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6 Things To Know Before Stepping Into A Startup

Business World Jul 14, 2015

Startups begin with a brilliant idea by highly motivated people, who hire a couple of extremely motivated people to turn it into a reality, says Aditya Rajgarhia Left, right, straight ahead or trackback 10 steps - if you’re somebody looking for a challenging yet promising career, you’re probably stumbling across opportunities at fast-growing startups hunting for the brightest talent. Startups have a magnetic aura around them and working for one is nothing short of the perfect north pole-south pole attraction. Be it for the culture - fun and casual, or the room for rapid growth - professionally and financially, startups are surely in the limelight today for offering the ‘best’ job opportunities to freshers and experienced professionals. Looking at the fancy websites to videos boasting of a culture that balances work, life and enjoyment, there isn’t anyone out there who doesn’t imagine themselves sitting on a bean bag with a mac in hand, working with like minded people while applying for these positions. There is no doubt about the fact that working for a startup can be exciting and at the same time, teach you a lot about the field you want to build a career in (or not). Because once you’re out there, all the rules you have learnt at your corporate job no longer apply. So how do you know the startup you’re planning to join is the right career move? A hit and trial is fine, but what if the grass isn’t as green as you thought it would be? 6 things you need to keep in mind before signing up with a startup 1. You’ll have to be ready for change Unlike corporate biggies who have set offices across different cities, allocated spaces for various departments, defined work for a group of people and job titles to go along with the work, startups are forever changing. Be it the office location, job title, job role or for that matter, your seat! At some startups, even picking out your favourite chair and labelling it doesn’t work. The constantly changing environment definitely breaks your workflow once in a while; but life doesn’t get better by chance, it gets better with change. After all, startups aim at hiring highly motivated and enthusiastic, change embracing people! 2. You’re either all in or simply out If you’re accustomed to working alone, startups aren’t for you. You’re expected to be a team player, who rolls up his sleeves and dives right in at the hour of need - whether or not your job profile qualifies you for it. There is no such thing as, “This isn’t what I was hired for.” Your everyday activity could fluctuate from being exactly what your job description states to something that you had never even imagined yourself doing; including picking up donuts for your colleagues occasionally. The good part of it all? You learn how to do just about everything - tech, non-tech and so many other things! 3. The flat hierarchy doesn’t stay Startups begin with a brilliant idea by highly motivated people, who hire a couple of extremely motivated people to turn it into a reality. Even though initially the pitch of a flat hierarchy sounds exactly what you are looking for, things are bound to change once the company tastes success. Don’t like someone standing on your head? Sad. The motivated early employees are often put under experienced managers who decide what needs to be done when - of course, in the best way possible. Even though a manager is a manager who might bug you on a daily basis, he or she is the one person you can learn from. After all, they know how to keep a storm in control. 4. It's hard work, rewarding work When you join a startup, you're not just performing your individual role - you're building a company. Long hours and pressure to work on multiple things are the norm in the early years of a startup. It can be mentally draining, but a great experience at the same time. Not to mention the enormous satisfaction of building something great from scratch. Be ready to deal with pressure! Although the work is hard, fast-growing startups who have raised large amounts of capital are usually able to compensate their employees very well, even better than most large companies. It's definitely a "work hard, play hard" environment. 5. You work at your own risk Everything is hunky dory while investors are coming in, deadlines are being met and there isn’t already a similar concept so big that it is hard to compete with. But when you make the choice of working at a startup, the risk you take in your career path is entirely on your shoulders. Enter at your own risk! A lot of startups don’t survive beyond a year or two of crazy working. Even when they make all the news for getting acquired, the real story may not be quite as rosy. Often, startups get acquired for a price at which even the founders don’t make anything out of the sale. But the best part of it all? 6. You’ll get to innovate and start your own   One of the most rewarding things about working for startups is the environment you get to bring forward fresh ideas and innovate with the best of people in the field. Since each one in the team is a motivated individual, they are always open to new ideas. Age no bar, your ideas are always credited! Working in an entrepreneurial environment is a great way to learn how to innovate. A startup experience pays you back in opportunities and knowledge to help you get started with your own venture. Whether you’re applying for an internship or a full time position, remember one thing: there is no such thing as a constant in the startup world. For as long as you’re working in a setup, make sure you make the most out of it and learn as much as you can. Having a startup experience on your profile can work wonders. The author, Aditya Rajgarhia, is CEO and Founder of Instahyre.com