Corporate stability vs. startup flexibility

My corporate experience

Overall, my experience there was great: the company invests a lot of time in development of employees, they train you from scratch, from the first day. I've had good experience not only with the company, but with people as well. They helped me achieve what I have now.?

At the time, I wasn't good with English, but I managed to pass the test. My colleagues helped me overcome the language barrier, while the company helped me pay my college tuition fees. It was clear that they believe in empowering people through education and consistent support.

Working for a corporation, I had access to a campus with doctors, a spa, and a restaurant, big discounts on devices and local shops, along with many other company-specific perks.

I left because I wanted to go to Spain to be with my girlfriend during the pandemic. I had to decide between my career and family, and I believe I made the right choice—I'm not afraid to start from scratch. I worked at another company for half a year, then moved to Mercats.?

My experience at Mercats

The first thing I've noticed is that Mercats doesn't have the strong hierarchy I experienced working at a big company. Back there, I felt constant pressure—I had to be the best at what I was doing. Such expectations made me prone to mistakes and afraid of trying new things.?

At Mercats, ‘try it, and we'll see how it goes’ is the motto. It is a great opportunity to learn new things and experiment, and a breath of fresh air compared to standard corporate processes. Mistakes are not punished here, and I feel more relaxed and productive as a result.?

Big companies avoid failures despite how necessary they are for improvement. As a result, the decision-making process at corporations is very slow—each decision takes months. Here, you can coordinate your actions with a couple of people and see the results within weeks.?

Corporate stability vs. Startup flexibility

Nowadays, stability is not a thing but an illusion of it. The only thing that will remain with you is knowledge. At a startup like Mercats, you need to be proactive and ask your own questions, so it's more useful if you want to start your own thing. You propose, you try, you fail, you win.

Would I return to a corporation? Maybe, but not now. Development is my priority, as I need to learn how to manage a business. I plan to open and run my own company someday, and Mercats provides a lot of opportunities to learn how to do it. Here, I can see the big picture.

At Mercats, I can touch things that I wasn't able to touch working at corporations. Big companies have departments for everything, you have to focus exclusively on your role. It’s not the case here—I don't feel locked in my position as I can learn how things work behind the scenes.

Mercats might not have the resources available to corporations, but the company provides a lot: a competitive salary, free lunches and snacks, corporate parties and teambuildings, and up to 50% coverage on sports memberships, mental health services, and language learning.

Want to work in a team of amazing people like Dario? Explore our open roles!