5 THINGS TO REMEMBER, BEFORE DECIDING TO WORK FOR A STARTUP.

The thrill of getting a new job can sometimes prevent one from making informed decisions, especially when you are just fresh out of the university or college, and cannot wait to delve into the “real world” to earn and start living the life you have always dreamed of. Often, we are in a hurry to take every opportunity that comes our way without proper consideration of what such opportunities entail.

I have spent the past few years working for different startups, and it is safe to say I have experienced the good, bad and ugly within a short period. In this post, I will share a few lessons I learnt based on my experience working for

startups in Nigeria.

1. TAKING ON MULTIPLE ROLES : Working for startups most times, mean that you will be expected to perform optimally in your role, alongside some other related/unrelated roles. Startups usually can not afford to hire as many people as needed, so it is not unusual to find someone taking on more responsibilities or filling up other positions besides their primary roles.
2. GAIN MORE WORKING EXPERIENCE : Taking on multiple roles comes with the benefit of learning a lot and gaining more working experience within a short period. You get to learn on the job, and acquire skills you ordinarily may not have, if you were just sticking to your role or working for a bigger firm. You will learn to be accountable for the decisions you make and also learn to achieve more with limited time and resources. Working for a startup naturally improves your problem solving skill (in my opinion), as you will be faced with situations that require you to think on your feet for immediate solutions.
3. LESS PAY AND MINIMAL BENEFITS : One would think that more responsibilities would equate to more pay or benefits, but this is usually not the case for startups, as they channel most of their funds into growing the company and sustaining it. Things like a Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) package, or Pension benefits, or additional bonuses are far-fetched luxuries for startups. A few, however, can compensate with the thirteenth month and/or monthly internet bonuses.
4. NO PROPER STRUCTURE: Most startups lack proper structure, especially during their early stages. Prolonged working hours, disorganisation, undefined job descriptions, misappropriated funds, operational errors and delayed timelines are very common with startup companies or businesses.
5. NO STABLE JOB SECURITY: Working for some startups is sometimes considered a risk. This is because there are no certainties about what lies ahead, since the companies rely on the outcome of the businesses they run, for sustainability. What this means for some is that, when the business does not run as smoothly as expected, this may directly affect the people working for the company. You could get laid off suddenly, or experience delays in the payments of salaries, or the company may completely fold up at any time, if the business conditions are not favourable for them.

Working for a startup can differ from working for a fully established company. The decision to work for startups is entirely up to the individual in question. While some have decided to not work for startups in the future, because of reasons best known to them, others thrive in the conditions that startups provide. Nonetheless, it is important to be aware of things to expect, in order to make informed decisions.

What are your thoughts on this? Kindly share your experience below if you have had the privilege of working for a startup. If you have more tips to share, feel free to drop them below.