Rome wasn’t built in a day either, but the ones who participated in the process did go down in history, no?
The truth is that a startup will encourage you to leave your comfort zone, will push you harder and occasionally test your limits, all for good reason. Being in a small team means that your contribution is valuable, more valuable than in an environment where rigorous producers and processes are in place. The freedom you get in tackling your daily tasks will not only allow you to put those creative problem solving skills at work, by throwing unexpected challenges in your way.
Leave behind that whole “cog in the machine” thinking, because in a startup you will have decision power on how you want to approach various projects as well as a full stream of support from your team members. Yes, that’s right. No more “that’s not my department”, in there, everybody will chip in and help whenever is necessary, teamwork being one of the number one priorities, when you are working on a tight or nonexistent budget and with limited resources.
Talking about decision making, how often would you get the chance to speak your mind or share your opinion on an upcoming or ongoing project in a large company? In a startup, you will not only have this chance but your feedback will be taken into consideration/ implemented and if not you will still have a front row seat to everything that’s happening in the company. What better way to learn the inner workings of a business than seeing it with your own eyes on a daily basis?
Think of working in a startup as a chance to build something. While in big companies everything is already structured and there is a standard “way of doing things”, a startup gives you the chance to take your ideas from pen to paper into reality, giving you the opportunity to learn in the process, smooth bumps, optimize and refine until you have a finished product.
We are not saying working in a startup is for everyone, because it is not. If you are a status quo, not really a risk taker and you feel more comfortable in a very structured work environment – a fast paced, ever changing startup work rhythm might not be for you. But if you are looking for a big challenge, building something new and disrupting an industry – go for it!
And don’t forget to regularly check www.workinstartups.com , the best place to find the hottest startup jobs!