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Ask HN: Should I quit my current job at a startup?

6 points by JayeshSidhwani ↗ HN
Background:

I am an early employee of a startup. I have been with it for almost 2 years now. The startup doesn't seem to be doing good. I started looking for jobs and I got one at another startup, which seems to be doing very good. I am also being offered a very critical role in the new team.

I am very hopeful of this new startup and also excited about the work; however when I discussed this idea with my current co-founders, it did not go well. They say that I am their key employee and they would find it difficult to make things work properly if I leave.

I am not able to really make my mind. I am ready to do a proper handover and also help them find a replacement. But the concerns put on me by my current co-founders is emotionally draining me.

Have you ever been in such a situation? Thank you for your help.

8 comments

[ 3.4 ms ] story [ 29.1 ms ] thread
valarauca1
Is it better to be selfish, and be happy. Or selfless and suffer?

This question has plagued humanity for a long time. The only person who can answer it for you, is you.

debacle
If they aren't making things work with you, they definitely aren't going to make things work without you. Are you vested? How far away is your cliff? Is your equity ridiculous?

Regardless of how important you are to your current employer, if their money dries up they are going to stop paying you and terminate your employment. Even if you are their key employee.

If they really want to keep you on, tell them you want much more equity because you are taking on a lot of risk and the startup doesn't seem to be performing strongly.

JayeshSidhwani
Thanks! I am not vested. I was promised since the beginning but it has never happened. I think asking for more equity is no good when you have a hunch that the startup is not moving ahead, no?
debacle
If you don't have a vesting schedule now you will never have equity unless you demand it.

Asking for more equity (or in your case, any at all) will let you know if they actually value you or just don't want you to leave.

CmonDev
2 years? It's time to change regardless. They are not your family.
JayeshSidhwani
I am from India and people here stereotype a dev as not a good employee if he changes jobs too often. Happens in your country? How do you counter it?
sandeepshetty
It's kinda weird to use your personal account to ask this (instead of an anonymous one). Based on your submissions here on HN (https://news.ycombinator.com/submitted?id=JayeshSidhwani) and a quick google search for your name (which throws up https://in.linkedin.com/in/jayeshsidhwani and https://twitter.com/jayeshsidhwani), it becomes obvious that you are talking about Shopsense and saying that it is not going anywhere.

As for your questions, do what's best for you. It's also usually best to leave out emotions when making these kind of decisions.

It doesn't matter if it's been 2 years or 2 months, as long as you have a valid reason for quitting, you shouldn't be stereotyped as an "unstable" employee (even more so, if you are good at what you do).

I'm in Mumbai as well, so if you need to "talk" to someone before your decide, I'll be more than happy to lend a ear.