When she was finishing her graduate program at Stanford, a young Marissa Mayer – today, the dynamic CEO of Yahoo – could have chosen a high-profile organisation to begin her career. Yet, she chose a low-key start-up and went on to scale the heights she has today. That start-up was Google and Mayer was one of its first 25 employees.
If this story inspires you, you may want to consider starting your career with a start-up. Start-ups offer a good work environment and great opportunities, especially if you are a skilled fresher waiting to get into the mainstream with incredible projects, lots of challenges, and most importantly – the satisfaction of achievement.
Good reason
Beginning your career with a start-up – whether funded or not – can be quite a fulfilling experience. The following are some good reasons why you should consider sending your resume to a start-up instead of waiting in line to interview with the big fat corporate-league kind of firm.
Increased responsibilities and ownership
If you are one of the first few employees in an organisation, chances are you will need to take on diverse roles and pretty much manage most of the day-to-day operational work. Being in a start-up allows you the flexibility to accept more work based on your specific skill sets and expertise and this means increased responsibilities and accountability within the business framework. Increased responsibilities also mean more opportunities for you to showcase your abilities and contribute towards the organisation’s core objectives.
Career acceleration
Start-ups offer an opportunity for fast track career acceleration, which is hard to achieve in a huge multinational conglomerate. In a new business, it is all about taking on additional responsibilities and proving your worth to key stakeholders. Needless to say, this involves a great deal of learning – not only in your specific domain but in other areas crucial to the business. If you are excellent in what you do and your start-up employer gives you enough opportunities to prove yourself, you can reach the pinnacle of your chosen field in a very short span of time.
More challenges
Being in a start-up offers one great advantage over all the others – you will be faced with multiple challenges from different fronts, each requiring your undivided time and attention. If you are the type who thrives on resolving complex challenges, a job at a start-up is like a godsend. Challenges not only help hone your skills as a professional, they also make you more confident and project you as a person willing to face problems head-on. This attribute is definitely a big win with employers and will elevate your standing in the company.
A chance to don multiple hats
A new business venture offers numerous opportunities to perform various tasks – sometimes beyond the scope of your role. This can be a great motivator for some professionals, who tend to feel stuck in their primary role without much opportunity to branch out into more diversified functions. By involving yourself in various operations at a start-up, you may get to work on some tasks that are beyond your primary line of work, but interesting and challenging nonetheless. The personal fulfilment and satisfaction that a start-up can provide for even a simple task well done is something working in a big corporate can never give you.
An opportunity to learn from industry leaders
The start-up community is very closely knit – the top managerial people are always in regular communication with every employee, sharing thoughts and seeking ideas. This transparency offers a huge scope for learning, as the top brass in a start-up are usually industry veterans with years of experience behind them. These are the people who have given up their highflying corporate jobs to become entrepreneurs and often approach problems with innovative, out-of-the-box solutions. The learning you can acquire by being associated with a start-up is far more than what you might gain by spending years at a well-established company.
Whether you decide to move to a larger organisation or start your own venture post your first job at a start-up, the incredible number of learnings and experiences you acquire will go a long way in honing your skills and expertise to prepare you for a successful career ahead.