Ask HN: Accept a job or continue my nascent startup

[maximebf]

Hi everybody,

I really like the HN community and I have a hard decision to make and cannot make my mind.

I'm graduating in CS this month and have been working on my startup for the past 5 months. The project is still in development and there is at least 4 months of development left. To finance myself, I've been doing some freelancing and the company for which I work as proposed me a job as lead developer with a (well) above average salary for a fresh out of school developer and some nice incentives. The work is really nice and the team is great. The contract would have a non exclusive clause so I could continue to work on my own startup during evenings and weekends. Obviously, it would take me much more time to release something. On a sidenote, I'm completely new at the startup game, not connected at all and only have experience as a freelancer. OTOH, the guys proposing me the contract have experience creating other startups and raising funds.

Should I take the reasonable choice (I think) which is to get the job or kind of "follow my dream"?

Thanks

[aeden]

Given your inexperience and the fact that you can continue working on the project on the side (make sure that is in any employment contract you sign, explicitly called out) I personally think you should take the job. Use it as a learning opportunity and keep moving forward on your side project.

One other note: why is your own project taking so long to develop? Is it possible that you need to reduce the scope so you can launch sooner? Just some thoughts.

[maximebf]

It's a really big project involving hardware, not a web-only startup ;)

[mrbad101]

Continue to perform contract work with the company that offered you the position. Explain to them why you are making the choice. If they have been successful in dealing with startups, they understand that it takes a person who is following a dream to make one happen. Don't take the salary job unless you really are strapped for cash, and/or have a family to take care of.

[maximebf]

The question was raised when the made their proposal. The contract work was schedule to go until December and would continue if my decision was negative. However I do not have any other contracts lined up but I'm not really in need of cash right now.

[Mz]

Food for thought:

I work for a large company. I have an entry level job. The big thing consuming all my time, energy and money the past few years has been "getting well when doctors say it can't be done". I am a lot more functional here lately and there are hopeful signs that I will soon be able to focus a lot more on something else (for example: I have had the energy to a do a great deal more overtime this year than in previous years). The entire time I have worked at this company, I have basically been extremely torn between wanting to get a promotion or better paying job within the company and not really wanting that. I have been in basically desperate need of money the entire time and, for that reason, would have taken a promotion if offered one. Yet I also was concerned that getting one or more promotions would make it harder and harder to leave and someday go do my own thing -- in part because it would mean walking away from more money but also in part because I would be more psychologically enmeshed in the company and have more of a feeling of belonging and also would need to give more of myself to the job, thus leaving less for other things I am working on.

My health issues have been a big factor in why I didn't qualify for promotion. This year, I am very happy to have the energy to work more overtime because it gives me additional income without making me feel more a part of the company and without really taking up more of my mental space. I do have to focus on the job while I am there, but the low level of responsibility involved in my job means I can still leave it at work and no one is calling me at home or anything like that, which does happen with some of the really important people at the company. (EDIT: If you haven't seen it already, you might want to check out Paul Graham's article about "the top idea in your mind" to understand the importance to me of not having my job mentally intrude on my life after hours. http://www.paulgraham.com/top.html)

I have so far not been offered any promotions so did not have to specifically make a decision. But I was really happy when I recently realized that working more overtime is the perfect solution for me right now because it avoids the things I don't want that would come with a promotion while getting me the one thing I really do want from a promotion: more money.

Good luck with your decision.