Five Hard Truths I Learnt About Startup Work Culture
Team Startup: Let’s get real about working in a startup (Plus 7 good questions you should ask yourself)
Startup vs Corporate.
“Should I go for a startup or corporate job?”
For me, I never got to ask myself the question because I wanted to work in a startup after school.
After spending my University years studying a course I lost interest in, I knew only a startup would employ a barely experienced young graduate starting in a new field.
Nevertheless, you’ll find several interesting articles online that aim to help you answer the question and decide whether you should work in a startup or an established company. You’ll find most of them helpful.
But before you are cajoled with all the advantages of working in a startup, let’s dissect those benefits associated with working at a startup.
In this post, I’ll be giving you an inclusive view of the startup work culture from others’ experiences and mine.
- You’ll Be A Boss In Multi-Tasking
This one of the first points people talk about when highlighting the benefits of working in startups.
Startups typically have smaller teams with limited resources, hence you’ll be required to wear different hats. You might have been employed for a specified role, however, in a startup, it’s mostly “all hands on deck” time even if it’s beyond your job title. You’d be required to develop and take up problem-solving methods and skills you might never be exposed to in a more established company.
Pros: if you value flexibility and freedom like me, then you’ll love the thrill of multitasking.
Cons: Having to perform outside your expertise can be quite exacting and taxing. You might find yourself making a couple of mistakes (which is fine) and doubting your place or usefulness on the team, especially when you fail to deliver credible results when dealing in uncharted waters.
2. You’ll Shine Bright Like A Diamond
Unlike larger companies where you’ll have a lot of other people with similar roles, you will most likely be the sole person in charge of your department in a startup.
This implies that your impact is directly evident and since everyone on the team is focused on growing the company, there will be room for more teamwork spirit and encouragement.
Pros: It will be almost impossible for someone else to take credit for your works and ideas. (Yeah, It won’t be easy for that mean colleague or manager to steal your thunder).
You’ll also be able to entirely enjoy the praise and approval for your achievement. Likewise, depending on the impact of your accomplishment, other people (companies) might get to notice you too.
Cons: On the flip side, your bad work or failures will be obvious too. For example, If something goes wrong with the customers, everyone can easily point fingers at you — the support personnel. If you think you’d not be able to solely handle responsibility for your failures, then skedaddle!
I’m kidding, I mean startup might not be for you.
3. You’ll Work In A Fun and Chilled Environment
Take a moment -think of a large multi-story building where the walls of the room have the same colour as the ceiling and floors -the one with traditional rows of desks and drawers. Now, flip the switch, and think the opposite of what you just imagined. Startups are often characterised by a modish and cool work environment with informal or semi-formal settings.
Pros: You’ll enjoy the creative and innovative workspace, and most likely be able to ditch the formal attires for jeans and tees. Also, the option for remote work will often be open to you. If all these are a dream for you, then a startup will be your fantasy island.
Cons: This work environment might be uncomfortable for conventional workers who love the serenity and seriousness of traditional workspaces ooze.
4. You’ll Have More Responsibilities
In a startup, you’ll be required to take up more responsibilities as the business grows and be expected to make key decisions regarding the company.
Pros: In this case, with more responsibilities comes power. Handling a lot of responsibility allows you to learn and grow at a fast pace which makes you more important to the team.
Cons: Expect a lesser salary and low benefits for all the extra work you will be doing. (This is where your colleagues in more established companies will think you are insane for doing so much for a little pay.)
Furthermore, more responsibility means extra work hours. So get ready to roll up your sleeves and kiss some Friday night-out goodbyes.
5. You Might Discover Your Entrepreneurship Spirit
Being in a startup team means you will often have direct access to work with the leaders or founders of the company. You will have a first-class insight into how they are running the business, their challenges, strengths, weaknesses and more. This exposure might inspire you to start your own company or drive you into the entrepreneurship world.
Pros: Even if the entrepreneurship spirit doesn’t rub off on you, or you discover that you are not willing to take that path, the things you learn will remain valuable to your professional development now and in the long run.
Cons: Let’s be honest, learning can be exhausting. Moreover, the founders of your company are most likely first-time leaders who are figuring out a lot of things at the same time. Hence be prepared to deal with instability, disorganized structure, irregular timelines, and dynamic methods that might not suit you.
At this point, if you are expecting a “You should work or not work for a startup,” conclusion, I will be disappointing you. You might need to try working in a startup before you know if it’s for you or not. However, these questions might help you:
- Are you eager to learn new things?
- Do you value passion over remuneration?
- Do you dislike the traditional corporate work culture?
- Do you believe in the team’s dreams and goals?
- Are you willing to embrace an elevated level of responsibilities per time?
- Do you love taking risks?
- Do you extremely love tees and jeans or simple work outfits? (Of course, I added this question for the fun of it)
Ultimately, deciding to work in a startup can be risky. According to foreign research, 90% percentage of startups fail, and Nigeria recorded a 61% startups’ failure estimate in nine years. It implies that your employment status can change at any time, or you might be underpaid for an extended time.
Nonetheless, working with a team who is passionate about building “the next big thing” from scratch is beautiful.
Also, if you are going to work in a startup make sure you have a cool boss like mine who frequently drops notes of encouragement for me even when I fall short. Or the other boss who teaches me not to restrict growth even when it is uncomfortable.
Kindly note that whether you hope to start your own company or you are aspiring for a career progression in a company, the lessons you learn at a startup are of great worth that will yield a return throughout your career.
In the end, I believe that the decision to work for a startup or corporate should be an intentional one.
What do you say?
