Ask HN: Startup Incubator or Work for the Man? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: Startup Incubator or Work for the Man?

3 pointsvalkilmersson4 comments

Hey HN,

Me and my friend are both sophomore computer science majors currently looking at internships for summer 2011. We've both received offers from large corporations for software development, but we're considering another offer from a new local startup incubator. The pay there is much less than at the big companies, but it offers a unique experience - teams of students will essentially decide on a startup idea at the beginning of summer and then be paid to develop those ideas into a functioning product.

We think there could be unique lessons to learn at the startup incubator and we're both interested in entrepreneurship in the long-term, but we don't think it will look as good on a resume. Additionally, $520 per week salary at the incubator is much less compared to the ~$3300 per month offer from Big Company. We are conscious of the fact that in grand scheme of our lives, this difference in pay won't amount to much. There will be valuable experience at Big Company too, although the work is probably going to be less fun.

Our question: Does anyone have any experience interning as a college student at either/both big companies and startup ventures? What were the pros/cons and what did you gain from each experience?

Thanks for any advice you can offer.

My internship at a large company was most useful in cementing one idea in me: working at a large company is not for me. Things move so slowly you want to hang yourself, and you see the daily ritual of political jockeying in full force.

At the end of the internship the company offered me a nice position, but I was entirely uninterested. Instead I founded a company with a friend from school and have never looked back.

Money should not be a deciding factor at this point in your life. You will learn an order of magnitude more at a startup. If your goal is to spend your career creeping your way up the corporate ladder, or if you're unsure of your ability, work for the man. If you see entrepreneurship in your future, it's a no-brainer: go for the startup.

Well, considering you net $1300 difference a month, and that (at least in most cities) $2000/month is plenty to live. I'd go with the startup. (Unless you really need the money.)

There is nothing quite like a startup at its raw. You will learn much more at a startup.

That being said, if you want to work for "the Man" all your life, go with them. They like internships with themselves. :) Otherwise, it's head-over-heels into startup land.

Go wherever you're going to learn the most. And if you think you're going to be working at startups when you get out of school, go work for a big company for a summer. There are things to learn everywhere, even if they are "what not to do" kinds of things.

If you're confident in your abilities, take your future into your own hands, dive in to the startup world and never look back. :)

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