The unemployment rate is still higher than most people would prefer. Despite an apparently booming economy, finding a job remains a stressful ordeal.
You want to be selective, but you’re also worried that another opportunity might not come around. Say a startup digital marketing company offers you a job; you’re not sure if you should take it.
Before you accept a job with a startup, you should consider several things. Make sure you know exactly what you’re getting yourself into before committing. Here are 15 things you should know about joining a startup digital marketing firm.
1. Expect a Lower Salary
Though some startup marketing jobs will pay you a salary equal to that of an established firm, you probably shouldn’t expect more. Typically, digital marketers can be fairly well paid, but most of the time, startups won’t have the funding to offer pay on the high end of the spectrum.
There may be opportunities for future advancement and better pay, however, so sticking it out until they come may be your chance to climb the ladder.
2. There Will Often Be Plenty of Brainstorming and Little Action
Experts run digital marketing startups, but that doesn’t mean they always know how to direct a productive planning meeting. Often these meetings will consist of endless brainstorming and little definite action.
The good news is, if you sign on with a startup, you’ll likely be a high-ranking member of the team, so you have the power to alter the process if you desire.
3. You’ll Probably Find Amazing Opportunities
Startups are teeming with advancement opportunities. If you’re looking to work your way up to a more prestigious position without slogging up the ladder in a large corporation, a startup may be where you want to work.
4. Experience Won’t Always Put You At the Top
Passion is perhaps the most important fuel for new businesses. That means experience isn’t necessarily valued as much as curiosity, hunger to grow, and excitement about the product or the firm.
5. Success Depends on the Founders and Their Money
As mentioned above, success is a result of the passion and attitude of the founders. If they have business smarts and truly believe the world needs their products and services, the chances for success are greater, provided they can gather adequate funding.
6. 90 Percent of Startups Fail
Don’t assume you’re going to have a lifelong job with a startup digital marketing company, because the odds aren’t in their favor. Just 10 percent of startups succeed, and that requires insanely hard work and a perfect product.
It’s worthwhile to recognize the strong possibility that you could be job searching again only a few months after accepting the position.
7. You May Need To Move On Soon After Joining
Even if the startup doesn’t fail while you’re working there, you might still have to consider other options. Not everyone is suited for the unique structure and hard work in a startup. If you work there for a few months and realize it’s not panning out, it’s best to start looking for other jobs.
8. Overtime Is the Norm
Digital marketers in a new company are typically expected to work as swiftly and productively as possible. When they can’t accomplish all the assignments between 9 and 5, they’re often expected to stay late.
Don’t count on having weekends off either. To make up for the difficult hours, there are usually some pretty great incentives involved, such as free food, onsite gyms, a fully stocked kitchen, and awesome break rooms.
9. Most of Your Marketing and Networking Efforts Won’t Work
You probably know that the competition is pretty cutthroat for startups. Many of your marketing and networking efforts will be largely wasted because of the challenge of drawing attention to a small, unknown brand. Just keep at it, trying various marketing tactics until you find ones that work.
10. Customers Won’t Come Running to You
If you’re Coca-Cola, Nike, or Apple, customers will find you. If you’re a brand-new, unknown company, you have to find them. Joining a startup company in its earliest stages might mean spending more time making sales pitches than consulting on digital marketing.
11. You’ll Be Spending a Lot of Time on Social Media
The best way digital marketing startups can grow their following fast is to devote plenty of time to social media. A thorough knowledge of social media marketing best practices can be critical.
12. You Might Crave Work for an Established Company
Though some people absolutely love the environment and labor in a startup, don’t be surprised if you start to feel the grass must be greener on the other side. Be prepared to think hard about whether you’ll want to extricate yourself and look for a job in a corporate setting where you might contribute more meaningfully.
13. You Might Love the Environment
In contrast, you might love the place enough that there’s no desire to work for a large corporation ever again. Many marketers find it’s both more relaxing and invigorating to work for startups than large offices.
14. The Budget Won’t Be Endless
Expect to encounter constraints on your budget. You won’t always be able to carry out a grand marketing stunt, because of lack of funds. This means you’ll have to exercise a little more creativity.
15. You’ll Wear Many Hats
Until the startup you work for becomes more established, there will always be more tasks than people to do them. Don’t be surprised if one morning you’re put in charge of fine-tuning content, and after lunch you’re assigned to babysit the social networks.
Digital marketing startups are forced to do the best they can with the resources they have. On the up side, this gives you an opportunity to try new things and gain experience in multiple areas.
It’s true there are clear risks to working for a startup, but there are also definite perks. The atmosphere of a new company could be the most rewarding and entertaining environment you ever work in, but it will only be so if you go into it with realistic expectations.
