Not surprisingly, the demographics of Sybase candidates comprise a large number of parents. The idea of working every weekend is taking away from children and family. Many workers are lured by the prospect of stock options. A successful IPO means never having to work this hard again. Although big companies might not offer employees as much stock, the shares they do proffer usually have established value.
Nobody understands what the startup stocks are worth.
We can't take away the lure, but we try to help people think beyond the short term. To that end, Sybase has developed a series of questions to evaluate whether it's better to stick around or consider jumping to a startup. A market focus that's too broad or narrow might affect a company's initial success and future profitability. Most successful startups include strategic acquisitions. Any timeline over 18 months may never get there.