Why You Should Reject that Start-Up Job

I've noticed something interesting with talent in my area (Madison, WI): people like when you say you looking to build a sustainable business that won't try to dish out equity instead of a normal salary. It's almost a hiring advantage if played right. I think people are starting to catch on that options are worse than worthless and if a company sells you can lose your job and not make much back, despite pouring your soul into the startup.

In a company looking to exit ASAP, you realize that the only ones that would benefit in that exit are a few founders and key early hires. Everyone else will probably lose out. That really messes with the culture, too.

I still think a startup job has many benefits that beat a non-Google corporate job, and I would never go back to a big company again, but I probably wouldn't be interested in working at a VC-backed startup shooting for a quick exit.

In the land of start-ups the VCs are the chickens, the employees are the pigs. As in the fable it generally doesn't work out so well for the pig.