When offered a seat on a rocket ship, you don’t ask what seat :D

OK. So it is your first job in tech. What are your options? Should you ....

Option 1: Join A Large Tech company

Hmm. that sounds good. You will go right into a safe haven. And of course good salary , and perks.

Option 2: Join An early-stage startup

Hmmmm.. There will be a hell lot of responsibility. Yes, but you’ll make a real impact on the product. Well.. you may be on the founding team and get a BIG equity too ( Make use of it if your startup takes off ??.

Option 3: Start your own company

Now. that is going to be adventurous. You will be in for some adventure. Some rough seas on the way. May be you will work on the side. May be apply to an accelerator. May be cut corners. Pivot. Ofcourse, you must have a good appetite for risks.

Option 4: Join a mid-stage startup

Ahhh.. now we are in the space that we waited for. Have you heard these wordings by Eric Schmidt? "If you're offered a seat on a rocket ship, you don't ask what seat. You just get on." ???

That rocket ship is your mid-stage startup.

If you are past your final year of graduation and on the look out for a job, try a MidStage Startup. Here is why:

1. Your Work Will Matter
2. The Mid Stage Startup is past the product market fit tussle.
3. One , Unlike an early startup, you don't spend all your time in building and then trying to get the world to care for your product - your product already has their love.
4. Two, unlike large companies, the mid stage startup don't need to fit in. Between the two extremes is a sweet spot of hyper growth.
5. The initial pilot having seen success, there is a lot of work and you can get past the mockup days and get real data and feedback on your team’s efforts.
6. And you still get to do things "your way" rather than the company's way.
7. Rapid Growth leads to tremendous opportunity
8. The mid size startups have a lot of work to do, less hands and loads of money to expend on their teams' expansion. Means? They are going to hire a lot of people. And they are going to need leaders. Who better than you to lead the team? And so.. you are going up up up the ladder like the cork on water.
9. The super motivated early team will be your network forever
10. Needless to say the founding team is a motivated lot. They are going to be making more noise in the next two decades. And is there a better network than to be in the know of successful founders and their friends? You have a great network to go to, it is an incentive to kill for.
11. You stock options are worth something
12. Having gotten past the initial value creation milestone, the mid size startup has greater chance of 10x growth within the next 4–7 years than a newly funded company would. And you may well be left with a decent amount in your account within a decade of your leaving the college.
13. Besides working in a high performing company, the pre-IPO tag helps
14. Last, yet not the least. Folks with the pre_IPO tag always get eyeballs and ears too. So, your career takes a swing in the right direction post your stint here.

This article is adapted from an article I appreciated. The original was written by Hunter Walk. Look him up here -

https://www.dhirubhai.net/in/hunterwalk/