Would you suggest a fresher to join a startup?
Posted on May 16, 2008 | Categorized under Startup
Just having pondered over the question of working for a startup, it does make sense to revisit the same question from a different point of view — from a fresher’s eyes! Perhaps, given all the “risky” and equally “rewarding” nature of startup jobs, many rush to conclusion that it’s the ideal land for freshers - the candidates fresh out of colleges and universities. Actually, there are two main attributes those are usually associated with freshers; and those make them ideal startup candidates in the eyes of many -
Not-yet-committed: A fresher’s just completed his studies and so most likely to be a “single”. He doesn’t have many commitments to keep those usually come into life with a better half and thus he can make best of the long-hours startup culture.
Not-yet-settled: A fresher is usually not considered as settled in life as his professional life’s just began. He’s assumed yet away from any financial responsibilities those usually start resting on your shoulders as you move further in life. And so he is assumed to be free to take the risky but rewarding startup jobs — any day can be his (and his company’s) last working day together (but if succeeds then he can be millionaire overnight)!
Well, this assumptions are rather deceptive. Freshers usually do have above mentioned liberties in life but at the same time, they don’t have any professional track-record to fall-back when the startup, they’re working for, fails to survive. Work experience with a failed startup can put a dubious spot on their resume, and that too at the very beginning itself. It can affect their moral and put up a tougher career path ahead. Also working for a startup is never easy compared to a stable company job. The performance expectations are higher as resources are tighter. Operations and infrastructure of a startup company is yet to be stable and so can make work life further demanding and unmanageable without a previous professional experience. It’s like asking a newbie athlete to jump over a highest hurdle at the beginning of a race — when he’s not even warmed up well.
Nonetheless, if a fresher is darn sure about his further career plan as to launch his own startup then it might make some sense to take up all the challenges and join a startup. Still, most of the times, ambition to build own business turns out as “not my cup of tea” as years pass by. So we gotta be a bit careful there. Best path is to join a stable company in the beginning, accrue some experience over the resume as well as some treasure in bank accounts - also reiterate and reconfirm that very ambition of starting a company during these years and if the flame is still ignited — take your shot by joining a startup!.
First be sure that it’s your cup of tea and then only have that hot sip!
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hey,
Tell that “freshers aren’t committed and so would spend more hours kinda theory” to all those guys committed and slogging it out.
Coming to the responsibilities that freshers don’t have,aren’t you being too generic?they might have to pay edu loans,support families etc.
I am not sure if you have any work experience,but the advantages with freshers are:
1.No baggage thats associated with everyone once they start their careers.
2.Ability to mould them.Thats flexibility.
“Work experience with a failed startup can put a dubious spot on their resume, and that too at the very beginning itself.”
Since when are freshers held responsible for failed projects?Infact joining a startup(if at all they get into one) would be a boon to their careers whether the startup succeeds or fails.
In a sense, yes, everyone (except kids, may be) have responsibilities. I agree. But when compared to professionals working in the industry for a couple of years, aren’t freshers more “free”? That’s the point I was trying to convey.
Well, and if a fresher, as an exception, does have a lot of responsibilities to fulfill then he mustn’t go for startup either, in my opinion, due to risky nature of jobs — so the argument stays, startups are not for that fresher too.
Your third argument is certainly convincing! I agree, even if startup fails, freshers will be the least responsible members for holding blame.
Thanks Sridhar.
ptc,
It might be not so logical to map reponsibility with years of experience.
In the current scenario,nothing is risky(if you mean risk as in loss of job,money etc).
Every project ever undertaken has an associated risk.Yes, startups do have some extra punch of risk(!) but people join startups neither for rewards nor for satisfying their higher apetite for risks.
People work in startups ’cause they are PASSIONATE about something.
Say today,I resign from my present job(my job involves a fair amount of risk and also is rewarding) and join a rock band.I know the rewards ‘could’ be (subjective) too far away.The band itself may not materialize,find audience(your risk factor) and disband,but I still join because I am passionate about music.
To sum up risk,rewards,years of experience etc are subjective terms.You might expect alto as a reward and get a sx4,while I may dream of vitara and get a sx4)
Some of my friends who have founded startups or work in one.The overwhelming reason for them to work in those startups is passion,rest all may/may not follow.
To conclude, getting into startups is more about passion than about risks/rewards.
Peace ;-)
Well, if it’s *only* the passion for working on something then whether it’s startup or non-startup (i.e. already established) company isn’t really significant. But when we specifically consider working for a startup over a stable company then factors such as risk vs rewards do play a crucial role.
For example, say I would like to work in the area of image processing (as I am software engineer, I am considering a “softwarish” example :) ). Now there are multiple options where I can get that kind of work –
1. stable company either already having or developing new products in that area.
2. startup company developing products in that area
3. volunteer contribution to open source projects related to that area.
So just a passion to work in image processing doesn’t compulsorily ask to work with a startup. Working for startup is often considered for the rewards like more work-related responsibility, and more financial gains. And my point is precisely when a fresher considers to work for a startup, he needs to consider the caveats like risks of layoffs and higher performance expectations.