From Exams to Intern to Employee - Why Students Should Consider Starting Out in Startups

June 2014; After what seems like months of late-night essay writing and pre-exam cramming, I finally finish my university exams. Two days later, I had moved back home with my mum, ready for my first day of my first proper post-grad job.

Applying for the internship at KTP made perfect sense. Working in food? Check. Putting to use my OCD grammar skills honed from three years of essay writing at university? Check. Opportunity to be creative and write? Double check. I loved the idea of working for a new company and seeing the business develop right from its very beginning.

In the student world, the word ‘intern’ is bandied around in a negative way far too often. Despite the fact that students are told that ‘having a degree is not enough’, thousands of students every year leave University without the right kind of skills and experience that make them attractive to employers. Internships are a great way of gaining some of these skills. I can’t speak for all interns, but gone are the days of making the tea and filling; instead, I was offered a chance to gain practical experience in a professional environment and have a real input into the company.

Working in startups and SMEs is an opportunity passed up by far too many graduates. At university, it was never suggested to me that I should consider working for a smaller company; instead, I spent three years attending career fairs dedicated to big name brands and corporate companies, feeling pressured into applying for top grad schemes that offer a handful of places and yet receive thousands of applicants. Whilst I’m not going to deny that these offer fantastic opportunities for the right person, students should know that this isn’t the only route. After all, big doesn’t always means best.

Far from ‘making the tea’, my internship was interesting, varied and, most importantly, enjoyable. Trusted with the mammoth task of building up KTP’s artisan community, I found it rewarding to see tangible results of my work and learn some new practical skills away from the ‘classroom’. What’s more, I got to attend industry events, learn about the food industry and countless opportunities to network and build contacts with a variety of people. In just three months, I got a unique insight into the food industry and the fast paced world of startups.

The opportunity to work for Kitchen Table Projects full-time was a bit of a no-brainer. You’ll still find me tweeting about our foodie musings or blogging about all the new goings on in the food world, but being full time has given me the opportunity (and confidence) to make some of the ideas I developed during my three month internship a reality. Being an employee let me directly implement my ideas on our strategy and share my ideas on our plans for the future.  

I think this is what I like the most about working for a small company; I’m able to carry out tasks that I wouldn’t ever think of being assigned to in a larger company with dedicated employees for that particular job. That’s the other great thing about working for a small company - you know everyone in your team personally and your fingers are in every pie. Unlike working for a big name brand with thousands of employees, you build relationships with your co-workers, make an impact and get noticed by the people who matter.

Working in our office at Impact Hub Brixton has been another highlight. Working in the Hub has given me exposure to a vibrant and exciting slice of startup culture, meeting and discovering new, innovative enterprises on a weekly, if not daily basis. It’s such an inspirational environment to work in, and the sense of community that the Hub fosters really fits in with everything we do at KTP. Plus we have tea and cake spread on Wednesdays (yup, that sold us too.) Working in an awesome office doing a job I genuinely enjoy - I’m pretty sure those aren’t the kind of words that a graduate utters very often.

For now, I’m looking forward to working on some really exciting projects leading up to our launch (keep your eyes peeled!), as well as meeting some more exciting people, expanding our team and, of course, our launch!

I would urge any students thinking about working in startups to give it a go - and don’t be put off by the ‘i’ word, either. Internships are a great career springboard: a chance to open those all important doors, make a difference within a company and focus your mind on what you really want to do with your life. Remember, everyone has to start somewhere and starting small doesn’t mean insignificant. Don’t forget the little guy!

Photo by Flickr User Brunel University.