Are small companies/start-ups bad to work for?

[Double J]

I've been working at a 3-month-old start-up now for a month and a half. While the people are nice and I have learned a great deal, the absence of structure is jarring. There really are no processes in place, and my supervisor always seems disorganized and disoriented. He'll tell me one thing one week and another the following week. I've either learned things on my own or by consulting a part-time colleague. It's almost like we have to be on top of him sometimes when, in reality, it should be the other way around.

 

I'm still waiting to get a job description for my position - I was never given one! I have really had to come out of my comfort zone for this job...new things always come up from one day to another.

 

Is this characteristic of small businesses/start-ups? Has anyone worked at such a company? What was your experience like?

[Difficult]

Are you commission or salary/hourly?

[sanadee]

I think it may be common.

 

A new firm has only started to develop a new business strategy, which would impact on marketing, HR management, etc. The culture of the firm is also being developed, so for all concerned it would be uncharted waters.

 

I think steer through it, since in a new firm it cannot really be helped.

[jahur]

i would stick in there mate, grow with the company and who knows how high up you may become, nothing ventured nothing gained, even though you hit manager status and the company folds, you still carry on that managerial experience to your next job, skys the limit really, from small acorns grow big oak trees! just remember that! and the money is not important, its the job, show that and you will win every time.

 

dont expect it all at once. that disorganised supervisor will be noted from the mangement, he will give himself the rope to hang himself, trust in that, you show your capable, and you will win.

[Anthropic]

Yep, that sounds like a pretty typical start-up experience. I had a ton of fun doing the start-up thing. Though I was mostly my own boss I really enjoyed the lack of structure. No structure to get in the way of actually getting things done. I've found working for a large corporation pretty frustrating, while you have better resources there's so much "structure" in the way it slows you down.

 

I'd enjoy the freedom and lack of structure and learn everything that you can. Being out of your comfort zone is a good thing. I learned more about how business works in one year at a start-up then I ever did working many years at established companies.

[InBruges]

If they're actually able to pay you on-time and give you real medical benefits and a 100% match on your 401k, sure. But I've yet to see a start-up that really offered much more in benefits than a company baseball cap.