For Start-Ups Seeking Talent, a Lofty Purpose Can Backfire

Tarakci: I have yet to meet someone who says they don’t want to make the world a better place. But life at a start-up is grueling. It typically means working very long hours in the face of huge market and technological uncertainties. People take that on for certain reasons. They might hope the firm will have extraordinary returns they can cash in on. They might be looking to build a reputation and their careers. Several early Google employees, for example, went on to lead other major tech firms. They might be seeking growth opportunities and autonomy. They’re generally considering factors besides alignment with organizational values, or so-called value fit.