That startups are taking the world by storm is old news. Globally, a whopping 305 million new startups join the fray every year – a number almost twice the current population of Japan. In India, the world’s third-largest startup ecosystem, two or three new startups are established every day, with the recent flurry of tech IPOs also indicating a growing maturity within the ecosystem.
Startups have also become lucrative employers for new-age professionals for several reasons, ranging from exponential growth and skill enhancement to better learning opportunities and flexible work culture. This holds especially true in India; despite the pandemic-induced disruption in the market, the ecosystem created nearly two million jobs last year – the highest in four years.
However, ensuring longevity in this startup workforce is not easy. To succeed in this high-potential, high-growth environment, one must possess certain attributes that, together, comprise the ‘X-Factor’ of a startup employee. Here are six skills essential to becoming a startup professional in today’s competitive market:
1. A high bias for action
Startups often have limited time to achieve the many goals that they set out for themselves. This is why startups prioritize hiring people who have a high bias of action. This bias for action comes from an ability to make swift decisions—often with incomplete data sets—and an inherent drive to consistently make progress towards a larger goal. Tapping into this ability, they can create robust and effective action plans to achieve business objectives, as efficiently as possible – making them crucial to any startup’s growth journey.
2. Resilience
The stories of overcoming seemingly insurmountable odds are fairly common within the startup ecosystem — and rightly so. Regardless of the stage of their growth, startups face multiple challenges, any of which is enough to make them shut shop. To be successful in the face of these hurdles, the startup requires a workforce that is resilient by nature and does not give up in the face of challenges.
Take the case of Snapdeal. Once at the pinnacle of the Indian e-commerce industry, it hit rock bottom in 2017 after struggling with several unforeseen challenges – many of which were not of its making. As the business took a swan-dive, there were talks of possible mergers and acquisitions; no one expected Snapdeal to survive. However, its team stayed strong and tapped into the platform’s USPs to bounce back as Snapdeal 2.0.
3. An Attitude to Hustle
The ‘hustle’ culture, an inseparable part of any successful startup’s DNA, is defined by a commitment to go above and beyond expectations to deliver results. To do that consistently, startups require a workforce that personifies this attitude. This is why a typical startup employee is not one for traditional 9-to-5 work models and five-day workweeks, but one that is willing to put in that extra effort whenever required, sacrificing short-term gains for long-term impact.
4. Humility
One statistic that often flies under the radar is the number of entrepreneurs who have either graduated from the world’s foremost centres of higher education or worked with some of the biggest companies. Yet, despite their pedigree, these entrepreneurs do everything – from cold-calling potential leads to answering customer service calls – when required. Humility, and the willingness to learn that comes with it, are non-negotiable for the startup workforce, too. Regardless of the resume one might boast, joining a startup comes with an expectation to start afresh and stay. Only by staying grounded, having an open mindset, and cultivating a willingness to learn and grow can a startup professional survive and thrive in such a merit-driven environment.
5. Resourcefulness
Some of the most successful businesses — Amazon, Microsoft, Disney, and Google — were once startups working out of garages that scaled their business with minimal resources. Even today, one in every three small enterprises are launched with less than $5,000, demonstrating the resourcefulness that startups encapsulate. Any professional working with a startup is expected to embody this resourcefulness, whether it is finding the nearest cafe with working wifi when you have internet issues or squeezing in replies to emails while travelling to save time. The ability to assess situations and recognize possible solutions for optimal resource utilization is a must-have to drive better results.
6. Positive outlook
Startups and risks often go hand in hand, but not all of these risks are successful. This is why possessing a positive outlook must be an essential trait to anyone looking to be a part of the startup workforce. For any aspiring startup professional, the ability to turn failures into learning opportunities is a must-have. It also helps if they align themselves with the company’s vision, goals, and approach, enabling them to take on challenges with greater energy and commitment.
The idea of joining a startup is an appealing one. After all, who wouldn’t want to be a part of something that, a couple of years down the line, they can point to and say, “I helped build that?” However, to do so, one must be ready to put their best foot forward at all times — whether in crisis or for success. Developing the attributes mentioned above can help you prepare for this extraordinary, rewarding endeavour and embark on your journey as a startup professional.
Disclaimer
Views expressed above are the author’s own.
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