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I've always been willing to start with zero compensation or benefits until <milestone> to demonstrate my value and build trust.

It is rare that a company will take you up on that offer though. It really highlights what the money is actually about and how tribal "professional" "business" can be.

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That would honestly be an extreme red flag for me if I was considering hiring you. As an older engineer myself, I would never roll the dice like that — my contributions in this industry are public and I have the network to show for it. My time is worth something to me, even if it’s not worth anything to anyone else, and the older I get the more that’s true.

Perhaps we are looking at a good example of the tribal scenario here.

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