An opportunity has just opened up, an early stage startup company has been formed and they have contacted you to be part of their company and help them work their way up through the ranks.

Exciting right? Maybe this is the first startup job that you’ve ever gone for and can’t wait to dive in. You might have heard that the company culture within startups can be great, plus you can influence it since you are part of the early stages. Just imagine how that would feel.

Now, there are many pros to going into a startup company and jumping into that culture and business model, however, there are still cons that come to mind that you have heard about, e.g. most startups tend to fail in their first year. Is that true or is that just talk?

Hopefully, with this article today, you will be able to decide if you want to be part of a startup and work closely with the leadership team that is going to (potentially) skyrocket you to greatness, or if you should take some time to think about if you want to be part of a young company and if it is worth it.

What is a Startup Company?

You don’t need an MBA from Harvard Business School to know that a startup is where a group of people/a couple of people, come together to create a business that has the possibility of being something huge or filling a gap in the market.

Whilst this may sound like every new business that comes out, startups tend to have a few other things going for them that draw people in when they take a look at the job description.

Having an in depth understanding of startups and what they do can help you decide if you want to be part of the team of early startup employees or not.

Starting Something New

As previously mentioned, startups are there to bring something new to the market that will make waves and get people to sit up and take notice. They care greatly about innovation and set it as their company’s mission to create something that will help them make their name and become an established firm in their sector.

Always Growing

Startups are not there to just come out with their ideas and leave it as that, they want their own company to flourish, and over time they go from a temporary organization to a secure business model that will grow within their sector to potentially become a larger company that can achieve success.

Financial Investments

Startups tend to get their money from investors who are looking to put their money into something that can have a substantial impact. They can also look at venture capital firms to help get the money they need to get things going.

What is The Startup Company Culture Like?

Working at a startup may seem like it would be a lot of fun by getting in on the ground floor with a small team and a hands-on business owner.

Whilst that may be the case in a sense with a fun environment that focuses on creativity and professional development in the early stages, there is still a lot of work that needs to be done, and for most startups work life balance can be more one-sided, i.e. learning towards more work.

Startups have visionaries who want to change the world and face challenges head-on so they can have success in their field, but early employees will need to work hard as well as keep odd hours with limited numbers as there isn’t enough money in the initial budget to add more people in at the time.

It can be a bit of a worry going through this period, and startups fail if they are not consistent with their work and are actively showing that. Job security can also be a worry as well for everyone involved.

Positives For Working at a Startup

Maybe you would like to have your own business in the future, but for now, getting into a startup job and being one of the junior employees might just fit the bill, so here are some positives for working at a startup.

You Get to be on The Ground Floor

You are joining a startup that is focused on creating something fresh and new for the business world, this can be incredibly exciting and may fill you with deep pride knowing that you are a person they want that can make this work.

From this, you will be able to gain so much experience, plus you’ll be working closely with people who have the same entrepreneurial mind as you that can help you gain a better understanding of the environment and influence you for your future.

Get to Meet New People

Meeting new people can be a great opportunity with a startup as they will be filled with ideas just like you. You will also be able to make connections with others in your industry so that you can be connected with other projects that may come up.

A work environment can be very full on, but with a startup where everybody is new and people are learning as they go and adapting to new situations, you form a strong bond with them and are able to support each other through these times.

You Will be Able to Make an Impact

If you have always wanted to contribute to a business and have your work and skills highly valued by professionals, then working at a startup can help you with that. You may be able to have a greater influence on certain projects, create solutions to problems, and work your way up to more responsibilities that will get you noticed.

You may have already come into the startup with some knowledge, but as you develop within the company you will be able to gain new skills and make an impact.

You may not be in a large corporation but what you are contributing and producing is by no means small.

Negatives For Working at a Startup

With the good comes the bad, and despite the fact that startups offer a lot of good, there are some cons. We have touched on a few before, so it’s important to be balanced and look at those.

Expectations Are High

Business owners are under a lot of pressure when it comes to making a startup work, they need to know that every single step they take is the best one for them at the time and that everybody is working as a team.

This may mean longer hours, a lot of pressure, and stress. All of this can feel quite heavy for people and they may want to look at bowing out, especially if they feel like they doubt themselves and their abilities.

People Are Inexperienced

You may be working with founders who are doing this for the first time, this might mean that the direction you are seeking is not so clear and your job title may not match up with exactly what you do.

You could be bounced around all over the place to fill in some gaps. This can be frustrating, especially if you don’t have someone else to lean on as you are the only one.

They Could Fail

It’s true, startups can fail and that may mean financial issues, problems with paying employees, and so on.

It doesn’t just come down to people not putting effort in, it can be because the market is hostile, people aren’t as accepting of a certain business, or the cost of living can be high meaning that the startup is not able to substantially fill the gap as people can’t pay.

There are so many different reasons why a single startup could fail, and for anyone who hates taking risks, that could put them off for life.

Conclusion

So, should you work for a startup? The answer to that is it is totally up to you. After all that you are probably hoping that you would get a definitive answer, but in the end, it is up to you. You have read the pros and cons and you need to decide if it is worth it.

If you are still in two minds, you could always go freelance first, so you are not fully committed and can dip your toe in. Maybe you could go for a startup that is in its later stages so that you know it has the potential to have staying power.

Whatever you decide, do it the way you find it best. Don’t feel pressured to jump in if it doesn’t feel right.