What’s It Like Working In A Startup?

When you turn on the business news these days, i seems that everyone wants to be a part of the startup scene. There’s no doubt it’s got a reputation for being the most rock and roll environment to work on outside of the music industry. But, what’s it like to work in or run a startup company? Let’s take a look at what you can expect.

Strange hours of work

First of all, you will be working all hours. You might start later one day, and finish long after most people have gone home. You may have to pull a few all-nighters, too. There will be rewards, of course – you might spend an evening working with a few alcoholic drinks on offer, for example.

Risky future

While working for a startup is certainly exciting, it’s not always for the right reasons. In simple terms, there is always the possibility of being out of a job or the business in as little as six months. The vast majority of startups need high growth – or loans – to survive, but if they don’t get it? It’s going to go out of business. That said, if you like to work in a seat-of-your-pants environment, there is nothing more exhilarating.

Multi-tasking

You will be doing lots of different things when you’re in a startup, which can be a positive or negative experience. As an example, you could do some basic accounting – check out East London College for courses in bookkeeping to see how it can help your startup. In this case, you will learn some valuable skills that will go with you wherever you end up in the future. However, you will also be doing things that just don’t click with you. You might have to market the product you are working on or study health and safety policy for employees. It can be a tough slog if you aren’t interested – but everyone has to pull their weight by multitasking.

Low wages

Another issue with working for a startup is that you will be paid an inferior wage. You might be offered equity, but this is worth nothing until you actually float the company. You have to weigh up the gamble – are you prepared to work for lower wages and what are the chances of the company being a wild success? Statistics say that they are low, but it all depends on the makeup of the team – and a little luck.

The loss of your time

Finally, don’t forget that if the startup isn’t a success, you won’t have anything to show for it. You could spend a year or two chasing your dreams, only for it to fail. All that work will have been for nothing, although, of course, you will have had a valuable experience. It’s something you have to prepare for, though. It might be worth keeping your eye open for other opportunities while you are working for the startup in question. Your loyalty will be out to the test, for sure. But, you have to look out for yourself in the long-term.

So, there you have it – still fancy the experience? Let us know in the comments!