

Ask HN: factors to consider in taking job offers - liquimoon

What factors do you take into account in accepting a job? Obviously the compensation and the benefits, but what else?
======
rhasson
1\. I make sure the job description is inline with what I want to do. I also
make sure it's documented in case 2 months into your new job your boss decides
you need to focus on something else and you end up pigeon holed into something
you don't want to do. 2\. Make sure there is a solid career path that could
help you grow within the organization. Ask the employer to highlight such a
path for you. 3\. Compensation, benefits, stock options, bonuses, etc. Make
sure this is all clearly documented in the offer letter. If they say no to
documenting it they will most likely end up not giving it to you once you are
on board. 4\. Make sure you clearly understand the company's strategy, growth
plan and financials. You don't want to get into a place that will end up on it
face a year later. Many times it's easy to spot such companies with simple
research. If their strategy doesn't agree with you, you will end up frustrated
very quickly. 5\. I usually also do research on the products being sold and
try to understand how I can personally add value to make these products more
successful. This helps me determine if I will enjoy working on them or if I
would be bored. Companies strategy might be good but if the current products
are blah you'll be bored quickly and might not have the patience to wait for
the strategy to unfold.

~~~
bseo
You should use an extra line break between paragraphs in order to avoid wall-
of-text mode.

------
hga
0\. Are they honest? (See #1).

1\. Is the person I'll directly report to a jerk or the like (unfortunate when
this person changes soon after you start...).

2\. Private office with a door that I can close (if my productivity isn't
important to them ... that's a _bad_ sign. If they don't even realize the
significance of this, e.g. of flow, even worse).

2\. b: The office also has to be warm enough; I've had to quit two jobs
because there was very cold air pouring down on me and that triggered an
inevitable sinus infection. They didn't listen before the latter happened and
didn't care much or at all after. In general, make sure the physical
environment is tolerable for you and that they care about this sort of thing.

3\. EMACS is non-negotiable, although that's never been a problem.

After that, the usual stuff, much of which is already well covered in other
responses.

------
seven
I am a freelancer, but this is what I take into account:

* Can I work for or with a person that can teach me something new? (Hey Marc, thanks!)

* Possibility to travel?

* Is my team cool?

* Is there a challenge? Am I forced to learn something new?

* Is the project/business at least somehow sane?

* Am I free about the where and when, as long as it gets done?

* Will I be able to get some shares?

more on a technical level:

* Do they follow best practices like version control or automated testing/builds?

* Am I free to choose my tools?

* How high is the wtf-rate when reading existing code? Or better: Do I want to spend the next x weeks digging into this? (Hint for rails coders: Do a 'rake stats'.)

Hope you will find your dream job soon. All the best.

