EMPLOYEE TIPS - STARTING WITH A START-UP
THOUGH AN INCREASING NUMBER OF YOUNG GRADUATES PREFER WORKING WITH
START-UPS, THERE ARE A HOST OF ISSUES THAT ONE SHOULD TAKE NOTE OF BEFORE
MAKING A DECISION
An
increasing number of graduates are drawn towards the start-up culture. In
keeping with this, it is important to conduct some research and understand if
you are a right fit for the start-up culture.
India
is the third largest start-up ecosystem in the world with 3,100 start-ups in
2014 and is expected to zoom to 11,500 start-ups by 2020. India's unicorn
start-ups (valuation over $1 billion) account for over 10% of the global
unicorn club. An Employment Outlook Report study conducted by TeamLease
recently found nine of 10 startups claiming to increase the number of hires in
2016.While working for a start-up offers multiple learning experiences, here
are a few things one should keep in mind before taking a decision:
THE FOUNDER'S
BACKGROUND
Though
most entrepreneurs talk about their passion and a drive to establish their
idea, a check on their academic background and track record turns out to be
beneficial. It is important to know about the founder's past ventures and job
roles.This helps you gauge the company you will work with. If there is more
than one founder, find out how they met, how they started the company and what
their future goals are. Most start-ups fail, thanks to weak leadership. Hence,
it is important to analyse the founder's leadership qualities before joining
the organisation.
FUNDING
Many
start-ups fail or get acquired on account of their inability to manage cash
flows. And hence, it is important to know if the venture is still operating
with a bootstrapself or seed funding or whether it has a backing of one or more
venture capitalists. Inquire about the investors and how much capital was
raised. In most cases, this information is publicly available.
WORK CULTURE
People
who have worked at a start-up will agree that working with them en tails a
casual work environment and most often, an informal dress code.A number of
companies allow employees to bring their pets to work.While a casual work
culture may sound fun, working with a start-up can be hectic and stressful.
Thus, it is important to understand the work environment, company policy and
your job profile before applying to a start-up.
ROLE AND
RESPONSIBILITIES
It
is important to understand your job role before you apply for a position at a
start-up. Try and get an idea of your responsibilities, targets and your growth
path. Unlike most jobs where there is a clear description of what the job
entails, a start-up may expect you to perform a number of tasks. This ambiguity
bothers a few people, but acts as a perk for those who wish to learn while on
the job. At times, hands-on-learning is effective, and this helps make you a
stronger and better-rounded employee and individual.
Kunal
Sen
|
(The author is senior vice president,
Teamlease Services Limited)
MM3DEC15
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