Going for the Hustle: The Pros and Cons of Joining a Startup

Even before the emergence of the pandemic, startup businesses have been gaining traction, but the health crisis certainly awakened the entrepreneurs inside of a great many. Professionals, laid-off workers, and aspiring entrepreneurs used the previous year’s adversities as an opportunity to finally push through with their passion projects and enter an unchartered territory full of first-time leaders, risks, and failures — the startup industry. 

With more people choosing to be their own boss, job opportunities with startups have also increased. Some may find companies typically in the early stages of their development attractive to work for despite it being intimidating or even foreign. If you’re one of those, or you’re just looking for a change in scenery, it’s important to understand what you’re really getting into to make an informed decision on whether a startup is a right fit for you. So, in this article, we’ll take a look at the pros and cons of working for one.

PROS

• Flexibility and Freedom

If you’re looking for flexibility and freedom, a startup is an excellent place for that. These two come hand in hand when you work for a startup, as most of these companies aim for efficiency. That said, startups often offer flexibility in schedules, vacation time, and day-to-day tasks, allowing you to work at the time, the place, and the approach that suits you.

• Open to Innovation

Since startups need to grow fast to keep up with more prominent brands, they favor disruption and are more open to change and suggestions. Their employees are encouraged to show off their knowledge and skills to help the company achieve its goals. With this, if you’re somewhat of a creative person who often has exciting and innovative ideas and strategies up your sleeve, a startup company is a good space to share these unique concepts.

• Learning and Satisfaction

Since startups have a small workforce, every employee must contribute to the company to achieve its mission successfully, and by contributing, I mean each will have to wear as many hats as possible at some point. It may sound like a plain disadvantage, but startup employees often feel more job satisfaction since they are more involved in the company’s development, especially those who have been with a startup from the ground up.

Additionally, as you take not just one role or responsibility (with very minimal supervision) because of limited people and resources, you’ll have the opportunity to learn new things you probably wouldn’t encounter in an established company or skills you wouldn’t be able to develop in much larger organizations.

• Launching Careers Forward

Compared to the steep career ladders in big companies, startups can launch careers forward faster. In bigger companies, it’s common knowledge that employees have to work for years before getting a promotion, especially those in the entry and intermediate levels. In a startup, as you learn a lot in a short period of time due to the amount and weight of tasks you take on, you may be able to work out a deal to have a better job title than an established business would give you.

• Passion

Most startups are born out of someone’s passion. Sometimes, these small businesses in their early stages of development are built to offer new solutions to improve or solve societal issues. With this, by joining a startup, you’ll create something new and maybe even impact society even in the smallest possible way when the business runs smoothly.

CONS

• Lack of Balance

The line that separates work and life is a blur when you enter the startup world. I may have implied that working for a startup company can be fun, but there are downsides, and one of them is that it can be pretty demanding. As I said earlier, you’ll be forced to take on additional responsibilities and be exposed to matters you’re most likely unfamiliar with. This also entails working long hours, especially in the startup’s early days when the company is still experimenting and swimming in uncharted waters.

• Limited resources

Many challenges await startup businesses, especially when it comes to budget. With that said, startups often allot their already limited resources on product or service development and awareness during their early stages. They also generally lack the ability to pay their employees well, so if you decide to give startups a go, you'll have to settle with a lower salary.

• Lack of Job Security

It’s not a secret that startups can be unstable and are more at risk of failure, especially in a period of crisis. There’s just too much uncertainty and you’ll never know how long a startup company will remain standing up. So, if you can’t take that risk, or if you’re seeking long-term stability, a startup may not be your cup of tea.

Startup companies are not for everyone, but if you’re passionate or even just eager to see a product, a daring dream, or a seemingly wishful idea come to life, then maybe entering this unpredictable industry will work out for you. And while you can't separate the concept of failure from startups, you can't dismiss the fact that it is also possible to succeed. 

So, what do you think? Is it something you’d dare to try?