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Ask HN: Leaving Big Company for Startup

3 points by bstockton ↗ HN
First, thanks to anyone who reads this and gives their honest opinion. I know this audience includes some of the most experienced people out there in the startup and large company realm.

I am a Statistician/data scientist for a large energy company. I have my job down to where I have written programs to automate most tasks and my company allows me a lot of freedom and time off to do what I want. I am taking courses during the day at a top 30 university in computer science. I have done a lot at my job, but feel it is in a traditional space. I fear working in this traditional area may not get me where I want to go. My goal is to work as a data scientist for a top tech company, i.e. Google, Facebook.

I have a masters in statistics and my bachelors is in math and economics, however, most of the people I see at top companies in my field hold PhDs. So, while working at this company I have been taking the necessary courses to get into a computer science PhD program, specializing in machine learning.

A friend from grad school approached me and asked if I wanted to work as a data scientist at the startup he works for. I would have the chance to co-lead a data science team and really influence the company. I would get a raise and would have more responsibility, but would have to stop going to school. He works at a fintech company similar to Affirm (affirm.com); smaller than affirm but established (~100 employees).

What route do you think would further my goals, staying at the energy company and working towards a PhD, or taking going to the startup which offers more responsibility and the chance to really impact the company?

Thanks again for any honest opinions.

4 comments

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toonies555
you're studying to be a better employee to advance your career? or is just for a title (ceo or phd)? the startup gives you a shortcut to advance your career. you dont mention your age, if you're young, you can usually get away with making a career switch or two. the guy that goes for a startup wants to (probably) make a huge impact on the world in a short time. the guy that stays in big company will have more specialised impact but it probably wont be a headline maker of an impact.

we cant decide for you. but if you think of the two choices as those two extremes (big impact vs specialised impact) then maybe its easier for you to chose. good luck bossman

bstockton
Thanks a lot. The big impact vs specialized impact does frame things well. I almost see the PhD as a necessary condition for my career path; akin to an MD for a doctor. There are no laws governing the work like an MD. However, when I look at the people who are in the positions I want, less than 5% have masters, the rest are all PhDs. I'm in my late 20s by the way.
kirankn
Working for Google/FB shouldn't be actual goals. The actual goal probably should be to do something interesting and making it big. So, even if you were to do the PhD, you might still be at crossroads figuring out what to do next. The startup, if whatever you said works, should give you enough to explore and understand your boundaries and in that process if you feel that you lack something that can only be fulfilled by a PhD, you can always do it later. You may not get such an opportunity again soon.
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