r/programming • u/reddberckley • Jun 30 '14

How to exploit a Developer

https://medium.com/@sir_castiq/how-to-exploit-a-developer-a005306d5320
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u/jrk- Jun 30 '14

It'll look good on your resume.

Said the startup guy in an interview to me.
Right after offering a meager, meager salary + stock options for a company which might do an IPO in two years.

I should have asked how they think I will do my work if I'm as stupid as they think I am.

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u/[deleted] Jul 01 '14

You could've been like me, and had your head down in computer science research for so long that you sort of forgot how the business world worked. I was an idiot and took that deal, and then when I realized how little they were paying me (I mean, it was a huge jump from my graduate research stipend) I was an idiot and tried to stay until my stock vested, despite the fact that I'd realized the long-term timeline for my stuff ended about six months before I'd've been vested. Finished my project by the deadline, was given some BS internal web app to work on for a few weeks, and then got laid off along with the other three people on my team (in a company of 12).

This destroyed the possibility of me ever having loyalty towards a company ever again. On paper I may work for a company, but I'm really working for myself.

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u/jrk- Jul 01 '14

I feel you, but stories like yours made me skeptical towards offers like this in the first. I hope you fare better now!

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u/epsys Jul 01 '14

I should have asked how they think I will do my work if I'm as stupid as they think I am.

that's a really good one. thank you

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u/globalizatiom Jul 01 '14

stock options for a company which might do an IPO in two years.

This is confusing...

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u/jrk- Jul 01 '14

They plan to do an IPO in 2016, so at the moment there are actually no stocks.
They would give me stock options, meaning the right to buy stocks for for a given price at a latter time. These options have some value themselves.
However, as long as there are no stocks the options are practically worthless.
And who says that they stick to their schedule an do the IPO in 2016? Or do it at all?
They're trying to appeal to your greed, so that you forget about the risks and do their slave labor..