5 Reasons To Work For A Startup

The last few months have been a very exciting period for my startup company. Aside from potentially having the opportunity to hire some employees, we’ve been growing quite rapidly.

I recently had the opportunity to have discussions with numerous people who have had jobs in big companies and are looking to join a small startup. I asked them why they wanted to escape a big company like JP Morgan or Microsoft and I got some interesting answers.

Then, I realized that I had to create an environment at my startup that future employees would be interested in. I began doing a lot of research and figuring out the reasons why people want to work for a startup.

In this article, I share 5 reasons to work for a startup:

1. You Make A Difference

When you work at a big company, your input and feedback doesn’t always get valued as you wish it would. When there are hundreds of other employees, you may not feel as important or make as big of a difference as you wish you did.

However, it’s completely different in a startup. Your input, decisions, and work are valued very highly. The first hires at a startup are extremely crucial to their long-term success thus you are valued highly.

You were brought in as one of the first few employees because the startup needs you to grow to the next level. If you want to serve a purpose and feel valuable, a startup company is ideal for you.

2. You Don’t Work For Just A Paycheck

The great part about working at a startup is that you won’t always be working for a paycheck if you come in early enough. Many startup companies offer their first few employees a salary and equity.

Not only that, but if the startup does grow and become very successful, it’s quite an impressive feat to say that you were one of the very first employees at the company.

3. You Get To Work In A Relaxed Environment

Startup environments are definitely not for everyone. At our startup company, we’re making bets, playing paper basketball, and really loud. Some people may look at that and feel like they’d have a huge headache every day.

However, compared to a corporate environment, startup environments are great. You get to wear a t-shirt and jeans, work flexible hours, and join a family. Startups allow you to be a part of something bigger.

4. Learn From Innovators

When you work at a startup company, you get to learn directly from the founders/innovators. It’s not like a corporate job where you work with your colleagues and just imagine what it’s like working with your bosses/managers.

By working directly with the founding team, you get to learn a lot. Some of our interns have thanked my partner and I for the extremely valuable experiences they had working with us. They told us that they truly understood what it meant to run a business because they got to see us working together each day.

5. The Challenge

If you want a challenging job, working for a startup is perfect. Corporate jobs take individuals and turn them into a cog in the machine. However, working for a startup gives you the opportunity to do so many different things that you will be constantly challenged.

If you want more than the money that comes with a job, working for a startup is ideal. You not only get to constantly take on new tasks, but you’re going to do things that are outside of your comfort zone. If you want to grow individually as a person, getting a job at a startup might help.

Conclusion

If you’re just getting ready to graduate you from college or are simply looking for a new job, consider working for a startup. It’s not always the glamorous job when you first take it, but it can surely be a lot better than a corporate job.

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