Re: [Fwd: Re: Is this really a tech writing job?]
Are there any indicators that a prospective employee can use to gauge a startup's chances of giving him a payoff like you enjoyed?
When you are considering working for a startup, you are often interviewed by one of the founders. Usually, it's very easy to get founders to talk about what they are doing. If you do your preparation for the interview, you should know enough about the industry to know how original the idea is.
You also want to get some indication of funding. These days, startups often don't give the exact figure, but you should be able to learn how many years they've budgeted for.
Similarly, if you can, learn something about staff growth and the areas where the company is planning to hire. A common mistake is for the founders to hire too many people like themselves: Too many programmers and not enough sales people, or too many sales people and not enough programmers. A well-balanced hiring plan is more likely to be successful. Beware, too, of companies that plan to expand rapidly; they tend to collapse just as quickly, whether because their expansion isn't planned, or because too many new people at once destroys the corporate culture or prevents it from forming.
Finally, approach the job in the same way you would buying a car, taking out a mortgage, or any other major financial transaction. If anything rings false or seems too good to be true, then listen to your instincts and get out.
--
Bruce Byfield 604-421-7177
http://members.axion.net/~bbyfield
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Re: [Fwd: Re: Is this really a tech writing job?]: From: coliver
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