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Comment by randomly1983814 | Hacker News Reader

randomly1983814

I was just putting together my resume to send them (and the thought crossed my mind that an IPO might be coming in the next year), then I see this.

For anyone who's done this dance before, is it a bad, good, or great idea to apply to a company, right when S-1 is released? Don't know if, e.g., companies do a hiring lockdown right before IPO. Also, just on the emotional side, I joined a company very shortly after IPO years ago, and it was always a sore spot to see the life-changing millions of dollars of those who joined the company not long before me, and the constant reminder of "pre-" vs "post-" employees.

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Looking back at our timeline, we filed the S-1 about 3.5 months before the first day of trading. (I'd been there a little over 2 years before that, so well after it was clear we had a legitimate chance, but well before it was clear we could IPO.)

I would say that employees who were there right before or shortly after the IPO weren't all that different in terms of initial grants. The only difference is that pre-IPO employees could get ISOs which have slightly better tax treatment than NQSOs.

I would make the decision based on the work, the pay, and your overall feelings for the space rather than whether you applied 4 weeks ago or 4 weeks after IPO. You already missed the gains before the IPO, but most companies have a lot more gains after the IPO than before it.

If you're the type to be jealous that you missed on the pre-IPO gains, don't go, of course. Those employees who made "millions" in the IPO didn't do it because they joined 2 months before you. They probably joined 2+ years before you.

All you say is true. I suppose except if IPO has a big pop then obviously you can miss out on that but for a few days here and there.

In my own case I described above, yeah I was actually very envious of the pre-IPO crowd (almost destructively so) when I joined, but my envy eventually calmed down out of exhaustion -- after the Nth meeting with a billionaire or centi-millionaire, and after you meet the Nth person like yourself who missed out on the rocket-ship, and after you turn down the Nth supposed rocket-ship that flames out (bullet dodged!) you kinda lose the ability to care much about what-could-have-been.

I've had two "good" exits in my career, a purchase by a public company of a game studio and an IPO. Both of those gave me barely six-figures at the moment of the event, so they were decidedly positive, but not even "gosh darn you!" money, let alone "FU!" money.

i think you answered your own question

Maybe. Was wondering other's opinions and experiences, especially if applying/joining during IPO roadshow or immediately after IPO.

Mostly just curious. Getting hired is a big hurdle anway, and it takes a long time, and hell maybe I won't even get around to submitting.

i joined an early stage co that will go public within the next year and got very lucky in a junior role with a life changing amount of money. the compensation at private cos is so whacky depending on when you join. it’s just the nature of working in early stage cos.

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