You’re considering a job offer from a well-established brand and a startup. Which one should you choose?

I have worked at both types of companies and gone through this dilemma. For me, the key variable is not whether it is a big brand or a start up. As we know, both have their own pros and cons. The biggest variable for me would be career life stage and skill growth. For e.g. at an early stage of the career, working at a start up may be helpful because it gives you diverse skill sets and pushes you to try different things, thus widening your exposure and understanding of what excites you. Whereas at a later stage, a big brand may cement your case for future leadership opportunities. Ofcourse, at a big brand, relative autonomy in the role may be less and thus one's ownership of its success shared. Another key factor would be company Culture.

In my experience, working with a big brand will broaden your knowledge and experience, especially from a global perspective. You will be able to work on projects with a bigger impact.

In my experience, at early stage of career it's good to work in an established setup to learn from yrs of experience and mistakes done in the past. Companies evolve over a period of time and it's absorb that learning while working. You might feel that there is very less independence or manoeuvring space but that's ok initially.

As someone who has worked within (and alongside) both big brands and startups, there are myriad benefits to both. Big brands will provide you with great training, resources, structure, and a base for truly understanding brand strategy and messaging development. A startup will provide you with a different type of learning - how to be nimble and accomplish goals with fewer resources, exposure to more aspects of the brand and marketing plan, the excitement of building a brand in the early days, and a dynamic, and fast-paced environment that might feel chaotic, but also feels alive and full of opportunity. To make the right choice, understand who you are, what you want, and what type of environment you believe you'll thrive within.

Working for a well-known company can have its difficulties. Office politics, bureaucratic procedures, and strict hierarchical structures are a few examples of these. These disadvantages might stifle creativity and teamwork, which can irritate workers. To overcome these obstacles, one must be flexible and persistent. Overcoming these challenges, however, can result in insightful discoveries and personal growth, which in turn helps to build a professional skill set that is more flexible and resilient.

Uno de los principales inconvenientes por trabajar para una gran marca es que en general el aporte marginal que produce tu trabajo profesional generalmente tiene muy poco impacto, ni hablar sobre que la posibilidad de realizar cambios es muy difícil porque los cambios culturales son los que más tiempo demoran. En general también son más rígidos o no permeables para realizar cualquier tipo de implementación

Working for a big brand you have many human, technological & capital resources, and you will have more bureaucracy & limits for your new ideas, since the big brands already have their guidelines & behaviors of the corporate image, usually, big brands are seen as white elephants, where the ability to respond and move is very slow. Now, in emerging brands, there are extensive and infinite areas to explore, create, develop or grow, the contribution of a good idea goes directly to the strategy, and the feedback is obtained immediately, the bisiness development labor will generate new limits, components, structure & philosophy, to lay the foundations for strategies & plans in a more dynamic and faster environment to measure results.

From my experience, working for start-ups and small brands will force you to gain many skills connected to brand management, which will be very useful for your growth. You will have a lot of responsibility and will have to take initiative more often.

Working in big brands is always an advantage but at the same time challenges also follows with it. You have a defined structure and things which some times very difficult for an employee to amend. In a start up whatever you do and if you get success , that becomes a structure. One can have a broader spectrum to play. Also one can handle multiple responsibilities to prove their talent.

From my experience, start-ups are great for resilient people loving quick adaptations. I've found a unique market helping new start-ups abroad, and figuring out new norms for new startups in new countries really allows me to flex cross-cultural muscles most companies don't rely on.

If you're working for a start up you're going to be able to essentially build out the marketing function from scratch, whilst if you go to a big brand there will loads of things in place already. Good chance you will learn so much more at the start up!

Joining a startup has unique advantages. These include a wide range of tasks, a flexible and dynamic environment that encourages creativity, and quick invention. A positive work atmosphere is facilitated by the laid-back attitude and collaborative mindset. Additionally, working for a startup offers chances for direct impact, independence, and ownership, enabling staff members to significantly contribute to the expansion of the business. Professionals can flourish in a setting that encourages initiative, innovation, and adaptability by seizing these benefits.

Think about how fast you want to grow. If you want to learn a lot in a short period of time, if you want a mentor to look up to, then the start-up/small biz is my recommendation. If you want more security and stability, then big corp is for you.

Remember that you're a person and that you're not your job. Size/stability is only one dimension to consider. It's helpful to list out all the things that are important to you professionally AND personally (we often forget the personal stuff) and force rank them, then compare them to every role. Do this every time you start a new job search as what's most important to you changes over time. Spoiler: no role gives you all of them, so put what you want ahead of what they offer before taking the plunge.

Choosing between a well-established brand and a startup requires aligning the role with your goals and values. Consider the company culture – whether you prefer the dynamic, innovative atmosphere of a startup or the stability of an established culture. Assess stability and risk by evaluating financial health and growth potential. Examine career growth opportunities, work-life balance, impact, team dynamics, and company reputation, ensuring they resonate with your preferences and aspirations.

Eu faria uma auto avalia??o de meus valores e cren?as e o quanto est?o alinhados em rela??o à cultura da startup e da grande empresa. Também faria uma pesquisa sobre os segmentos, possibilidades de progress?o de carreira em ambas. A partir desta pesquisa, faria uma matriz de perdas e ganhos para entender os impactos de optar ou rejeitar cada uma das ofertas, atribuindo os devidos pesos a cada atributo avaliado. Isso, com certeza, me apoiaria na tomada de decis?o.

It depends on your short term and long term goals. If you are someone who wants your own small shop/business someday, working in a startup at early stages will teach you the importance of unit economics (especially in a tough market). You might have a good exit depending on your startup's growth On the other hand if you are looking for work life balance, time-off, benefits etc. in the short term, big brands would be better. Big brands often translate to a good exit opportunity One cannot have it all. Such opportunities rarely exist

It is completely depend on the reason for which you are looking for a job As a big corporate giant, offer you a best culture, mentorship, the resources & a good package as well. & on other hand startup can offer you the learning opportunities but the package may or may not be. So if you are starting your career or having a experience for 3-4yrs around then you can take up the startup as a learning platform & grow Gradually with the organization & if it didn't do well, you may switch. If you crrosed the peak of your career & want to work like a mentor, can choose for a startup. Rest if you want a fat package with social recognition can opt for corporate profile. CHOICE IS ALWAYS YOUR'S. HOW YOU SEE THE OPPORTUNITY.

Choosing between a well- established brand and a startup is like picking between a classic novel and a thrilling adventure. While startups promise innovation and excitement, they also bring uncertainty. Evaluate both options, considering your career goals and risk appetite. Embark on the journey that aligns with your aspirations, ensuring a fulfilling and rewarding professional experience. One can always navigate their career journey- choosing between Tradition and Innovation!

The best approach for beginners in job selection is to engage in multiple internships. It's beneficial to intern both at startups and established corporations. This allows individuals to understand what suits them best. To secure better job offers later on, it's advisable to work for reputable brands. After spending some years there, the good reputation of the brand reflects positively on you, making it easier to find excellent job opportunities. Working for prominent international brands later facilitates gaining experiences in offices in other countries. This serves as a solid foundation. Nevertheless, having experience in well-structured, successful companies proves valuable, even if one transitions to a startup later on.