[dawhizkid]

unless you are a founding engineer, that is not out of the norm even for the earliest employees (unfortunately)

nothing is "very very risky" unless you are taking your entire salary in equity. if you are making a competitive base I think you'll survive any misstep choosing the wrong early stage co in the long run.

[icedchai]

I was employee #5 at a startup and I got 0.5%.

Another startup offered me 0.1% and a mediocre salary. I had to put the phone on mute while I laughed.

[dawhizkid]

I wouldn't pick an early stage co to join just based on the % of the company they offered. 0.5% in something worthless is still 0.

[icedchai]

I wouldn't either... The team was good and the product was technically interesting.

(The startup that offered me the 0.1% didn't have either of these qualities.)