To join or not to join?

All freshers encounter this predicament after completing their bachelors degree. “Startups – To join or not to join?” Although my purpose is not to help you solve this question. I am here to paint a picture of what a startup provides. For a fresher entering a startup the culture is more than welcoming. As more and more startups are holding center stage in India there is a big cultural shift from the previous generation. I am a part of a an awesome startup AppSurfer. It amuses me when my father leaves the house dressed in formals with neat polished shoes, while I don shorts and slippers in office. He has finally accepted that I come with this package of shorts and slippers. The point is that AppSurfer permits me the freedom to feel comfortable/freedom to explore and aids me to focus on the output that i deliver.

I have been a part of an MNC and a startup. The cultures are poles apart. It amazes me at how a simple process of code check-in goes through a number of checks. I am not here to criticise the MNCs, the processes there have to be given that kind of highlight cos the stakes are much higher. But personally i prefer startups. AppSurfer is no exception, infact we feel pride in our culture. The ownership of work that a startup demands is thrilling. The satisfaction of contributing significantly in the growth of the company is liberating. The amount you learn along the path is priceless.

Startups on a Roll – 

– Be the Change – People joining a startup should have it in them to “Be the Change”. Find anything amiss….? Lead the change and be the change. CEOs, CTOs, CMOs we all are involved and a part of the decisions.

– Experimentation and Freedom –  Migrating from code to tests, markets, UI/UX is not uncommon at startups. We have done it all as time demands. Our tasks have remained in our field of choice and expertise but we have had the freedom to explore other domains. We have helped each other broaden our horizons and enhance our skillset in all domains. The open culture that a startup bournes, is a treat to raw and curious minds.

                Our business head explaining his automated test framework for testing load

– Night Outs – Coding nights and tech startups are inseperable. Coding nights often begin after movies at around 12 and continue till 6 in the morning. Nights are filled with tech discussions, code races, beers and music. Our CTO says “Coding requires a miniscule part of the brain to work. At nights our brain functions at just the right speed for us to code. The beer aids to remove the mind clutter and helps us concentrate on code.”

                                          Walls of desktops. AppSurfer HQ 1AM

– Fun – We value our fun sessions the most. Quarterly dinners and birthday celebrations are common at AppSurfer.
                                   It ain’t no fun if the homies cant have none.

Insightful Discussions – Tech, marketing discussions are something to look forward to. Its great to have tech guys help us out in our marketing problems very easily and vice versa. The experience that a startup instills in you through these discussions, gruelling hours of rational thinking, is priceless.

                                Venues dont drive discussions. Passion does 

– Make an Impact – We believe in this blindly. Contribute and strive to make an impact. All of us have contributed and impacted/shaped the product in our styles. Shrey(Java fresher) in his second month handled a major release with minimal help. Driven by his urge to learn and contribute, he continues to make a lasting impact on AppSurfer.

Startups encompass a different world in them. It is full of energy, passion, activity and noise. If you are as restless to do something and want to contribute significantly to develop something valuable and long lasting you know where to knock ;).

P.S – To help you on the question of whether startups are a better choice than MNCs you can find it here.