Skip to main content
Communication, Art + Technology › Communication
SFU Co-op Student

Frogplum Solutions Inc. Team
Working in a start-up is stressful, and sometimes confusing, but ultimately the most rewarding job you can ever have.

Do you ever go into your first day at a new job with extremely unrealistic expectations? You enter the doors to your job, head held high, ready to conquer your tasks for the day. But, as soon as you settle into your seat and your fingers brace the keyboard, your supervisor tells you that you have to create—

A proposal?

That wasn’t part of my job description. I thought all I was going to be doing was posting Instagram photos and checking analytics. Oh, you also want me to create all the content for a website? No wait—multiple websites? And, this can’t be right, you want me to create the services for all of our marketing, design AND development packages? You want my help with pricing them too?

But—none of that was in my job description.

When I started working at Frogplum Solutions Inc., I thought I got hired as strictly a digital marketing specialist. I thought I would be sitting behind my computer, typing out some tweets and testing out different SEO techniques in a completely static position. I never thought I would be doing what I’m doing today—writing out entire websites, creating marketing packages, and planning all of our company events.

When you work at a start-up, literally anything can happen. These companies are filled with creative people, betting on themselves and taking risks that an established company may otherwise not do. When those risks pay off, be prepared to get pulled in about five different directions. Also be prepared to become extremely overwhelmed, to take walks around the building just to organize your thoughts, and to be extremely overjoyed when you see your content take off.

I know—I’m not painting the start-up life as a glorious one and that’s because it’s not. It’s disorganized, it’s confusing, and you’re likely going to burden a lot more than you originally thought you could. But, because of this, you learn so much about the things you can do and you’ll realize that you have so much more potential than you ever thought.

Before working at Frogplum Solutions, I never thought I had the ability to write out the content for an entire website. I never thought I would be writing out blog posts for our company. I never in a million years thought I would be filming and editing videos for our company’s YouTube page.

So, what’s the take away from this? Working in a start-up is stressful, and sometimes confusing, but ultimately the most rewarding job you can ever have. The moment you take a step back from the chaos, take a look at what you’ve done, and how it’s flourishing under the wings of those around you; that’s the moment you realize that you can handle so much more than you thought.

SFU Co-op Student
Connect with Anmol on Instagram @anmolboparai_

You Might Like These... Co-op Reflections, Professional Development, Career Exploration, Seeking, Work Term Extension

author, courtney, smiling
A Second Term in Government: More of the Same?

Having completed my first work term for Health Canada as a Communications Officer Intern, I was eager to try something new, and the government was not where I believed that was going to happen. That is until I was offered a position at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada...

picture of glichelle pondering a though
Surviving Workplace Politics

Ever been peeved with workplace politics? Have you ever been a victim of office politics? One student shares her experiences from the workplace with tips on how to survive.

 

person with their head in a book
Responsibility and Success

One of the most memorable parts of my time in co-op was the collection of accidents, errors, mistakes, and mix-ups that happened in the course of working in the laboratory.

 

You Might Like These... Co-op Reflections

the back of two women staring at a laptop screen
What to Expect During a Site Visit

I had no idea what to expect for my first co-op site visit, did you? In this blog post, I reflect back on what happened during my first site visit, to help prepare you for what might happen at yours!

Two men in suits and ties sitting down, shaking hands
The Most Important Trait to Get You Hired

Robert's boss shared a key lesson with him about an essential trait that can get one hired. What is that trait and how can you develop it? Read on to learn more from Robert.

Image of Author. He is smiling at the camera. He is wearing a white shirt and black coat
Working in the Public Service: 3 Key Realizations

Curious about what it's like working in public service? Joseph breaks down his role as the Web Communications Assistant for the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Read on to learn about his experience.