Startup Or Big Corporate – Which Is Better For Your Career?

When you are out there looking for a job, you will find opportunities with both startups as well as established companies. This often creates confusion, as we are not sure which one will be better. If you are experiencing something similar, here are some insights that will help you make the right career decision.

Pay package – The remuneration policies in a big company are usually well defined and there’s proper system of biannual or annual appraisals. In comparison, startups are usually dependent on investors to run their day to day operations. Not all startups face funding issues, but the possibility can exist. If the startup you are working for is running short of funds, it may have an impact on your salary and appraisal.

Work culture – Being small teams, startups usually have a more congenial work culture. You know everyone in the team, which makes it quite like a family. Another thing is that startups are usually flexible about work timings and other staff policies. Talking about big corporates, many of them claim to have a wonderful work culture. However, due to their dependence on fixed rules and policies, things usually don’t work out as expected. With multiple teams and departments, there’s often a lot of friction and intra-organizational competition.

Growth opportunities – A big company usually has more opportunities for growth as compared to a startup. That’s because growth in a startup is dependent on the growth of that organization. If your startup is making slow progress, your learning curve may become flat. However, if your startup is registering fast growth, opportunities can be even more than big companies.

Job security – The knowledge that only a few startups succeed often prevents people from joining such organizations. In comparison, it is believed that big companies have better job security. While these aspects are true to some extent, it is not always the case. Moreover, what you learn at the job and career growth is more important than the company’s eventual success or failure. If you are confident about yourself and your talents, you shouldn’t worry about job security.

As is evident from above, both startups and big companies have their specific advantages and disadvantages. Your career move will depend on what you feel is more important for you and where exactly you will be able to unlock your full potential. Instead of limiting yourself to the salary figures, you should also focus on other things such as work culture, company policies, and opportunities for growth. As long as you are getting what you want and are able to enhance your knowledge and skills, it shouldn’t really matter if it’s a startup or a big company.