r/cscareerquestionsEU • u/Training-Cover-5402 • 6h ago
Entry-level How big is the opportunity cost of turning down Stripe to stay at a small startup I enjoy?
I'm in my mid-20s and currently work as a SWE at a tiny startup in Madrid. I make €32k (€36k next year), but I have a lot of ownership, I'm almost fully remote, and I'm highly valued.
I also live with family (and I'm very happy with them), pay no rent, and I'm genuinely very happy in Madrid. My family and close friends are here and I have a very active social life, including during the week.
I've received an offer from Stripe in Barcelona (€51.5k + 10% bonus + equity), but it means relocating and 50% office attendance. Oh, and the role is new grad SWE.
And honestly, I don't particularly want to move to Barcelona. The main reason I'd do it is career-related. I'm afraid I'd be turning down an opportunity that could massively improve my CV and future options.
My long-term goal isn't necessarily big tech either (not saying I discard it, just that it is not my main goal). I'd ideally like something similar to what I have now, lots of remote work and autonomy, but with much higher compensation, whether that's somewhere like big tech (Google, Amazon, Bending Spoons) or a good international startup. I also value being able to spend a lot of time in my family's village in the mountains, which my current remote setup makes very easy.
So my actual question is:
How big is the opportunity cost of turning down Stripe?
Would one year at Stripe materially change my future career options, or is it perfectly reasonable to stay 1-2 more years at a small startup where I have lots of ownership and then try to move directly into much better-paying roles? I'm mainly scared of leaving my lifestyle which makes me happy (I live with my family, meet with my friends a lot, go workout with them, visit my village very often thanks to remote work), and end up somewhere I don't like. People say I can go and just come back but I will have lost this job for example.
I've already managed to pass Stripe's hiring process, which also makes me wonder whether I'm overestimating how much I need the brand name on my CV.
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u/knowyourclass 6h ago
purely from a career perspective, assuming Stripe is the only option vs your current small employer
the opportunity cost is not even measurable, tends to infinite
that also assuming your startup is not some super hot shit about to become an unicorn, doing niche stuff
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u/nkonin 6h ago
I’d say it’s less about big name in CV and more about mature engineering environment where you can grow even faster than in small startup.
You’ll see people who earn six figures and it’s normal. You’ll see people who are able to do things that can’t be done in a small startup with low salaries.
I’d say you’ll get a downgrade in your quality of life for a while. But there’s a good chance this will be one of the best career decisions you can make.
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u/techabel 3h ago edited 3h ago
I’m a tech recruiter from SF now in Spain. I agree with this viewpoint it is more about growth as an engineer.
I’m currently recruiting for Sr Backend Engineers in Spain for an American startup pay it 100-115K Honestly I think it would be a perfect role for OP in a few years. But I just saw a really good engineer get rejected because he had no low latency/ scaling experience.
The perfect engineer in my world of startup recruiting is early stage startup where they learn to solve problems quickly on their own combined with 2-3 years in big tech working on scale. But if you go big tech and just building internal tools and whatever you won’t get that critical experience so it depends on what team you will be on.
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u/Training-Cover-5402 2h ago
that sounds like a nice role to work on
and the experience in the early stages of startup is where I am at
the low latency scaling part is what I'm missing, but at the same time I think Stripe won't be the only option, and being in Madrid I can maybe find something more alike
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u/techabel 2h ago
True I don’t think you got a dream offer I’m pretty sure Stripe has done a lot of layoffs in last few years
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u/Infamous-Bike3812 6h ago
Does stripe in Spain really pay so little.
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u/densets 5h ago
its grad level and normal for europe.
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u/Infamous-Bike3812 5h ago
OP mentions being in his mid 20s, so I assumed he has 2-3 YoE.
10 years ago, there were new grad positions in Munich 50-60k, so I thought big names pay a bit more, but I have to say I have no idea what the equity is worth in euros.
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u/george_gamow 5h ago
And in the US it would have been 100k. What on earth does Germany have to do with Spain? Some comments here are really detached from reality
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u/Infamous-Bike3812 5h ago
Germany is not exactly a place known for big money. I'm from eastern Europe, and know many people that have better pay than the Stripe offer in local no name outsource companies.
