[tsotha]

I think the sweet spot for a brand new developer is a company with about 50 people. That way there are other, more experienced developers you can learn from and yet there aren't so many people you're doing someone else's job when you step out of the very narrow confines of your own.

Some of the people from my graduating class in college started at really large companies and learned nothing because they were such a small cog in a really large machine. I went to a company which varied between 40 and 50 people and had the opportunity to learn as much as I could soak in.

Anyway going to a startup is a lot like gambling. You'll most likely be looking for another job soon, but if it pays off it may pay off really big. Who cares if they bring in a "VP of Engineering" if I can cash out my options for six figures?

If it's been two years, the options are worthless, and it looks like you're going to end up a low level employee at a larger company, then it's probably time to move on.