What Makes You Imperfect For Joining A Startup

Photo Credit: iStock.com/Artist’s Peshkova

A good business idea does much more than help you generate wealth. It has the potential to take the country’s economy to a higher level. With newly established businesses, new jobs are constantly created and the unemployment rate is being dragged down.

Startups are starting to play a major role in the job market, especially as their numbers continue to grow all around the globe. Innovators are coming up with incredible and interesting ideas and making considerable profits out of them. Tempted by these perks and dreaming of becoming part of “the next big thing”, many professionals consider switching careers or jobs to join a startup.

If you too are thinking along these lines, hold up. Despite their appeal, startups aren’t a good fit for everyone, regardless of skilled, experienced and multi-talented they are.

The following are a few traits which make professionals unsuitable for joining any startup. If these apply to you and you don’t think you can change it, you’d better stay away from joining newer brands.

You Yearn For More Money:

Startups have access to limited resources, and that includes money as well as human resources. Professionals who think that they can mint money by joining a startup should rethink and discuss this career choice with others already employed by such businesses. It isn’t easy to earn big from a business that has recently started, especially considering the fact that startups deal with money and financial risks and have high startup failure rate.

You’re A 9 – 5er…

If you think your work life starts at 9 AM and ends at 5 PM, don’t join a newly established firm. There will be times when you need to put in more hours to take the brand to the next level. You may be asked to work after office hours and even reach earlier to work because of a strict deadline. Your schedule will be tight and very challenging. And that’s why professionals associated with such organizations are always on their toes to fulfil tasks, forgetting about the time.

You’re Not Open To Suggestions & Criticism

In a culture where everyone is striving to deliver their best, working in a startup may seem demanding. Everyone has the passion to excel and the desire to take the brand to new heights. To pull this off, everyone needs to contribute good ideas based on their experiences. However, to be an effective employee and a good contributor, you need to be open to everyone’s constructive input. They may even take your proposed idea, highlight its weaknesses, and refine it with the business’ needs in mind. If you think you’ll be offended, a startup isn’t the right place for you.

You Can’t Tolerate The Thought Of Unlearning

“The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn.” – Alvin Toffler

If you believe that you have acquired all the knowledge and skills you could possibly obtain and don’t think there’s room for improvement, you aren’t going to excel in a freshly established business. The business dynamics are changing and newer techniques are introduced on a frequent basis. Individuals who can unlearn and re-start from square one are the perfect fit for such an organization.

You Can’t Wear Multiple Hats

There are not set job duties for individuals working in a startup. Everyone is expected to perform their best. Therefore, professionals who don’t want to work on extra things other than their predefined job duties usually face a lot of difficulty in making their positions stronger. A developing business always requires a workforce that can put in extra efforts in different areas. For instance, a content writer appointed for taking care of the content department should be ready to assist the social media team with any tasks they need done.

If any of these applies to you and you think you can’t change them, you need to reconsider your decision to join a startup. As tempting as it may seem right now, it may not guarantee you a successful, long career. So, be realistic and true to yourself to make a good decision you won’t regret later.