You are a young ambitions college graduate, ready to take on the working world. You are looking for a summer internship to get experience and are being luckily presented with two options: Google or a small startup in somebody’s garage. What do you choose? It seems like a no-brainer. Yet, according to a recent article in Muse, there is more to the question then it seems.
“There’s a lot to be gained by working for a smaller company, especially when you’re first making your entrance into the workforce. Working for an up-and-coming tech company may not have the brand-name recognition that your friends in finance and consulting are looking for, but it will give you a host of real-life experience that will be hard to get in any other industry. Here are just a few reasons why working for a startup this summer makes a ton of sense”.
- Real Responsibilities
Unlike a big company, most startups are always in lack of time and human resources. This means you will be assigned more responsibilities and will be working on projects that directly impact users.
Being thrown out in the field like that may be scary, but it has a lot of benefits. You will be able to show ownership of important projects and you’ll gain the confidence and independence to run them.
2. You’ll learn how companies work
Being part of a small team, means that you will naturally be involved in every part of the company and will stay in the loop, whether it’s overhearing debated in the conference room or chatting with the CEO over lunch.
As an intern in a large company, your exposure will probably be limited to the small section of the company where your primary responsibilities lie.
3. You’ll Get To Try Our Multiple Paths
If you are still not sure about what you want to do as a career, working in a startup can give you a great tour of various fields and titles. As a marketing intern, you may find yourself writing blog posts (communications), researching keywords (marketing research and SEO) or managing client account (sales and customer service).
You will also be in close contact with people working in different departments and areas, giving you a chance to learn more about alternative career paths.
4. You’ll Build Great Contacts
A great thing about startups, is that with a smaller number of employees, you’ll probably get to know everyone. And these people could turn into great friends and business contacts for years to come.
And even if the startup you interned for does not make it, you’ll walk away with an extensive knowledge of the industry and connections that may help to get you your next internship or even a future full-time job.