Our generation is spoilt for choice when it comes to deciding which type of company to work for. Bada hai toh behtar hai? Or good things come in small packages? It totally depends on who you are as a person. Not just market dynamics and what stage of career you are in. Yes, your personality plays a big role in determining what’s your right fit.
If you are someone who likes being hands on and having a lot of control over your work, you will fit right into a start-up. Smaller firms tend to be fluid and agile. Your profile won’t be set in stone, and you will most likely work on multiple projects across verticals and horizontals. The opportunity to learn will be immense.
In bigger firms, you will have set processes and team structures. But you will benefit from a history of good work and experience that you can rely on. However, your control over the final output won’t be that much. This is due to the generally top heavy and people heavy structure of such companies. If you are fine with being pushed around a little by seniors, you can do well in a corporate.
Don’t get me wrong, the “pushing around” is sometimes good for you. Maybe you are in the wrong direction and need to be diverted to the correct lane. If you are just starting out, you should at least once work in a start-up to get the feel of actually building things from scratch. If you have that kind of hunger, it makes more sense to be part of an upcoming organisation.
If you have reached a point where you need some stability and want to learn how “things are actually supposed to be done”, then bigger firms are your go to.
Of course, I won’t go into financial dependencies and familial commitments. Both these factors, if in the play, will mean a bigger firm is better for you. But if you have the time to experiment and probably fail, you should go to a start-up.
Ps. It’s better to fail when you are making your mark rather than when you are an established professional.
Pol Ke Bol! 