Should I work for a startup for equity?

VoyageLA Founder and CEO, Mayank Bhandari, advises that the decision on whether to accept equity should be part and parcel of your decision to work at a startup. “You should only work for a startup if you really believe in the mission and team. But if you do, then taking equity is a no-brainer,” he says.

Is it good to work at a startup?

You learn a lot: Startups place loads of responsibility on their employees. You help with everything at a startup. Often, it’s work outside your job description, so opportunities for learning and growth abound. Founders and employees work together; there’s no middle management, so you learn from the best.

Should you join an early startup?

It can be exhilarating—not to mention a great learning experience—to join an early startup, but you’ll typically see much lower salaries paired with higher equity stakes, as the smaller the company, the lower the chances they’ve raised (or made) tons of cash.

Should you ask for more equity in a job offer?

Even if you’re satisfied with the company’s equity offer, it doesn’t hurt to ask for more. A study done by Linda Babcock found that on average, people who negotiated were able to increase their salary by over 7\%. That’s money or options you wouldn’t have otherwise—all for asking a simple question.

How do I find out what equity grants companies offer?

Glassdoor, Payscale, and GetRaised are good places to start on the salary front, and you can sometimes see the equity percentages companies offer on AngelList. Know what parts of the equity grant are negotiable. Unless you’re an executive, you’ll likely only be able to negotiate your number of shares.

Is it better to choose between salary or equity?

Before diving into the decision between salary and equity, it’s important to understand how they differ in the short-term, as well as how they may pay off down the road. Salary is the easier one, as it’s simply cash in your pocket today, which you can use how you’d like.