Top traits startup recruiters look for in College Graduates

What are the expectations of startup companies that hire students?

Amongst thousands of latest jobs for freshers in India, Startups can be considered as fresher-companies with regards to the Job market. They have a lot to prove, right from day one.

Here's how the work environments on an MNC and startup are different:

1. Work Hours: Not fixed in Startups, mostly fixed in MNCs

2. Team Size: Small in startups, usually big in MNCs

3. Location: A startup can be on a specific location, an MNC can be at multiple locations across the globe

Hiring in startups isn't smooth like hiring in mid-level companies or MNCs. If a startup rolls out Job openings for freshers, they would have different set of expectations as compared to other big companies.

They always look to maintain a ratio of enthusiastic freshers and experienced employees for better results.

If you are a student and wish to work in a startup after graduating from college, keep in mind a few important things that startup recruiters often look for in college freshers:

1. The "Spark" in your eyes

You have to be a go-getter. Someone who spends more time meeting different people in the office, discussing ideas and coming up with fantastic product-related touch points rather than sitting at your desk for six hours straight.

Remember, as much as you are inside the company to prove your mettle, the startup company you work for has 100x more to prove. So the work environment is going to be challenging and you should be ready for it.

2. Flexible beyond the limits

Okay, so here's the thing -DO NOT join a startup thinking that your work will start at 9 am and end at 6 pm. Startups require extensive hard work, day in and day out. Since they have a lot to prove, they don't prefer to work only till 6 in the evening. They want people for whom a typical working day starts in the morning and ends when they've finished their work - it could be 6 pm, or maybe even 9 pm.

3. Taking Ownership

Are you someone who can take ownership of the task and finish it without much supervision?

Yes? Then welcome to the startup world.

Understand that people in the startup work beyond their comfort zone to make things happen. So there are high chances that they miss out on daily reminders or tasks. Startups look for candidates who like taking responsibility rather than being chased multiple times for a single task.

4. No Settling-in time

Right from the time you came across the term "Corporate" or "Company", you must have also come across the term "probation period". Just in case you don't know, we'll tell you here.

A probation period (or a training period) for a newly hired employee is the time during which he is supposed to learn everything about the organization. The reason it has been given the name is that there aren't any expectations from the employee regarding the targets or any other deadlines. He's free to learn and will be paid for the same.

But the trend in Startups is different. apart from the first couple of weeks, everyone (freshers and experienced) are expected to work equally and come up with results. So Startup recruiters will be specifically looking for this trait while interviewing you.

Make sure you have that!

5. Leadership quality

Startups prefer candidates who are able to lead a group of people if Time demands it. They want People who understand the core of every business problem and are able to come up with effective strategies to deal with such problems.

In a Nutshell:

Although there’s no shortage of Job opportunities for freshers, getting into a good startup can be a challenge if you do not meet their requirements. So, keep in mind the points mentioned here and prepare yourself accordingly for the interviews.

Good Luck!