Working for a startup makes less sense, unless you are into the mission
As someone who was a 1st engineer of a startup that successfully exited I had what would be considered a good payout. When looking over the course of my career, however, it simply made up for the reduced salary I took for the years I worked there. It was a net-neutral outcome to be the 1st engineer at a startup that actually exited for a substantial (8-figure deal) outcome which already puts me in the minority.<p>So no, its not worth it and hasn&#x27;t been worth it for some time (I was there nearly a decade ago)...<p>...financially.<p>However, what was worth it was the experience I gained. Being the 1st non-founder engineer means you own a whole stack or specialty and you have no one to lean on. You have to figure <i>everything</i> out. Doing so propelled my career immeasurably. Without that experience I&#x27;d still likely be a very mediocre engineer. As much as it wasn&#x27;t a good financial decision it was a great decision in terms of upping my skills, becoming a harder worker, and building a network with VCs and the local engineering community.<p>I had already worked at the Big 4 prior to switching and I didn&#x27;t thrive in that environment. The startup ecosystem provided me the opportunity to work hard, network, build skills, and give me the tools &amp; learnings on how to start my own business.<p>Not everything is about money.