Startups v/s Big Firms: Where to secure job

You might have just completed your graduation and entering the jobs market overwhelmingly. Then you find yourself stuck in a dilemma- Startups v/s big firms: where to work. If you just consider the brand name to flaunt in front of your friends and relatives, then without giving a thought, you should enter a big fat company. But if you want to experience how the firm grows from the grassroot level, then startups are the perfect place for you.

Lets first start with acquainting ourselves with what exactly is a startup. As the name suggests, the term ‘startup’ is developed from two words ‘start up’ which, you all know, means to initiate. So, quite simply startup refers to any firm which has just entered the firm market, currently in a stage of formation and understanding of the market structure and behaviour. It is like an initial phase of a big firm. A big firm is an institution which is well established with good market goodwill.

Now lets discuss the pros and cons of working in a startup as well as a firm.

Working in a startup is far more difficult as compared to working in established firms. In a big company, you are supposed to do specific work as assigned by the employer and are confined to a specific Department(like Finance or Marketing) of the firm, limiting the areas of overall growth of the employees. Big firms provide very limited opportunities for overall development of the employer and this also hinders the employee to showcase his abilities and skills.  While in a startup, you get to explore new areas apart from the field of your own expertise. It also helps you tackle difficult situations, startups usually face during their path to growth and development. So, while you are working in a startup, you get exposed to all the steps and procedures for the development of the firm and you are the one who contribute to the growth.

However, if you want to seriously enrol yourself in a startup then you must have certain qualities. Besides the academic qualifications, one should also possess the basic qualities of hard work and dedication. If you continue to be associated with the firm from the grassroot level, then as the firm grows, you would definitely manage to seek a higher stake in the firm even though your perks and incentives might be low.

However, there is this other side of the picture as well. Any firm undertakes a certain amount of risk to develop as a firm. Big businesses manage to face the shocks incurred while taking the risk of investing in big projects but what about startups? Apart from the hardships involved in helping the firm grow, there is a high risk involved in failure of the firm in future. Since the firm is at a development stage and is not well covered financially from the aftermath of the risks, it becomes very difficult for the firm if their investment in a project turns out to be a total failure.The startup might end up losing the heights which it had envisioned at the time of the formation. How will you lose? Well, firstly, you will lose your job; secondly-all your efforts would have no meaning now and finally, you would be in search for new jobs, primarily in well-established firms. As the saying goes-one must always find something positive in every situations-whether good or bad.So,the optimism here would be that you would enter the established firm as a very experienced individual who knows how to handle the firm and help it reach new heights.

Well, now the ball is in your court. You need to decide whether to enter a startup or a big firm.

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