Ask HN: Is it okay to work as only developer for a startup directly after study?

#1

Post by blyce » Mon, Oct 27, 2014, 8:01 AM UTC

Hi guys,

I'm stuck in a decision and I want to know how you're thinking about it: At the moment I'm 26, finishing my bachelor's degree in computer science (till the end of next month). On a sunny day in this summer I drank a beer together with a friend and got introduced to someone with a startup idea. Month later now, I've developed a lot for the startup, mostly using my loved MEAN stack and got a very acceptable equity deal.

And: I now got asked to work as first employee as (at the moment and for the next year only) developer for the startup company. I really like to, as I love startup culture, have a strong interest in newest technologies, new thoughts and experimenting with ideas. But I've never worked for any development company yet, having no experience with agile teaming (doing agile as one developer seems a big difference from doing it as team to me!), being responsible for a product or whatever... As I have low costs for my daily life (hey, I'm student right now!), even a big less income than working for an existing company wouldn't matter to me.

Would being the only programmer for a startup be negative for my experience? Would it be better (for my CV e.g.) to gain experience from an existing (bigger) company?

So there are 2 possibilities for me at the moment, as I need a job for the beginning of the next year: Apply to another, existing company first or accept the offer and start developing for the startup.

Could you give me some advise what to do? Perhaps someone has experienced similar.

Re: Ask HN: Is it okay to work as only developer for a startup directly after study?

#2

Post by mc_hammer » Mon, Oct 27, 2014, 8:42 AM UTC

of course, its just a job. imo teams of 2 are way more fun and productive though. teams of 2 are also less stressful :D. cheers

Re: Ask HN: Is it okay to work as only developer for a startup directly after study?

#3

Post by iamflimflam1 » Mon, Oct 27, 2014, 8:42 AM UTC

Do it, you'll regret it if you don't give it a shot. You're young enough that a couple of years doing something you love is not going to have any impact on your career if it doesn't work out.

Best case, the startup is really successful and you help build a team of people and an agile process that works for your company.

Worst case scenario, you do it for a year or two and then walk into another job with 1-2 years experience and get a really good salary.

Just the fact that you are aware of agile approaches puts you at an advantage. Find a process that works for you as one developer and then as more people come on board use their experience to adjust it so that it works for more than one person.

There isn't one agile approach that just works, everyone modifies what they are doing to make it work for their team and their company.

It will look good on your CV. As the only developer/technical person you are going to get a huge amount of experience.

My first job after uni was in a very small 4 man company, it didn't do me any harm. Agile hadn't even been invented when I started work... so get off my lawn!

Re: Ask HN: Is it okay to work as only developer for a startup directly after study?

#4

Post by blyce » Mon, Oct 27, 2014, 9:14 AM UTC

iamflimflam1 wrote: post #3

Do it, you'll regret it if you don't give it a shot. You're young enough that a couple of years doing something you love is not going to have any impact on your career if it doesn't work out. Best case, the startup is really successful and you help build a team of people and an agile process that works for your company. Worst case scenario, you do it for a year or two and then walk into another job with 1-2 years exp…

Thanks for your answer! Yeah, I'm young and it shouldn't be a problem to find any other job in 1-2 years. Agile is no must, it's just something I'm interested in (and I don't even know if I'm doing it right!). My fear is just to enter a company in 1-2 years with an old-fashioned developing waterfall workflow model, where I'm the total newbie that want's to have a good salary even not having any practise in such a way of developing death old products with death old technologies (but in real: I'd really really like NOT to enter such a company if there is any other job out there :-D)

Re: Ask HN: Is it okay to work as only developer for a startup directly after study?

#5

Post by devnonymous » Mon, Oct 27, 2014, 9:54 AM UTC

Do it. Of course, I am assuming that since you are young, you have comparatively (for comparison, look at a generation older, not your peers) lesser liabilities, (eg: little or no financial liabilities, perhaps little or no family commitments in terms of time and money). So your ability to take risks is much greater.

It's not like you can't join a startup if what I assumed is not true, it just is harder.

The advantage of joining a startup early in your career is you will learn more than just technology. You'll learn to appreciate the entire process of building something that someone is willing to pay money for (...and also to support it).

As for your CV, working at the startup is seen as a huge positive at most places -- especially 'Big companies' that were once a startup. Note however, though I said most and not all.