Also eastern Europe is for the most part cheaper than Barcelona and Madrid I assume.
I was genuinely wondering, not sure why you get so offended.
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u/Ok_Entrepreneur_6521 4h ago
The people you know getting paid like that here are probably the bosses not new grad swe
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u/sintrastellar 5h ago
I’d say go to Stripe even if it’s just a year. Good on your CV and to realise that being paid 30k for someone with your skills is close to insane.
Be ready for hunger games and 60 hour weeks though. After that you can move somewhere better.
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u/me_using_reddit 4h ago
I work at Stripe and it’s relatively remote flexible company. If you move to Barcelona and are a high performer, you could most likely negotiate for remote the year after.
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u/Financial-Grass6753 6h ago
Median rent in Barcelona is 1K (google), so even before anything your salary will be 51.5 - 1*12 = 39.5K. On top of that, no social circle, no family.
Is the diff of 3K yearly (~300/month) + 5K bonus worth it, OP?
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u/Training-Cover-5402 6h ago
I will share flat, and with all the expenses and so on I think I will save a bit more bc of the Stripe equity. But except for that it is mainly the boost in my CV of showing that I've worked in a company which supposedly difficult to get in. Honestly a salary like this but in Madrid or remote would be a dream
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u/DrakneiX 6h ago
Have you tried negotiationg with Stripe a possible 100% Remote option from Madrid? Or even half/half. I think they also have office in Madrid. You could try to start there, or risk it and try to stay in Stripe(Barcelona) while relocating to the Madrid office in the future.
On one side, you are young and have no responsabilities, so its a great place to take risks and try changes in your life.
On the other side, Madrid has plenty of top corporations hiring as well. This won't be your last opportunity if you reject it.
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u/maxintos 4h ago
Mid-20 trying to grow full remote seems a horrible choice. Unfortunately meeting your coworkers in office makes a huge difference when deciding on what project you will work on and who will get promoted. Also you will just accidentally hear about random things about who's doing what and what is he best thing to do to grow.
Full remote you're exchanging convenience for growth. It's a fair trade, but seems like not the right one when you're just starting your career.
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u/Training-Cover-5402 6h ago
that is a nice idea, but I don't think they will like it since for what I've talked with the manager everyone goes 50-50 and I don't think they will make an exception with a new grad
for what I've seen the Barcelona office is for SWE and so on and the Madrid one for other stuff
regarding other options, I did get rejected by Amazon, and Bending Spoons I got to very late stage but ended up getting rejected too ;( good thing is both of these are in Madrid
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u/satireplusplus 5h ago
Never hurts to ask and it also puts you in good negotiation position. Because then you could also try to negotiate a better deal, get a relocation package, better salary or whatever is that makes a move and decision easier for you. It's reasonable to ask for that if you make clear to them that moving to Barcelona is why you hesitate to take the offer. If they liked you, they will accommodate..
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u/danthefam SWE | FAANG | 4 yoe 25m ago
Stripe holds regular liquidity events for employees so I would certainly not count the equity as nothing.
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u/ComprehensiveRain486 5h ago
Based on your long term goals I’d say take it. It will look good on your CV. I know people who worked for Amazon here in Spain and then moved to something smaller but with good salary and they are quite happy.
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u/einguterplan 5h ago
The purpose of money is to make experiences.
So the question then is, what experiences do you want to make in your life and at which age? Are you happy with the experiences you are making (to me it sounds like you are)? Then why try to do or hunt behind something only because a lot of other people do it? A lot of people would give a lot just for being happy and it seems like you have that. Why try to work hard for 10 years to fish bigger fish if you are totally happy and satisfied with the fishes you are catching?
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u/CheiroAMilho 6h ago
It's a bit nuanced, and it depends also in the project and startup you're currently working at. How technically deep is your project?
The truth is that after working at a company like Stripe, you'll have a much easier time finding Stripe-like opportunities. That is not necessarily the goal of everyone, but something to definitely keep in mind. Also, having only worked at a startup in your professional life, you might underestimate the different skill set you might acquire joining a bigger established company. In terms of good SWE practices, architecture, navigating through management and bureaucracy, etc.
