Ask HN: First employees, how much equity did you get?
I think it&#x27;s meaningless.<p>Employees with &quot;equity&quot; options will:<p>1. Get diluted with every VC round (oh, but value of our company is increased so you potentially own more in dollars!)<p>2. Left in a dark about preferred shares schedules and conditions that every VC gets. Preferred shares allows VC&#x27;s to get paid first and in multiples of their original investments in case of an exit. This effectively can and most often will leave exactly $0 for employees with every exit regardless is employee owns 1% 5% or 25% of options.<p>Upon hiring - request disclosure of preferred shares schedules - before and during employment - and you&#x27;ll quickly be given some excuse or shown the door if you insist.<p>If you&#x27;re lucky and given equity right before IPO or given RSU (actual shares with vesting schedule) of publicly traded company - then it could make a world of difference.