If you’ve been paying attention to the news lately, you probably seen a lot of chatter surrounding the royal family. After Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s departure from England, the couple chose to settle in California—a hotbed for startup activity.
In recent weeks, it was announced that Harry will shed his royal duties and take up a new set of responsibilities. The Duke of Sussex has formally announced his plans to join a coaching and mental health startup called BetterUp Inc. as chief impact officer.
While Prince Harry’s decision to join BetterUp is an intriguing one, it ultimately raises the question: what are the advantages of joining a startup? Here are a list of reasons why taking a job at a startup could present an exceptional opportunity in your professional career.
Learn about four tips for getting involved in a startup.
Change and adaptability
Are you seeking a degree of ambiguity in your day-to-day role? Do you crave a position where no two days are ever the same? By choosing to work for a startup, you’ll be exposed to this unique working environment. Startup employees are no strangers to change; rather, they face evolving circumstances on a daily basis. Learning how to be flexible and adapt to change on the fly are important skills that can be developed through exposure within a startup.
Unique company culture
Startup organizations pride themselves on a special kind of workplace culture. Instead of dealing with the rigid organizational hierarchy commonly found in corporate office environments, most startups feature a horizontal operational structure—one that is driven by open lines of communication, free-flowing creativity, and a hands-on approach to problem solving. If established correctly, startups can give their employees a voice and facilitate a positive, engaging, and employee-first culture.
Don’t know whether to work at a startup or for a corporation? These tips will help evaluate which option is best suited for you.
Broadening your knowledge
With limited resources in the early stages of funding, startups don’t have access to an abundance of cash, which makes hiring employees difficult. Thus, startups normally retain teams that are smaller in size—which is critically important for your growth and development as a professional. Regardless of the role that you are hired for, chances are that you will find yourself contributing to the success of the organization in a variety of different areas. From marketing and communications to operations and customer service, most startup employees regularly contribute to departments that are outside their areas of expertise. This approach helps to construct teams with multi-faceted and well-rounded levels of experience.
Working toward a common goal
Based on the importance of teamwork and fluidity within startup operations, it makes sense why their teams are often more unified and goal-oriented than those within larger corporations. As employees contribute value to several different areas within a startup, this involvement keeps all parties within the organization apprised of daily happenings within the company. But most of all, the intrinsic nature of startups helps to cultivate a team-first environment. No matter their position or level of experience, startup employees understand that they all play a role in fostering the organization’s success.
Summary
Working for a startup organization presents a bevy of opportunity for individuals of all different backgrounds. Whether you are a college graduate or a worldwide celebrity, joining the startup ranks is a suitable employment option for anyone willing to work hard for the betterment of their company. The lessons learned from exposure to a startup environment are invaluable to professional growth and development and be carried with you throughout your career. If Prince Harry is trying it, so should you!
This blog was written by Viaduct Managing Director Pete Petrella.