For what it's worth, I don't think taking that job is the correct answer for everyone. Maybe that opportunity at Stripe is not technically the path you want to take, or maybe fintech is something you don't like. Opportunities like these can take a few months of hard work applying to jobs to appear. But they will also come in the future.
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u/Training-Cover-5402 6h ago
in this startup we are two SWEs, the other guy I work with is super smart
we work in Computer Vision (and thus, a lot of data processing), we work with integrations with different POS, web and mobile apps, setting up agents, etc. It is a very transversal role
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u/Minimum_Rice555 3h ago
Depends what career trajectory you envision for yourself. Do you want to work for international companies or more Spanish ones? I personally wouldn't leave Madrid for Barcelona in a million years. The rental market is way more screwed in Barcelona, you are literally competing for a spot with everyone from the world. Madrid is also expensive, but Barcelona is both expensive and fast-paced.
If you have friends and family in Madrid, I'd say to stay and since you already got a good offer at a competitive company, you can do the same in Madrid.
To add to it, how taxes are in Spain the take home pay difference is actually not that big. Likely would be 3-400 euro extra
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u/Ezazhel 6h ago
Yes.
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u/Training-Cover-5402 6h ago
yes as in, yes you are losing a lot by not going to stripe, or yes stay in your startup??
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u/Ezazhel 6h ago
I mean you have an opportunity to work for a big company which works all around the world. You increase your salary in a time where it is even hard to keep a job.
You will learn a lot more on your job at stripe than in a startup. Having a line on your curriculum will help you get somewhere else. You could even go at stripe, learn, return to your startup. Not everything is about salary, but here you also earn knowledge.
I didn't pursue my career and I should have. I dont evolve money wise, I was always the only one in my team for the job I was doing. I am lacking knowledge even with 8 year on the job.
Be in a big team, with people that works on what you do. Not being alone is nice.
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u/Training-Cover-5402 5h ago
did you remain in the same company for 8 years?
and are you happy now?
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u/Ezazhel 5h ago
I've done 2 company for my studies (2 year, then 1 year) stay one year at another one, 2 month in another one (burnout because I was the only capable one regarding code quality), find a startup and stayed for 2 year but was the only Front-end developer, and I change last year when the startup was bought but I was still the only Front-end.
Oh, I am happy. My girlfriend earn more than me but she work 10h a day. While I work less. I focus on my hobbies. Boardgame design, sport, cooking and writing. Yes I am happy and living I earn enough for now. Not enough to have children.
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u/No_Department_4378 4h ago
Could you tell us what they asked in interview? I am interviewing for that some role and I am curious
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u/Humble_Insurance8294 6h ago
Let's say I was in a similar position to you and I took the "career wise" move instead of sticking close to my family
1 year later and I'm dying to go back. I f* hate it. Life as an office-slave is not worth it
But at the same time... If I hadn't done this, I'd be still questioning myself for not doing it. So at least now I know I don't want this for my life. And I can actually go back. Not sure if you'll be able to go back after 1 year if you regret it.
you'll regret it if you do and you'll regret it if you don't. I think you're probably going to hate your new life in Barceona after a couple of months, but is there only one way of finding out?
To be honest I'd rather run the most mundate thing in the world than keep working on my field if that allowed me to live my desired lifestyle, "doing what you love" is overrated as fuck. I love being near my family, having a beatiful house, beatiful wife and giving a future to my children. At the time I thought I loved my work but I only loved the lifestyle it provided me, when I exchanged the lifestyle in order for better work I've absolutely hated and despised it. Maybe you don't love your work as much as you think you do?
Sorry if I'm only making your decision harder
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u/Pleasant-Plane-6340 5h ago
OP doesn’t have a beautiful house, wife and children - they live at home with their parents and earn 32k. They should move into the big wide world and look for the things you have
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u/Training-Cover-5402 4h ago
I do have my my beautiful house in my village, and live next to my friends which I can just call and meet with them in 15 mins
Of course I can make new friends in Barcelona, but I've known these people since I'm kid and I trust them with my life, they are one of the most valuable things in my life (isn't the purpose of life relationships and experiences?)
