10 Reasons Why You Shouldn't Join a Start-Up

So I am working for a Start-Up now. Wait, I've actually been working for Start-Ups for almost 7 years now.

Start-Ups weren't so popular earlier, at least not in Singapore. But now, these guys are mushrooming like...well...wild mushrooms! And I see more and more young fresh grads clamouring to join a Start-Up because of its perceived sexiness. But let me tell you, working in a Start-Up sucks! I know, because I am working in one!

Here, let me give you 10 compelling reasons why you shouldn't be hankering to join a Start-Up anytime soon:

1) Too many Responsibilities
Marketing, Sales, Accounts, Admin, HR, Finance. You are expected to know the workings of every department. This screws up your mind totally. One day you're a fresh grad, next you know you're doing research, taking interviews, learning SEO/SEM/CPI/CPM, making phone calls, selling stuff, learning how to balance P&L, pitching to investors etc. Who wants to learn all that? Sheesh...

2) Casual Atmosphere
There may be no Jackets, Ties, Business Suits and Polished Dress shoes. Your boss may come to work in torn jeans and sneakers or a short skirt...ahem. There will be a casual atmosphere with a lot of unnecessary chit chat, leg pulling, laughing, banter etc. Office politics and work stress may be non existent. A lot of young colleagues, eager to learn and share information. Seriously, this is not what you wasted your 3 years in Uni for!

3) Tremendous Professional Growth
Most Start-Ups that survive have a growth plan and trajectory in place after a while. I mean they have to. And if your start-up takes that route, imagine the unnecessary time you'd have to waste in racking your brains to come up with processes, procedures and systems that will form a guide for future employees. Now why would you want to be a part of decision making process?

4) Media Exposure
You may get embarrassed with all the media exposure over your Start-Up or its founder. Your boss may get interviewed on TV, Radio or Print and you may get tired of accepting congratulatory messages from friends, family and acquaintances who know you are working in that company, because, let's be honest, which Start-Up junkie doesn't update their Facebook and LinkedIn? Worse still - YOU maybe interviewed and then it's YOUR Mug on TV, Newspapers and Magazines...Oh the shame!

5) ESOPs
Seriously? Employee stock options plan? Are you kidding me? Do they think you're so naive that you will trust them blindly? Who wants to give their staff a piece of their company just like that as a recognition of the all good work you are expected to do and will do anyway!

6) Possibility of making Crazy Money
Refer to #5. Think Series A Funding. Then think Buy-Out. Then read your ESOPs contract. Then go crazy! Do you really want that? Possibility of becoming a millionaire (or a quarter or half millionaire) after just a few years of working? No Sir, I Think Not.

7) Free Lunches, Dinners, Beer and Late Nights
What, Free Lunch in office? Oh man, you can't even go out of the office in lunch hours? And why late nights? I would rather spend the evenings outside enjoying with friends and eating good food, drinking Beer and spending my money rather than staying in office to work on a project that may help with #6, while eating Free Food and drinking Free Beer...Oh Wait...

8) Personal Growth
You know, this is something I just cannot wrap my brains around. A lot of Start-Ups, including the one I work for, send their staff for up-gradation courses, especially Marketing, Sales, Finance etc. Why would anyone do that? What is their hidden agenda? I am pretty sure there's a conspiracy there somewhere…hmmm…

9) Networking and Connections
Oh man, this is the worst! You are a shy little nerd, under-confident, with no social life, no friends (except on your nerdy online gaming community) and they expect you to go for seminars, events and meet-ups and just walk up to random strangers and introduce yourself, all in the name of networking?! So what if these strangers are Marketing Gurus, Public Speakers, Founders, Millionaires, Sales Champs, Developers, Programmers, Writers, Famous Authors...whatever!

10) Overseas Trips
So if your Start-Up is anything like the one I work at, they might be silly enough to dare to dream big and set up offices in other countries in Asia and beyond. Worse still, they may ask YOU to travel to all these countries to train people! Really? Who wants to wake up early to catch a flight to an exotic country (every place outside Singapore is exotic actually, even JB!), stand in the immigration queue, learn a new culture, eat awesome food and expand their horizons? As if we don't have enough work already...