6 Things You Must Know Before Joining A Startup.

   If you are tired of the corporate BS and hunting for something challenging, join a startup. The thrills of a startup are no less than an adventure sport. There is enough adrenaline and dopamine at play. But with hundreds of startups operating at present, out of which only few will make it big, just how do you decide which startup to join. These pointers can give you more clarity. Because you might still need some surety in the highly unsure world of startups!

1. The Founders

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The chief reason for working in a startup is to learn from people who are smarter than you. Thus, you should definitely look into the background and professional details of the founders before deciding to join.

Apart from their intelligence, the founders should be people with a strong vision and sharp decision-making skills. At the interview (or beer drinking session, depending on how cool the place is), ask them more and more about the product, their immediate 1 or 2 year plan, and most importantly what they want from you. Although a startup won’t give you a clearly defined role, there still has to be clarity on the kind of work that is expected from you, and the responsibilities that you will be bestowed with.

2. The Team

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Pragmatic startups, for the niche work that they do, and for the limited funds they possess, need to hire incredibly smart people in their team. They cannot afford hiring five mediocre people. They’d rather hire one smart person instead, who ensures a positive ROI to them. Hence, you should also look at the team that’s working at the startup. Scan their LinkedIn profiles; see if you can benefit from working with them. Ask them why they chose to work at the startup. That will open up your mind and give you a clearer perspective.

3. The Investors

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Who are the investors? Are they some of the biggest names in the industry? Who are the advisors? Who is mentoring them? Big names invest time and money in the next big thing. And 60 per cent of the times, they are darn right in their judgment.

4. The Amount Of Funding

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This will give you information about your job security and the company’s scaling prospects, as both depend on the funds that are collected. It will also sort of give you clarity as to how long can the company afford to pay you your salary. Also, if investors have funded the company for two years or more, then rest assured they really believed in the idea and will do anything to make it successful.

5. The Technology

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Strong technology ensures a strong product. Thus, the company should have a strong tech focus and develop a killer tech backend so as to transition it into a useful end product. If the company lacks this, there is very little chance that the startup will do well.

6. The Feedback

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Talk to your colleagues, friends, college seniors, industry insiders, tech heads, etc. and get a good idea of the firm before joining it. Get direct reviews about the product and the work culture. Check out what the tech websites and startup forums have to say about the firm.