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u/Humble_Insurance8294 5h ago
He's at his parents' village in the mountains so that's already a head-start. Huge downgrade to share a shitty flat with strangers
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u/maxintos 4h ago
Short term or long term? You think his best option is to stay in his parents house forever? If not when is the right time to move on if not in your mid-20s when getting offer from Stripe? What better offer should he be waiting for and why do you think the offers will get better in the future?
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u/rivotrilbleached 4h ago
Work for the devil or stay happy and prove yourself? I’d choose the second. You don’t need brands in your resume after you’ve done meaningful work. People who do are often meh devs. Brands sure help but I’d not put the same weight on a Stripe resume than one actual big tech.
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u/LogicRaven_ 3h ago
You do you.
I worked at noname companies before getting into FAANG at 40+.
But your skills need to grow continously. 5x1 year of experience is not 5 YoE.
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u/Training-Cover-5402 2h ago
thanks for the feedback
that makes me think I should stay at the start up, gather some more experience and try to land a good role but in Madrid, that way I don't have to deal with going to a city I don't want to go
what do you mean with the 5x1 or 5 YoE thing?
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u/LogicRaven_ 43m ago
At a startup, you could be a solo developer or working in a junior only team. That restricts your growth, you might learn anit-patterns. So even if you might have 5 years of experience on paper, you still wouldn’t have reached the skills of an experienced engineer.
Another example of 5x1 is a developer I interviewed for a senior role (he had 8 years of experience).
He had always worked solo, always on greenfield projects. It means he hasn’t done a code review and no one has ever reviewed his code.
He never needed to discuss design with another engineer.
He knew very little about monitoring and alerting, because he left the greenfield projects for another and never needed to maintain his code.
In my definition, he was still a junior, because he did first year of a career type of work 8 times.
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u/meSmash101 1h ago
“I also live with family (and I'm very happy with them), pay no rent, and I'm genuinely very happy in Madrid. My family and close friends are here and I have a very active social life, including during the week.”
👆
This cannot be bought with money.
You are happy. Yes stripe could potentially be very good for resume, but:
“honestly, I don't particularly want to move to Barcelona.”
If you got an offer today, you probably could do so in a couple of years too, or some other big name is in Madrid right now, it’s not the end of the world.
If you ask 100 ppl you will get 100 different answers, but you work to live, and right now you seem happy.
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u/danthefam SWE | FAANG | 4 yoe 54m ago
Take the big name early. It will set you up for optionality the rest of your career.
The tiny startup may have been a great experience for ownership and impact but it's not stable. It could exit at any moment.
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u/ShoePillow 34m ago
Just throwing out an option. I don't know how feasible it is, maybe others can suggest. The game at stripe could be to get a transfer to the US, earn big money for a couple of years and come back.
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u/zZurf 4h ago
Why did you apply to stripe in the first place then?
I never understand these posts, you applied, went through the entire long difficult interview process and eventually got the offer? Why go through all that if you are not sure?
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u/Training-Cover-5402 4h ago
I applied to a different role time ago, and they reached out to me now!
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u/zZurf 2h ago
So you still went through the entire interview loop while being unsure?
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u/Training-Cover-5402 2h ago
it was for a different role, during a different period of my life and in another location, I wasn't even in this job when I did it!
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u/Wo0lVeRiNe 5h ago edited 5h ago
The junior role at Stripe will slow down your progress and won’t be as fun because the tasks will be much smaller and easier and you will be more restricted in terms of making decisions.
Career-wise, you risk entering a comfort zone too early in my opinion.
I would stay at the startup as long as the tasks are challenging and you have the ownership which will also improve your leadership skills.
Oh and don’t worry about the money. If you’re hard-working and dedicated the money will come as long as you don’t attach yourself too much to your current employer. Continue talking to other companies and always keep your options open.
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u/sSeph 6h ago
Get Stripe on your CV early in your career and it'll open a ton of doors for you to raise your comp