My heart and gut is telling me that I should go with the Web3 startup, no matter how much I convince myself otherwise. My mom is largely warning me against the idea of me joining one and pushes the idea of a "stable" job on me.
I get where she comes from, but even with my tech choices I was historically not the "default" or "most popular" type, I liked trying something different. Well, unless I really like a particular piece of software, like with FreeBSD, where I am a committer. But even then, my FreeBSD laptop is a very new HP Spectre x360 14 and not the "safe" option of a 10-year-old ThinkPad X220/T420, and I like Gnome even if everyone else doesn't.
Going back, I feel more entrepreneurial and not cut out for a "corporate job", I want to innovate on my job and take ownership. At the same time, with other important metrics like work-life balance and compensation, a "big company" also has its wins. But even at Microsoft I do have times when I am pretty much idle (even if I ask for work) nor do I want to work in "Big Data" forever either.
For reference, the startup is a Series B company. I also have interviews with another series C Web3 company, and a "big" firm (not FAANGMULA, but more like Pinterest or Dropbox sized).
However, about you all HN readers, especially those who worked at both startups and big companies (doesn't have to be FAANG), which do you prefer and why? I am leaning towards the Web3 startup if I get it, but also want other perspectives.
Yes, I did have an internship at a (now-dead) crypto CDN startup who almost hired me full-time, well before Microsoft came in.
The most important thing I think a developer can do is remain compelling in the job market on your own two feet. While your mom may look at Microsoft and see it as some stable lottery ticket for life, in reality it can make you look less robust. That’s doubly so for a typical big co that doesn’t have the pedigree of Microsoft. My mom would probably say the same for my company, as in it’s well known - so what’s the problem? The problem is it looks lame past a certain point and she has no idea the nonsense involved in this job market.
For every person that joins a startup thinking they will have ownership, autonomy, or whatever else you can concoct, there is also a counter party that is leaving at the same time saying there was no ownership, autonomy, etc. It’s all perception. As you leave Microsoft, someone else is entering wide eyed.
It’s all just a giant game, so keep that track record fresh!