Are You Suited to Working at a Startup Business?
So you're not quite ready to start your own business, but you do like the idea of working in a startup. Getting in on the ground floor of a startup business can be quite rewarding -- just ask early employees of Microsoft, Google, or Facebook. But do you really have what it takes to work for a startup business?
Startup employees must be risk takers, must be willing to put in long hours, and must accept the reality that if the startup fails they'll be out of a job. If you meet all of these criteria, the chance to help create something new can be quite exciting. Here are seven advantages to working for a startup company:
1. Excitement. One of the biggest thrills of working for a startup company is being part of a team that is constantly striving to improve its product or service. Working for a startup can be a roller-coaster ride, but if you love change and challenges, you're likely to thrive.
2. A creative environment. Since startups tend to be based on new ideas, they attract imaginative people who think differently. If you crave a creative workplace with lots of collaboration and brainstorming, a startup could be the place for you.
3. Camaraderie. In many startup businesses, employees are more like a family than a group of coworkers. When you're as friendly with the CEO as you are with the coworker sitting next to you, you feel a strong sense of togetherness and purpose that larger, more hierarchical companies often lack.
4. Skill-building opportunities. Employees of startups tend to have more varied duties, which can mean a chance to develop a host of valuable new skills. One day you may be designing a product, the next day closing a sales deal. It's up to you to seize the many challenges and opportunities that come your way in such a fluid environment.
5. Big risks, big rewards. There is definitely a tradeoff between risk and reward when working for a startup. If the company is successful and goes public, you can make a lot of money. Startups may offer bonuses based on sales, stock, or equity, and are often leaders in offering employees creative perks. Even if the business fails, you'll still walk away with a wealth of experience.
6. Room to grow. Some of the most successful companies in America started out as small businesses. Working in a startup with huge growth potential can be very rewarding. As the startup grows, employees who were in on the ground floor often advance quickly and have the chance to play leadership roles.
7. Pride. After the hard work of launching a startup is over, you can take pride in the company's success. Even if the startup never becomes the success that everyone hoped for, you can still take pride in having had the guts to take the chance.
