𝐈𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐬𝐨𝐟𝐭𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐌𝐍𝐂 𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐭 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐮𝐩?

Both environments have benefits and drawbacks. It really depends on your personality and goals.

In a large corporation, you’ll be surrounded by people with a wide variety of working styles, expertise, approaches and backgrounds. You’ll have access to more resources and responsibility will be shared with other team members. You will have opportunities available to you, but you’ll likely have to pursue them yourself unless you have a really good manager supporting you. Otherwise, it can be easy to become a cog in the machine. The pressure is generally lower and so is the recognition. You can screw up royally and you’ll probably just get moved to another project. Even if you don’t screw up, you may find yourself shuffled between projects.

In a startup, there will be more focus on you to deliver, train yourself and be independent. While you’ll likely be part of a smaller, more integrated team, there will be a much higher expectation that you can be self-motivated and deliver results. The learning opportunities that you have will be more along the lines of being tossed out of a plane with some fabric and a sewing kit and you’ll need to figure out how to make a parachute really quickly. The risks are higher, but so is the reward.

It’s like the difference between taking the bus or riding a motorcycle.

The bus is reliable and it will get you where you’re going, you have very little control over the specific bus, route, the driver, the other passengers, etc. You’re unlikely to get injured in a crash. It’s safe, minimal risk and ultimately putting your fate in someone else’s hands.

The motorcycle is fast, you’re in control every step of the way, you could easily get yourself killed if you do something stupid and if the weather, roads or other drivers get in your way, you’re not likely to get to your destination smoothly. But if you do, you’ll beat