We’ve reached the end of the social-contract era, when employees worked for the same company their entire career and then retired on a fat pension. Today’s market rewards risk and flexibility. In short, it’s the perfect time to leave a dead-end job at a major corporation and move to a start-up company, but what a scary step that is. Are you ready to take the plunge?
Keeping my current job is just as risky.
The truth is, no one’s job is safe these days, no matter where you work, so now might be the perfect time to take a gamble on what could be a great career move. YoungGoGetter.com’s Monica O’Brien argues that with so many companies changing hands in the public sector and going under in the private sector, there’s practically no job security anymore. “You may as well work where you want and stop worrying,” she writes. “For many of us young go-getters, that’s a startup.”
After all, if the start-up you work for flops, you won’t be left high and dry. “Sure it’s tough to see something you worked so hard at fail, but you’re awesome and you will find another job easily.” O’Brien’s reasoning is that start-ups don’t hire losers; if you can get one job, you can get another one, because you’ve already proven that you’re dedicated, smart, and great at personal branding. They can take your salary away, but not your skill set. Plus, with one start-up under your belt, you’ve got a stellar résumé and connections for finding another position.
I want to move on up.
The corporate structure used to be linear: you’d start in an entry-level position and work your way up toward the top. Now, though, the career path is not so straight. O’Brien compares the playing field now to a football game in which lots of different plays can score a touchdown.
The only surefire way to get to the top is to start your own business, and for that you need experience. Where better to observe an emerging company than at a start-up? You’ll be able to watch the process of developing ideas, securing revenue, and marketing, with the added experience of being able to contribute your own talents and energy. You’ll see what works and what doesn’t, and build a strong network of your own along the way. So when you head out on your own, you’ll already know the ropes.
