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Five things you should know before working at a start-up

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Working at a Start-Up can be fun and exciting. You are entering into unchartered waters and you will have the opportunity to really help shape the company and to delight in its successes. They can, however, also be a dangerous place to choose to work. The company isn’t tried and tested, how do you know it will work and how do you define your job role if there aren’t enough staff members available to do all the work? Read on to find out 5 things you should know before you go to work at a start-up.

  1. You’ll have more responsibility

There’s no getting away from the fact that if you work for a start-up you will need to be flexible. Getting a business off the ground requires people to jump in and really get involved with all the work that needs doing. This means that you will have to take responsibility not just for tasks that fall under the remit of your job title but also other tasks. Plus, the company will really need you to be on board, they will likely be light on the ground staff-wise, so if things don’t get done by you, they won’t get done.

  1. You’ll be given more opportunities

Working for a start-up can be an ideal way to get more experience under your belt. The nature of the business means that you will get to have a go at a lot of different things, giving you plenty of chances to grow your skill set. Imagine the boost that working for such a company could give to your CV. You can check out our post on CV writing to see how a varied role could help boost your employability in the future.

  1. You’ll be able to do a lot of different things

Think about it this way, when you work for a start-up, you will never have a boring day. You never know what will face you when you walk through the doors in the morning. The telephones might be ringing all day, small business telephone systems can get very busy, you might be out meeting potential clients or maybe you’ll be tasked with presenting an idea to the board. One thing is for sure, you can’t expect to only do what your job title says.

  1. Your work will be recognised (as will your failures)

As a start-up typically does not have a lot of staff there is a lot of transparency. This is great if you are able to do a good job and add value because it won’t be hidden behind layers of middle management and you will get the recognition for the work that you have done. It also means that your failures are easier to see too, however. Failure doesn’t have to mean the end though, it could also give you the opportunity to impress your bosses with how you deal with it.

  1. It’s your responsibility to assess the risk

Working for a start-up is always going to be a risk, many don’t make it but some do. It’s up to you to work out if you need a more dependable job or if the opportunity to boost your CV and shine in a small company that might just go somewhere is worth the risk.

Do you want to work at a start-up? What are you doing to make that dream a reality?

Career CamelFive things you should know before working at a start-up

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