I'm currently at a mid-size startup (around 50 employees) and I've been here since it was under 10 employees.
You end up wearing a lot of hats, some of which are almost certainly not in your job description or skillset. For example, we built our own desks (actual wood, not flatpacks), knocked down walls when expanding, set up the office equipment etc...
I've personally had some opportunities to shape the tech stack and direction of the products a little, although some places you don't get that lucky.
There are long hours, and there is definitely more pressure I find. As others have mentioned, the pay isn't great compared to established companies, and you definitely feel the strain that the founders are under as you're all in close quarters with each other (under non COVID-19 circumstances anyway).
Personally, I've found I've grown as a person more and faster than I did working at bigger companies due to wearing multiple hats and being in such a close knit environment with colleagues that all had a different skillset, and naturally you all chat and teach each other - both out of curiousity and due to necessity as you never know when someone might need a day off and you might need their skillset.
It requires a lot of trust, faith and hard work but I'd personally say the benefits to your growth balance that out, at least in my experience.
I'm currently at a mid-size startup (around 50 employees) and I've been here since it was under 10 employees.
You end up wearing a lot of hats, some of which are almost certainly not in your job description or skillset. For example, we built our own desks (actual wood, not flatpacks), knocked down walls when expanding, set up the office equipment etc...
I've personally had some opportunities to shape the tech stack and direction of the products a little, although some places you don't get that lucky.
There are long hours, and there is definitely more pressure I find. As others have mentioned, the pay isn't great compared to established companies, and you definitely feel the strain that the founders are under as you're all in close quarters with each other (under non COVID-19 circumstances anyway).
Personally, I've found I've grown as a person more and faster than I did working at bigger companies due to wearing multiple hats and being in such a close knit environment with colleagues that all had a different skillset, and naturally you all chat and teach each other - both out of curiousity and due to necessity as you never know when someone might need a day off and you might need their skillset.
It requires a lot of trust, faith and hard work but I'd personally say the benefits to your growth balance that out, at least in my experience.
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