85% job seekers want to work with start-ups, says study

Around 26 per cent said they wanted to join a start-up because they wanted to become entrepreneurs.

A total of 85 per cent of respondents in a survey of 1,500 active job seekers said they were willing to join a start-up.

The survey was conducted by Bengaluru-based start-up MyNoticePeriod.com.

It sought answers to: Are you willing to join a start-up?

Why would you join a start-up? And what are your worst fears in joining a start-up?

A large majority showed openness to work with start-ups, only 5.8 per cent replied in the negative, and 10 per cent said they were unsure.

Not salary, but the opportunity to work in multiple domains and on new technologies emerged as the two major reasons why professionals said they wanted to work with start-ups. The prospect of a better salary was the third reason.

“While in the US, equity would be a major reason for professionals to be attracted to start-ups, as it gives an opportunity to create wealth, it is not one of the major attractions in India,” said Manjunath Talwar, co-founder.

The equity component offered by start-ups featured as the fifth reason for professionals to eye jobs, after expectations of a better salary and excitement.

Around 26 per cent said they wanted to join a start-up because they wanted to become entrepreneurs.

Even as more professionals showed willingness to work with start-ups, over 71 per cent said their worst fear in joining a start-up was instability.

Others highlighted unclear roles, inadequate resources, low salary and long working hours as concerns.

“Start-ups need to articulate roles more clearly,” said Abhijit Khasnis, co-founder of MyNoticePeriod.com.

“Even if there are many roles that one person is expected to handle, the start-up should define each one upfront and clearly so that a professional does not feel anxious due to non-clarity.”

Founded by two former Yahoo! employees in January, 2014, MyNoticePeriod.com is a technology-based recruitment platform that helps employers to hire fast and reduce uncertainty due to long waiting periods before an employee comes on board.

In September 2014, the company had raised over Rs 2 crore (Rs 20 million) from angel investors and IDG Ventures. It recently raised Series A funding of Rs 18 crore from IDG Ventures.

THE STUDY

• 6% don't want to work with start-ups
• 26% want to set up a start-up later
• 27% lured to start-ups due to equity
• 37% want to work with start-ups for excitement