If there is one decision that I would change if I could go back to engineering school, it would be this: join a promising tech startup, ideally positioned on a growing niche. A strategic choice, often underestimated, which can transform a career and, in some cases, open the doors to exceptional professional and financial success.
When you are an engineering student or a young graduate, it is tempting to target large companies, attracted by their prestige and well-established structures. Yet another path, often underestimated, can be much more rewarding: that of growing startups. Integrating a young company with high potential allows you to quickly acquire skills, have a real impact and sometimes even transform this experience into a real lever for professional and financial success. In the rest of this article, you will see how this strategic choice can be a real career accelerator and how to adopt it to transform your professional future.
The story of Jérémy Goillot illustrates perfectly the impact that a promising startup can have on a career. As a student, he landed an internship at Spendesk, a young fintech still unknown at the time. Visionary, he chooses to stay after his internship, is fully invested in the project and is awarded stock options. A few years later, Spendesk reaches the status of unicorn, with a valuation exceeding one billion euros. Result: Jérémy not only contributes to the success of the company, he also reaps the rewards, both financially and in terms of influence within the tech ecosystem. Joining a growing startup is more than just a career choice: it’s a unique opportunity to learn, gain skills quickly and take responsibility. Unlike large companies, these young businesses offer a total immersion and a direct contribution to their success. Even better, the stock options given to the first employees can turn into a real fortune if the company succeeds. This is exactly the kind of opportunity offered by https://zeguild.io, a startup which connects emerging talents with high-potential startups. The team selects the top 3% of African developers: those who have successfully passed a series of rigorous technical assessments, designed and reviewed by world-class senior developers and not by recruiters or AI. Beyond the financial gains, joining a startup allows you to build a solid network and strategically position yourself in the tech ecosystem. A bold choice, but often decisive for the future.
While it is true that entering the world of startups is often a winning bet, joining the right one can truly change the life course of an ambitious student. But we still need to know how to identify the one that will make all the difference. Finding the right startup to join is not a matter of chance, but rather a strategic approach. It all starts with the identification of emerging trends: today, artificial intelligence, sustainable technologies or hybrid productivity tools open up new opportunities, as did fintech or blockchain yesterday. To spot these emerging nuggets, it is essential to stay on the lookout, participating in tech events, following industry experts and analyzing fundraising. A promising startup is distinguished by a clear vision, a strong founding team and a growing market. Knowing how to recognize these signals therefore makes the difference between a simple work experience and a real career springboard.
In summary, it is essential to make your student years a real springboard. In engineering school, your choices of internship or alternance can be much more decisive than you imagine. Betting on a promising startup in a growing niche is a unique opportunity to accelerate your career, acquire valuable skills and potentially build financial success. To achieve this, take the time to inform yourself, develop your network and make strategic choices. With hard work, you could be the next Jérémy Goillot, ready to conquer the world of tech.
