Friendly Persuasion

Bob Weinstein is a journalist who covers technology, project management, the workplace and career development.

  Career Development  

A good friend calls and says:

"How would you like to work for me? I've been trying to get my own software development company off the ground for two years. It's finally happened. I just got angel funding, which should keep me afloat for about a year. By then I should be able to generate enough revenues on my own. You're one of the best programmers I know. I'll match or exceed whatever you're earning. How about lunch tomorrow so we can talk about it? I'm offering you the chance of a lifetime, a ground-floor opportunity others dream about."

What would you do? I know what I'd do. I'd be really careful and not let my fantasies get the better of me. Money is a very seductive lure, and so is the promise of rapid growth. The "ground-floor opportunity" bit has sentenced millions of people to the unemployment lines.

For starters, 60 percent of all new businesses fail within three years, and 90 percent within six years. No matter how brilliant a friend's business concept, the odds are against turning it into a viable business.

The following story focuses on some critical issues that might not occur to you. They'll make you think twice about accepting the offer.

If you hope to make an objective decision, you must look at a job offer from a friend from both business and personal vantage points, advises Lawrence Alter, …

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