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As someone with 13 years of experience in Backend Development and Devops and currently working in a startup that might run out of money next year, would it make sense to start looking for a new job right now or just wait it out? Also considering that I'm working in Europe where job protection laws are quite strict and having worked in a company for 3 years will give you strong job security. So basically I will be one of the last ones to be laid off.

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The longer you wait to jump ship, the less time you'll have to establish and prove your value at a new company, making it more likely that you'll be first in line on the chopping block if the new company also ends up with layoffs in the next few years.

It really all depends on how many years you can survive without a job from your savings and how much faith you have in your startup to survive long term. You seem to be in a high risk, high reward situation which necessarily has no one right answer because every person has different risk tolerances. If you can survive 2-3 years without a high paying tech job, and don't have a family to support, the reward of sticking it out might be worth the risk. Only you can answer that.

No job protection laws will protect you from losing job when startup runs out of business. Look for a new job now.

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