Knowing there is a startup in almost every corner of the country, the job opportunities are higher in such organizations than the long-established businesses. If you are planning to make a career move, would you consider joining a startup? If the answer is yes, then you must consider a few before joining a startup covered in this article before taking a big decision.

Working in a startup environment can be equal parts exciting and exhausting. Everything is different in a place where everyone, even the founders, is striving to achieve what they have dreamt of. Before stepping on this new journey – ask yourself whether you are ready to work weird hours? Or are you prepared enough to wear multiple hats at a time? Also, what do you expect in return for your valuable efforts and commitment towards a new venture? Here are the few things to know before joining a startup.

The First Few People Form the Company Culture

It’s always the first small group of people hired by the founders who set the company culture, trend, and the environment. The experience of working with a bunch of people that form the entire organization is disparate than being a part of one team in a large corporation.

Spending a lot of time with the same set of people every day can take a toll on you. Ask yourself whether you are ready for it or not.

Also Read: Huge domestic demand, penetration of phones driving startup growth: Sanjay Lakhotia

Background Check of the People Behind the Idea (the Founders)

Getting on board because you bought the idea behind the startup or believing in its product or service is not enough; you must do your homework and know the people behind the big name. Do they have what is needed to be the face of any brand?

A CEO of any startup must have strong organizational and leadership skills to build a team of like-minded people who understand and value your purpose. In the end, they are the ones who will go out and get the required funds to run a business.

Be Ready to Work in Chaos & Take Accountability

People who are bored with working in a highly systematic and organized environment would love to work for a startup. The reason is – you are the one who will decide how you wish to roll – structured or ambiguous. Even though the whole thing sounds exhilarating, it comes with a price.

You will be accountable for you and your team’s actions. Are you ready to be the leader in chaos and come up with a plan that can scale?

Consider Working at Odd Hours Pretty Normal

Do you remember your friend who had to cancel a dinner plan because she was working till late? Now you know why. As much as it sounds moving to work till wee hours on a profitable project, you will be making compromises in your personal life.

It’s not always that you are supposed to work for crazy hours in a startup but even if you have excellent time management and goal-setting skills, it goes beyond your conventional nine to five corporate life.

Have Information About the Company’s Investors

Asking about the company’s funding plan and investors during the hiring process is the right thing to do. Because if the business goals are not in sync with investor expectations, the startup can run into big trouble regardless of the success of the product or service.

Make sure to consider these tips before joining hands with a startup but most importantly, ask yourself – Is this what you wanted to do for so long or does the startup offer you an opportunity to do something you absolutely love doing? If it’s a YES, then you need not think more.