February 21, 2017, by Carla
Five Things to Know About Working in a Start-up
By Austin Tran, Marketing Assistant at Click Mechanic
So, we’ve told you why should choose an internship at a start-up, but what’s it like to actually work for one? We’ve found someone doing just that to tell you all about it.
1. There’s always something new
As part of a small team, you’ll be working in a fast paced environment. Decisions are made quickly, ensuring that there is a constant flow of new things to do. You’ll be asked to cover a variety of roles, which stops work from becoming monotonous. You definitely won’t be left banging your head against a cubicle wall by the end of the day – actually there are no cubicles either!
2. You won’t stop learning
Starting a graduate programme may require you to spend your first few months in training programmes as you get to know the lay of the land. By contrast, your first day at a start-up will be diving in at the deep end. There will be no place to hide or spare resource to train you. You’ll soon get used to working out how to do things yourself. This can be a culture shock if you’re used to being given clear direction, but can be incredibly freeing too.
3. What you do matters
At a start-up, what you do can have a big impact on the performance of the company. Gone are the days of feeling like a small cog in a huge machine. Instead you can see the tangible results of your efforts, which is one of the reasons job satisfaction is reported to be much higher in start-ups. Oh, and the lack of a dress code too.
4. Learning from the wise
One of the key benefits is that you will be working closely with the founders or senior executives. Instead of being walled off in a corporate environment, they will be your mentors as you enter the world of work. You’ll pick up new skills quickly, which means you can learn much faster than in a larger company.
5. The hours are long
Start-ups try to achieve things with a fraction of the resources than larger companies have, so be prepared to work hard. Yes, that might mean staying late to finish work or that projects may inevitably eat into your weekend. However, there tends to be a culture of ‘getting things done’ rather than just showing your face. This can mean flexible working hours, which can be a huge boost, especially if you hate mornings!
Austin works for the start-up, ClickMechanic, who offer a digital solution to car repairs. If you’re interested in working for a start-up, you find lots of great opportunities on My Career, which you can log in to here. If you fancy starting your own start-up then check out the Ingenuity Lab, who can help you set up your own business.
great tips x