I am a lurker here since a couple of years and I am in need of some advice. I have 5 years of exp in Java dev at a couple of big companies. I need to select between the following two options<p>1. Smallish startup in Bangalore that is doing reasonably well. They have <50 ppl on the the tech side. They are offering around 15 lakhs with a 20% variable pay included in it.
2. Software Development Engineer in Test at Amazon, Chennai. I would be working on test frameworks and automating test cases. The pay is almost 20 lakhs I've experessed my concern of wanting to work on dev and not QA. The HR has told me that I can move into a SDE role after a year and relocate to any amazon office after 18 months.<p>I personally want to take up the first option since I'd get out of Chennai and working for a startup will be more fulfilling.
I don't really enjoy testing and would be stuck in Chennai, but working at Amazon would improve my profile and could get me a chance to get to SV in a couple of years.<p>My dream like many of us here is to start a startup.<p>I know that it is ultimately me that has to make a call based on my priorities but I am finding it very difficult and some perspective could help.
Even after you move to SV you'll still be on a H1B and so cant really start your own company till you get a GC. that will take you 5 years if everything goes well. (There are ways to start a company on a H1 but none in a way that allow you to have optimal control of the company.)<p>I'm from India and I just recently quit to start on my own. I'm 33 - I got my GC 1 year ago.<p>My sincere advice: Stay in India.<p>India is going to hit the point where everyone starts doing things on the internet. Its very nearly there. But when it explodes, there will be tons of of money to be made. You will be sitting on huge numbers of people just learning to use the internet for their daily lives.<p>And I would definitely advise you to join the startup. You will learn nothing but tech from Amazon. I would even take a paycut if you can ask for some non-tech responsibility in the startup, ie on the business side. You need to understand how the deals are made - even more so because your dealing in India.<p>Stay in India and learn how to start your own business - catch the upcoming internet wave. You are positioned perfectly to ride this out and make millions. I'm serious about this.
If you are planning to startup in future, would suggest you to join the startup. The payment is any ways good, and when you factor the taxes and all, your take home will hardly be any different.<p>Plus, working on a startup will enable you to learn a whole lot more, you may get to meet the investors and talk and build a rapport.<p>Working in Big Companies will not give you the skills required to startup. They train you to adhere to processes. :)<p>Amazon might be different than other Indian companies, then again the bosses and the managers will be coming from Indian companies. ;)<p>How long do you want to wait before you want to startup? 18 months in India, and then depending on availablity and assuming the HR is telling the truth, 1 more year in SV? Still you might not get to learn much about startups during that period.
<i>I personally want to take up the first option since I'd get out of Chennai and working for a startup will be more fulfilling. I don't really enjoy testing and would be stuck in Chennai</i><p>From the sound of it, it seems you know what to do :)<p>15L at an Indian startup is really good. That also says that they are either funded or profitable. And since you aren't the first employee, you don't have that brand-new-startup risk.<p>I know people around me with the same amount of experience as you and get paid a lot lesser but they say they are satisfied and "can live with it". If I were you I would just choose the startup.<p>I'm a regular at Bangalore tech events (mostly attend hackathons) and the guys there are pretty close knit and good.<p>P.S: I'm from Bangalore and work remotely for a YC-funded startup.
I'd say go for a startup, you are still young , you can take risks while you can. If you get married or with increase in responsibilities , you will not be able to take huge risks with your career. Amazon is offering you a job now , looking by that you will get a job at Amazon even after 2yrs , may be you can get dev there after 2 yrs :) . And working in startup , the exposure you get is way more than any where else cuz in big cos you will stuck to your work , but at startups you'll get your hands dirty and will not be confined to your work , whatever comes up u r forced to take . So I'd say go for startup :)
The two paths that I am seeing:
join start up -> do your own start up
join amazon -> do your own start up<p>If possible come up with what the start up will be about and perhaps get some traction. This is will eliminate your CV completely ;)<p>I respect having a back up plan, but for some having a really good one keeps them from fully committing to their start up idea.
You are not the first developer in the startup, they able to offer you a decent package means, so they are funded.<p>Both are jobs<p>if you think you can be a entrepreneur then choose the startup you can know complete process and how to get funded for your idea.<p>If you think you may not startup in next 2 years, take the well paying job and save for future
Not sure how the startup atmosphere in India is but the ability to "relocate to any amazon office after 18 months" sounds like a really really great opportunity for personal growth.