Startuppers happier than white collars? Voices from the office and coworking space
What’s better for you as an employee: startup or well-established business? Pros and cons of both models
Working in a large corporation elevates your status among your friends, but it can be limiting to your professional growth
For those craving new responsibilities and quicker professional mobility, startups are the perfect catalyst
At a startup, you may have to build your career around yet another funding round
There is nothing more human than striving for what we do not possess. For the office workers, there may be nothing more tempting than the occasional ping pong game during work hours or the ability to come to work in jeans and hoodie. In return, the promise of a regular workday and the ability to leave their desk at 5pm rings music to startuppers’ ears.
Between these two extremes – is one side inherently right or are both parties living in their own illusions? In case you’ve been contemplating a switch from your startup role to a regular office worker, or the other way around – we set out to explore the differences between the two modes of work, to help you gain a better understanding of what to expect.
Brand recognition
If you’re looking for a company whose status could elevate your status among your friends and family, then consider joining a larger corporation. Well-established companies will, very likely, have a recognised brand. It is great when you tell people where you work and they know about the company. It also adds brand value to your CV and cover letter.
Responsibility and recognition
If you crave recognition and the ability to excel in a role, then you are meant for a career in a startup. That’s also your choice if you want your job to define you and help you grow. The dynamic and fast-paced environment will push you to develop skills you never thought you had, enabling you to reach new heights. Generally speaking, the smaller the startup, the more frequently you will be picking up new responsibilities because there are fewer people to do the job. Also, at startups, you are encouraged to manage your own time and tasks. With the flexibility of working in non-hierarchical startup teams, you have the opportunity to advance quickly.
Established processes
Chaos and improvisation are not for everyone. If you want to set clear boundaries on what people can expect from you and what you can expect from others, you are bound for corporate life. Corporate positions usually have clear roles and well-defined tasks. You know what the expectations for the role are and when assignments need to be completed. If you think it can be stressful not having clear goals, tasks and a timeframe, then the office would be a perfect fit for you.
Fast-paced environment
Nothing is dull and nothing can be expected in a regular day working in a startup. One day you may be polishing your nails, the next you find yourself staring at your screen at 4 in the morning. Quick developments require rapid responses from the entire team. People working in startups need to be OK with this dynamic. The work can differ from day-to-day and your roles and tasks can change entirely from one week to the next. You are encouraged to manage your tasks and your time. The reason is that some processes are being performed for the very first time. You will be responsible for getting the job done and deciding on how it has to be done.
Job safety and stability
Social security and job safety are high up in the startup to-do list, but those are definitely not the first issues resolved. As a corporate employee you are not depending on financial rounds, negotiations and short time success. You can feel safer in terms of whether the business itself is or will be successful enough. Startups may be on the market just for a couple of years and have to adjust their product in response to the market needs.
