Now Revealing: The Pros And Cons Of Working For A Startup in Kenya

Now Revealing: The Pros And Cons Of Working For A Startup in Kenya

A mouth watering salary, job security and a good medical insurance among other benefits are what every employee considers important while choosing to take a job opportunity or not.
With the rise of several businesses and companies in Kenya, many startups have emerged in Kenya providing employment to several people which of course has proved to be a good thing for the job market.
With this in mind, it’s good that you understand how working in an SME impacts your career.
Firstly, with such a humble heart to start small, you could end up working in the next big company after a couple of months with an attractive salary package and all the necessary benefits.
On the other hand, you could find yourself back to the drawing board looking for possible job adverts you can send your CV to
So how is working in a small startup is different from working for other established companies in the industry?

Let’s first begin by highlighting the Pros of working in an SME as a Kenyan professional:

1. A startup gives you a good playground for Innovation
Start-ups will offer you a conducive work-environment to grow as the company grows.
This is because creativity and innovation forms part of their key agendas as they strive to grow fast gain momentum in the industry.
So in these start-ups, you will get a platform to showcase your ideas and use fresh concepts to get desired results which helps your career growth.
This way you not only stick to the conventional ways of doing thing but you go any extra mile in finding new ways of doing things and thus able to grow in your career.
2. Due to the size of the company, your career growth and development is fast
 In start ups the staff members are usually less than ten.
You are able to freely interact with the other members and form a tight knit.
From these members you are able to comprehend how everything comes together in the company from A-Z.
You get insights on how the company conducts their operations, management, legalities and even marketing.
In short you are trained in all sectors of the industry.
3. The probability of getting the desired job satisfaction in a startup are high
Job satisfaction takes more than just good pay. We all understand this.
In these small businesses, the employers always ensure that their employees are treated well so that they can be productive at work and in turn help their company grow. So they will strive to create a warm work environment that accommodates every employee for them to offer their total productivity.
Simply put, you will be able to feel a sense of belonging in the company as you share in the continued growth and success of the company.

On the flipside of working for a startup. These are the Cons:

1. As much as your job satisfaction might be inviting, job security is never guaranteed.
You might greatly enjoy working at a startup because of the conducive environment but your please keep in mind that your job security is never guaranteed.
Recent surveys have shown that 90% of startups in Kenya fail in their first three years. So do the maths, where will you be?
Remember your employers may have a great business idea but may not be the best in leadership and management.
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And as we all understand, lack of experienced leaders and mentors is bound to affect your job position in that company
2. You might have to endure long working hours
Starting businesses struggle to survive and if they haven’t set root yet, then you might be needed to input some more extra hours into your schedule.
At times you may be forced to assume more than just one role just to keep everything running well.
You maybe the administration officer, the accountant and the manager all rolled into one.
Meaning that if you won’t plan yourself well, then you will have to work longer.
Now that you know this,
Please remember that some start ups go through real struggle to survive and make sure that they have secured a spot in the corporate world.
However, why not be that person who always comes up with a million-dollar business ideas to help a startup company move to the next level and thrive?
Is working with a start up a risk you are willing to take? Do the pros outweigh the cons?
All the best as you grow your career!
Roseann Ngáng’a is a Communication Assistant at Corporate Staffing a leading HR firm that offers recruitment and FREE job placement. For more information visit their website on www.corporatestaffing.co.ke