Winter, Wyman News & Views: Is a Start-up Right For You

You’re in the market for a new job and you’ve come across an opportunity at a start-up.  Do you send in your resume or pass the position by?  How do you know if a start-up environment is right for you? 

Start-ups have had a glamorous image, thanks in part to the 90’s technology boom.  Many start-ups had prime office space, foosball tables in the lobby and Porsches in the parking lot – all bankrolled by affluent investors.  Even though employees worked long hours, all that hard work paid off when companies went public and employees cashed in their equity.  Then, of course, the bubble burst, and so many start-ups just disappeared. 

What can you expect from a start-up?  Hiring managers at start-ups are looking for specific skills and personality traits when interviewing candidates, and people who possess these qualities will often prosper in a start-up environment.  Here’s how you can tell if you’ll thrive – or barely survive – at a fledgling company:

Do you have a vast range of skills?  Job descriptions at start-ups are broad and dynamic – and are subject to change at any time.  On any day you may be asked to purchase office equipment, make cold calls and meet with venture capitalists.  You’ll be more valuable to a start-up if you have experience in a variety of jobs, enjoy the excitement of having a range of responsibilities and can juggle many diverse projects at once.

Are you resourceful and independent?  Typically, there isn’t a lot of hierarchy at start-ups.  As such, employees are expected to be self-directed.  Employees should be capable of filling their downtime and finding projects without being told what to do.  You’ll need to work well on your own, without heavy management.  Employees at start-ups also must think like business owners.  They need to be passionate about the company’s product and mission.

Are you flexible?  In this type of environment, things can change at any time, and deadlines are often loose or sudden.  A start-up employee should be well adapted to disruption, relish change and be open to working in a high-pressure setting.

Can you accept risk?  In the late 90s, start-up employees saw huge financial rewards when companies went public or were sold.  With that reward came great risk; for every Amazon.com there were a dozen furniture.coms.  There can still be significant risk involved with working for a start-up today, and it’s important to ask yourself if you are at a good point in your career, and personal life, to take on that risk.

If you answered “yes” to most of these questions, a start-up may be right for you.  So how do you prepare yourself for an interview? 

Interview prep at traditional companies usually starts with a company’s website.  Many start-ups, however, have websites that are still under construction.  In these instances, you’ll need to show your resourcefulness, possibly by using the internet to research the industry, the company, its founders and its mission or goal.  Gather as much information as you can – the hiring manager will expect you to do your homework.

The interview process may be chaotic from start to finish.  You could walk through the door for the interview and be met not by a receptionist, but by a stack of boxes.  You may be told you’re meeting with two people, but then meet with three others.  A start-up office is often informal and sometimes it’s a mess.  Money is spent on R&D, not paint and furniture.  You may not get a call back for weeks because the team is out of the country securing funding.  The interview process will often be a good indicator of how it will be to work at the company.  Show your flexibility by savoring the chaos.

From the first interview to your last day, working at a start-up can be an exciting adventure!   Relishing in the unpredictability and variety of the corporate culture will allow the right candidate to get the most out of their experience with a start-up.  In addition to fine-tuning resourcefulness, independence and flexibility, employees will acquire a useful variety of skills and the ability to weigh risks.  If you are the right candidate, you’ll certainly thrive in a start-up environment!