Advantages

If you have plans for opening up your own business, taking a job in a startup company is one of the best learning experiences you can have. You can learn a lot with access to the founder or CEO of the company, given its initial small size and lack of hierarchy. The complex ins and outs require an all-hands-on-deck attitude and work ethic, and learning opportunities come quickly.

Disadvantages

Time. Because a brand-new company lacks employees, be prepared to work way beyond the usual office hours indefinitely. How do you feel about working during the weekends? How about working every waking hour of the day? The effort can be exhausting, especially if you are not given recognition for working overtime.

When cash is available and you have founder approval, you can take initiative and cross-train employees to share the burden.

Responsibility. Working for a startup means you will be doing more than you signed up for. Sometimes you won’t have a choice. Don’t expect to be praised for working long hours. Launching a startup is an effort on a completely different level, and everyone is doing his or her part.

Money. Working for startup companies won’t exactly bring you a generous salary. Funding is tight for startups, and requesting a raise likely won’t be an option. During an interview, ask precise questions about compensation so that everyone’s expectations are clear.