
Is it Time for You to Earn or to Learn? - alexjmann
http://www.bothsidesofthetable.com/2009/11/04/is-it-time-for-you-to-earn-or-to-learn/
======
swombat
Excellent article, shame it's not getting more upvotes.

~~~
lionhearted
I went and read it because you're one of my favorite posters/commenters, and
really enjoyed it and learned - so thank you.

The title _is_ underwhelming though. The piece is a lot better than the title
- author does realistic math on the range stock options are likely to be
worth, then discusses whether it makes sense to jump into a risky venture with
a chance of a big win, and talks about what to look for in more stable
learning gigs if you're not going for a big win. Then he tells some stories,
and he also mentions some nice specific points to think about ("accelerated
vesting on change of control" - that one seems very important to me after
reading this).

So yeah, very good piece, underwhelming title, but it's definitely worth a
read.

------
alexjmann
There is so much career crap that comes through the internet, and this is the
most practical piece I've read in a long time. So many decisions can be
concluded by simply asking the question of the post title.

The best one to make, I assume, is if you can both earn and learn.

------
maurycy
Earning can give you a different perspective that improves your knowledge on
what to learn.

------
duh
> If you really want to earn you need to be in the top 3-4 in the company.
> Best to be a founder.

The most important line of the article. If you're not on the conference calls
and meetings that involve money, you're a sucker. They are hiding things from
you.

Work a 9-5 and "learn" on your own time - or better yet, learn as part of the
job where you're paid what you're actually worth. Many developers need to
learn how to grow a spine and not work to make other (startup) people rich.

Likewise, if you work a 9-5 and don't have time to "learn", you're a sucker.
What the _HELL_ (!!!) are you doing working your ass off for a megacorp? This
is something of a false dichotomy.

~~~
neilc
> If you're not on the conference calls and meetings that involve money,
> you're a sucker.

The article's point is that if you want to make enough money to retire, you're
not going to do that with << 1% equity vesting over four years. That does not
mean you're a "sucker"; you just need to be taking a job like that for the
right reasons.

> learn as part of the job where you're paid what you're actually worth

For many of the jobs in question, we're talking about significantly more than
$100,000 annual salary, plus stock options and benefits. For most people,
that's not exactly being screwed.

