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That's not taking into account other important factors: * Work on a new potentially game-changing product as part of the founding team * Join a small t

by vecter 14y ago

That's not taking into account other important factors: * Work on a new potentially game-changing product as part of the founding team * Join a small team where you'lll have more say in the production direction and company growth * Opportunity to grow responsibilities as the company grows * Gain startup experience and expand your network * Potential huge upside you'll never get at $150K/year + $50K bonus balanced by high risk of failure

deleted 14y ago
[deleted]
ProblemFactory 14y ago
I've worked at both the "BigCo's" (including Google) and "cool new" startups. In summary, it is almost pointless to compare working at big companies and startups. The variance within both groups is much larger than the differences between the groups. There are pretty good, and very boring big companies. There are amazing, and hugely terrible startups. To find something that you will enjoy you have to evaluate each opportunity separately based on your preferences, not choose a company size first. All these "important factors" are as much of a marketing tagline as they are an actual benefit. In some startups they might be the case. Probably yes if you are employee number 1-2 but not 10-20, let alone 100-200. But in comparison to some other startups a big company may deliver more value for all of them.
- levlandau 14y ago
  Company size is still meaningfully correlated with certain facts and so the distinction ahead of time is meaningful despite the large variance within each group. In other words, for various reasons (like learning, wearing multiple hats, building up a network, the desire to start a startup) it makes sense to decide ahead of time to work at a startup versus a big company. As long as you work with great people on a mission you are passionate about.
codex 14y ago
The first three and half of the fourth can be had at Google, though perhaps not to the same degree.

by vecter 14y ago

deleted 14y ago

[deleted]

ProblemFactory 14y ago

I've worked at both the "BigCo's" (including Google) and "cool new" startups. In summary, it is almost pointless to compare working at big companies and startups. The variance within both groups is much larger than the differences between the groups. There are pretty good, and very boring big companies. There are amazing, and hugely terrible startups. To find something that you will enjoy you have to evaluate each opportunity separately based on your preferences, not choose a company size first. All these "important factors" are as much of a marketing tagline as they are an actual benefit. In some startups they might be the case. Probably yes if you are employee number 1-2 but not 10-20, let alone 100-200. But in comparison to some other startups a big company may deliver more value for all of them.

levlandau 14y ago
Company size is still meaningfully correlated with certain facts and so the distinction ahead of time is meaningful despite the large variance within each group. In other words, for various reasons (like learning, wearing multiple hats, building up a network, the desire to start a startup) it makes sense to decide ahead of time to work at a startup versus a big company. As long as you work with great people on a mission you are passionate about.

codex 14y ago

The first three and half of the fourth can be had at Google, though perhaps not to the same degree.