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how about joining a start-up leaving a job in big company...

 
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Hi Ranchers,

One of the so-called start-up companies got my reference last year. They wanted me to help them in setting up their QA and head that department (Just to note that time my experience was 4 years). I met those people, had formal round of interviews after which I got an oral offer to join. But, as I started discussing this offer with my family and close friends almost all of them said it's better not to join it. Each of them had their own resoning to suggest this. Finally since I could not gather any significant backing I decided not to join it.

A few days back one of the founder of that company again contacted me to get some references from me. He also told that the offer is still open for me.

What has changed from then and now is that - last year I was in Noida working for a small CMM4 company and now I am with big company in Hyderabad which is near my home town Latur. Last year I was of opinion that if I get a job in stable company I will be happy and satisfied. But now I have started saying "Work is the same everywhere; only people feel that I am working for a big company".

Those people have plans to list their venture in NYSE and then keep it for takeover option by another company so that everybody in the company can earn a decent amount in another 2-3 years. He says the value of my stocks could be around 1 cr!

This figure along with the lure to head and lead the whole QA department sometimes makes me think that I should join it!

What you friends suggest?
 
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I joined a start up company once and I think what you may consider is

1. Start up company tends to work overtime, sometimes all night and frequently.
Since you have family, your valuable time with your wife and kids will be sacrificed. I heard that the divorce rate would go up, as longer people work for a start up company.

2. You should consider your network and skills preparing in case the start up company fails. The success rate of start up company is only 3%

Otherwise #1, 2, I think it is good experience to work at start up company.

Good luck
 
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Evaluate the company on the basis of the qualifications of the other people working there..

All this talk to stock value being 1 cr etc is BS. Don't fall for that.
The founders of the startup should be sound-minded and possess good technical/managerial skills.

It should be a good experience as long as its not some fraud company!
All the best,
Amit
 
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kvin you may need to change your display name as per JavaRanch naming policy.
You can read about it here:http://www.javaranch.com/name.jsp

You need think few factors and evaluate the company before joining.

Who are the founders? Are they able to get enough projects and stay in the market.

I have two scenarios which happened to my friends.

1. One friend joined in a start up company pune. This company was strated by a person who have lot of money and he is doing good business in mechanical industry. He expected projects from US. From the day one my friend didnt have work. Within 6 months the company got closed. It happened in 2000-01.

2. One friend joined in a start up company Mumbai. the company was started by two people who have 10 years of IT experience. When this guy joined they are just 10 people. They basically dependent on local projects only. Within 2 years this company grown upto 50 people and my friend salary grown from 1.2L to 4L. Now its almost all 5 years, they are around 100 people and my friend is a Project Manager.

So if you think the start up company have growth like 2nd company, I prefer to join. Before joining do your ground work to find out about the company
[ November 17, 2005: Message edited by: KJ Reddy ]
 
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"kvin",

Welcome to JavaRanch.

Please look carefully at official naming policy at Javaranch & reregister yourself with proper first & last name, with a space between them. Obviously fictitious names are not allowed. Please adhere to official naming policy & help maintain the decorum of the forum. The naming policy can be found at http://www.javaranch.com/name.jsp

--Mark
[ November 17, 2005: Message edited by: Mark Herschberg ]
 
Vin Kumbh
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Mark and KJ I have modified my display name. Thanks for telling me to do the right thing.
[ November 17, 2005: Message edited by: Vinayak ]
 
Vin Kumbh
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How to evaluate a start-up company? How to gather the information that can help in evaluating the company?

The company I am intersted in is "Opelin" in New Delhi. They have one "data backup and retrieval" software.
 
Kj Reddy
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Originally posted by Vinayak:
Mark and KJ I have modified my display name. Thanks for telling me to do the right thing.

[ November 17, 2005: Message edited by: Vinayak ]



Still your display name is not valid. Your display name should have first and last name.

Read this:
"I understand that in some cultures there is no such thing as "first name and last name" - there is just one name. If you are one of these people, I would like to humbly ask you to sacrifice a piece of your culture to help me build this culture. In the past, permitting single names has inspired less wholesome "creative" aliases. The job of keeping names professional grew exponentially. The result is that exceptions to the naming rule are no longer permitted."
 
Kj Reddy
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Originally posted by Vinayak:
How to evaluate a start-up company? How to gather the information that can help in evaluating the company?

The company I am intersted in is "Opelin" in New Delhi. They have one "data backup and retrieval" software.



Few tips:
You can evaluate the company by evaluating the founders.

As you have chance to interact with founders directly, you can talk with them directly. Know their ideas, plans to improve the business. Evaluate thier thoughts, and if you think the company can really grow, then you can go ahead.

But remember there will be lot of difference for a startup company and established big company interms of work culture. In start up company things may not be well organized.
 
Mark Herschberg
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Originally posted by Vinayak:
Mark and KJ I have modified my display name. Thanks for telling me to do the right thing.



I appreciate your effort, however the policy calls for a proper first & last name, with a space between them (http://www.javaranch.com/name.jsp).

--Mark
 
Vin Kumbh
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Thanks again... now I hope it doesn't violate the policy.
 
Consider Paul's rocket mass heater.
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