Ready to transition from corporate to startup?

Discussion between startup and corporate work life is all too familiar. Do a quick Google search and you’ll find countless articles discussing the pros and cons, and which may be better for your career, yet not enough on what the transition will look like. As someone who has worked a corporate job for over 15 years, I can tell you working for a startup is a whole new world. 

For better or worse, there’s going to be some drastic changes to your work and home life that you should take into account before joining a startup or starting one yourself (hello, entrepreneur!!). More often than not, you will have more responsibility and independence towards how you conduct your day-to-day, and be primarily responsible for workload and outcomes. Since things are going to change, let’s take a look...

Genuine Interest 

Working at a fast growth startup (or as an entrepreneur) entails long hours, volatility in your schedule and responsibilities, and uncertainty. Lots of it. It’s almost directly opposite of more established, structured big companies. You need a more convincing motivation than “Startups offer growth!” Be sure to have both ambition and genuine interest in the work, impact and intangibles a startup offers. 

Cultural Fit 

While this is important in any company, sometimes you work in a company that’s so big you couldn’t possibly know everyone, even in the office location where you are based. Add in regional or international locations, and it’s easier to be selective in who knows you. But in a startup, it’s very likely everyone will know you. Are you comfortable with that? You might assume it’s all positive, but it’s like being in a close-knit family where everyone knows your business. 

Collaboration 

Startup culture is a lot more democratic and less hierarchical than the traditional corporate setting, so try to weigh-in more when you feel your input could really help—not just to be another voice in the room. Mid-Senior level executives are used to being rewarded for playing by the rules, but startups generally shake up the rules (you’ll hear buzzwords like disruptive, innovative and hacker more than you can stomach). This could mean literally lending a hand when the office needs furniture moved, or working on a task several levels below what you’re used to –i.e. taking notes in a meeting or cleaning the coffee pot. 

Goodbye 9-to-5 

While you may have great flexibility in your schedule, and outcomes are certainly the goal, you are going to log more hours in startup than most corporate jobs. Also, getting work done won’t always occur in the traditional office setting either. Think café or park bench vs. conference room. One of the benefits of working at a startup is that you have more flexibility in your schedule, and this allows opportunity to be flexible in your work-style as well. 

Overall, you have to consider which factors are essential to help you work toward your goals. Will you do better in an always evolving, fast moving, decide quickly type of workplace, or is a structured environment that allows you to methodically work toward your goals a better fit? And it completely depends on your personality, work style, and unique professional and personal needs to determine which will be the best for you and your career. So if you can overcome the challenges mentioned, you may just be ready to work in a startup...or as an entrepeneuer ---> check us out...https://elevacity.com/siniscalchifamily