There are very few businesses in the world that started big and which leveraged their strengths into making it top-notch in a very short time. Some of the largest corporations in the world never expected to grow into the big bad league. They started in basements and garages culminating in satisfying their young curiosities and suddenly burst into huge mantels of money and greatness taking with them ordinary young men and women who have in recent times loomed large as one of the greatest geniuses.
That is the dynamism of an idea that just waits to be tapped and set into the right mould.
Young companies have so much to offer. They are open at all ends and encourage skill sets to bloom. They accommodate fresh inputs and are based on brand new systems that automatically omit the obsolete. What greater thing can there be than to be a part of such a company that offers pure and unadulterated growth.
Management jargons like SIX SIGMA AND KAIZEN that talk of diagnosing the ills caused to massive companies during their run in local and international markets and curing them. These methods may usually act like patches and are useful in partially fixing a problem but they do not take into account the hidden damages that corporations take in decades of market runs. In fact, it is a very superficial treatment that goes into the system and very temporarily brings it out of turmoil. A young engineering company has the benefit of being born amidst tumulus times and a great inheritance.
Engineering start-ups also have the added advantage of being extremely grounded and low profile. This gives them the edge over the bigger corporations by factoring in cost issues. Where the big fish incur huge operating costs on a daily basis the smaller ones virtually work on none.
Is a start-up may be flexible in terms of work hours now, but can it give you the ability to move into senior positions? A corporate job may give you the best place to get job training, but can it give you the creative skills that you need to be able to open your own business in a few years?
Corporate positions will have roles that are not broad. If you are a manager you definitely manage. You are an analyst you create reports. If you are sure of the work that you want to do then you do have to perfect those skills—without having to focus on other responsibilities.
Once you have entered into the bigger corporate houses right at the bottom you normally don’t get frustrated but if you do that after having worked for a start-up then things could get different because after you have left behind a position at a start-up, where you had much more authority over and visibility into business decisions.
What do you need to succeed?
If you take risks and get the resources you need from trial and error, you will not need the big corporates to find your career goals. But if you prefer the huge experience and knowledge and need it to reach a position you want in the timeframe you expect you might find a corporate position more helpful.
Moreover, an established engineering company will have better financial control and money than start-ups hence the salary and perks at these companies will be much better than that at a start-up. Start-ups offer equity that large corporations usually don’t. But in the large ones too this equity is shared with top management and senior executives and the junior ones rarely get a chance to see the company’s success and share it.
Companies mostly have multiple people performing a common job. Hence it is very difficult for a performer to be able to showcase his work on a platform whereas in a start-up the work done is very clearly visible. This lets the individual stand out and earns his credentials.
Let’s now see the other side of the coin.
The work of one person does not make or mark an established company like it can at a start-up, there is a better work-life balance at an established company than a START-UP.
There are exceptions and most employees at these companies are expected to work from 8 am to 5 pm on weekdays. There are no expectations for working into the evening or on weekends and holidays, meaning that employees have more free time outside of work.
Another advantage you get while working at an established company is job security. Though we cannot rule out the fact that fear of job loss is associated with both established engineering companies and start-ups, it is just that there is far less risk of losing your job with an established engineering company. These companies tend to be more secure because of good funding.
After graduating from one of the best B-tech colleges in Jaipur, you need to be very clear with what you want from your job. Based on which you can select as you’d be in a far better situation to selecting a job at an engineering start-up or an established engineering company with the right mindset.
Engineering start-ups offer the opportunity to get in on the ground floor of what could turn out to be something extraordinary. Because they aren’t so well-established, however, they may have trouble staying afloat.
Nine out of 10 start-ups fail in the first five years they operate which is also known as the gestation period. If you want to be on the front line of a company’s operations and can handle a little risk, and engineering start-up might be for you.
If you’re more concerned about salary, benefits, and opportunities for advancement, working at an established engineering company might be the choice for you. Whether you choose to work for an engineering start-up or an established engineering company, you will gain valuable experience that will advance your engineering career.
The advantages of working for either set up would outweigh the other on some parameters but one must look at these with a clear head. We recommend that you do your groundwork before you take the leap.
