Thinking about taking a job at a startup? Here’s what you need to know.
Published in · 5 min read · Mar 11, 2021
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As a 2x founder who has worked in environments from ultra-corporate (BMW) to consultancies, and now to a small, agile team at BUNCH, I’ve had to navigate both sides of the negotiation table. These days, I’m mostly on the founder’s side — hoping to bring on excellent talent that’s as excited about the future of BUNCH as I am.
Startups tend to be notorious for low-salary, high-perk packages. But that doesn’t mean working with a startup doesn’t come with a high return on investment. In fact, it’s quite the opposite.
By learning what to leverage and how to speak a founder’s language in negotiations, it’s possible to “have it all” — high-impact, world-changing work, and compensation that helps you feel supported. Navigating the compensation conversation the right way can help you forge an incredibly strong partnership with your future founding team. Let’s dive into how.
Additional perks aside, the most important balance in negotiating an offer with a startup comes down to equity and salary. If you look at those two terms and consider it all to be muddled together, you’re not playing the game right. Remember — the rules of startups are not the same as the corporate world.
