Lifecycle stage: Post Acquisition/IPO

Risk: Low

It’s highly unlikely that the company will fall apart and dissolve within a short period of time, although there are always some factors that could cause issues or layoffs (major changes to the market, legal or regulatory changes, wider financial market problems etc).

Work environment: Relaxed

Established companies will generally have more relaxed working environments than early-stage and scale-up startups, as they tend to have some market power, and not to be in the “fight for survival” mode or working towards an upcoming exit event.

Suited to: Specialists

Companies at this scale will have teams of people performing specialized roles, so the opportunity to dabble across a range of tasks is going to be low.

Range of roles available: High

Large tech companies have the widest range of roles on offer, with all of the usual specialized and management positions, and teams like corporate development and business operations that are only found in larger companies.

Compensation: Mid/High

The company should be paying market rates or higher. As the company has already “exited” you will not be receiving options but may be offered other forms of compensation such as Restricted Stock Units (RSU). You aren’t going to get the “lottery ticket” style outcome that is possible (although unlikely) from an early stage startup, but you will be trading that potential jackpot for consistency.

Experience building opportunity: Medium

You should be working alongside a team of solid-performing professionals, but the roles will likely be very specialized and there will be little opportunity to gain additional experience by taking on tasks or responsibilities outside of your job description.

Career progression: Good

With established business units and structured layers of management there should be well outlined paths of progression if you choose to stay and perform above expectations.

Conclusion

Taking a position at a well established, post-exit technology company offers the lowest level of risk and should provide for a stable, consistent work environment and regular work hours. Many people will welcome these benefits, but the formal structure, work consistency and increased bureaucracy that is inherent in larger organizations is unlikely to appeal to people who are seeking the relative “excitement” of startup life.