Been reading an article on EV startup Rivian poaching a bunch of people from other auto companies, Ford included, and it got me thinking - how safe is it really to work for a startup? I know we don't have much of a job security here at Ford, but it still seems safer than a company that can fold literally any day if something doesn't go as planned.
I was just curious what other people think about this as an alternative to Ford.
They will use you so they can have all the gain. Do your own start up! You'll work 80 hours per week and when and if they go public YOU will be left like road k--l, it's every man and woman for themselves in this generation, trust me. As some have mentioned, you may gain some great experience, but in the end use for your own future business.
Right on. I've worked for a number of startups early in my career and they tended to be fun since you have wide range of responsibilities and will actually have to produce something in the end. The upside of working at startup is that you will learn a lot and be directly hands on, whether its coding the program, creating a CAD design, or learning how to use a new manufacturing technique (3D printing parts for my previous job).
There were very few layers of bureaucracy or management at the startups where I worked and a lot of what you learn early on will be a useful skill to fall back on no matter where you end up careerwise. Plus there's always the possibility that your startup will turn into a Unicorn (like Google, Facebook, or Netflix 15 years ago) and you end up becoming a multi-millionaire with an IPO if you are among the early hires.
The downside of startup, like the other mentioned, and that you probably know from all the horror stories out there, is that there is no work life balance, very few layers or bureaucracy that you can hide behind if you can't produce results, and there is always the risk that the startup will fold literally overnight and you only find out about it when you show up to work the next day and find all the locks to your office have been changed by the banks or creditors. But if you're young and have no family obligation, and you have a passion for whatever product or service and feel that you can get along with the personalities at these startups, then I would definitely take a leap of faith and give it a go.
I suspect you will have to actually work at these small companies. At Ford, it is so big with so many people doing various minutia that you can stay in the shadows - easy money.
If you have passion and energy for your profession go with the startup. The security is in the skills and knowledge you home and improve. You will learn and do more in a year than you would in a lifetime at Ford.
I worked for 3 different startups each for a year or two before they were acquired by a larger company. The startup environment is great until they are acquired, then it slowly erodes.
Family obligations lead me to Ford. It is a slow torturous pace. Everyone marking out their own turf and making a week long project into a year long boondoggle. Anyone trying to change the system gets removed from the system.
Only you know if you are a bureaucrat or a doer.
https://www.theverge.com/2019/7/2/20678802/ev-startup-rivian-employees-ford-mclaren-tesla-faraday-future-mike-bell-apple