And when a small startup says "okay, Mr Experienced Developer With High Salary Requirements, we can't afford you (because we're very tight on cash), but take this Awesome Restricted Stock in lieu of comp", what do you say? Isn't that the big risk that is supposed to lead to the Big Payday?
That's when you hammer them on what exactly they are doing. What is their product, market, sales strategy, exit strategy, pricing, and finances. Ownership, options, etc... are worthless in a worthless company. Risk doesn't mean going in blindly.
And yes, I've turned down options and jobs before because the CTO couldn't really answer these types of questions during an interview. Interestingly enough, the one company that was most secretive and offered me the most options was the one that went out of business a month after I turned them down. Others, I've heard after the fact how they are horrible places to work. The interview process is a two way street, especially in small companies.
That's when you hammer them on what exactly they are doing. What is their product, market, sales strategy, exit strategy, pricing, and finances. Ownership, options, etc... are worthless in a worthless company. Risk doesn't mean going in blindly.
And yes, I've turned down options and jobs before because the CTO couldn't really answer these types of questions during an interview. Interestingly enough, the one company that was most secretive and offered me the most options was the one that went out of business a month after I turned them down. Others, I've heard after the fact how they are horrible places to work. The interview process is a two way street, especially in small companies.