Startups or Big names?

You may have asked yourself the same question

When I was in Taiwan, I thought big names were better for college graduates than start-ups. After I came here, I saw many talented people working at start-ups or medium size companies. I started to doubt the above statement. But why people here have different thoughts? After talking to some people, I know the main reason is the entrepreneurship atmosphere. Many people here are visionaries. They embrace changes. Some of them even create changes by themselves. Many intelligent people have dreams. They want to change the world. Some of them want to initiate a revolution (to change the way people use to do things). Many people like new tech and new skills. They like to learn new things and challenge themselves. Many people want to create their own Google legend.

So, it is common to meet people who work at start-ups. These people don't care if their listeners do not know their companies. These people are quite proud of the fact that they are working at start-ups. They are passionate when they mention their companies. I visited some friends' start-ups. I paid attention on the environment and the atmosphere. I was amazed by the cozy and casual atmosphere. People were friendly to each other. It appeared to me that the environment was less fake. I also was told people at small companies had fun together after work, and they had less aggressive coworkers. Sounds like a heaven.

This kind witness gradually changes my mind. If I look for a job, I will not fear to try start-ups. But, of course, I need to make sure the company will not die within 2 years.