A personal story about how writing helped me make a decision.
A few months back, I was job hunting due to tech layoffs and ended up with two offers from different startups. One was a 2-year-old YC company with a larger team, while the other was a brand-new startup where I'd be the first engineer, building the tech stack from the ground up.
Deciding between the two was tough, so I tried a creative exercise. I wrote draft emails to both hiring managers, explaining why I chose not to join their startup. After about 90 minutes, my preferences became clear.
The only reasons I had for joining the more established startup were job security and better work-life balance. Meanwhile, my passion for the new startup was evident in the email I wrote. This exercise helped me uncover my true feelings.
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It was a very useful exercise; might be able to help someone else faced with this issue.
A few months back, I was job hunting due to tech layoffs and ended up with two offers from different startups. One was a 2-year-old YC company with a larger team, while the other was a brand-new startup where I'd be the first engineer, building the tech stack from the ground up.
Deciding between the two was tough, so I tried a creative exercise. I wrote draft emails to both hiring managers, explaining why I chose not to join their startup. After about 90 minutes, my preferences became clear.
The only reasons I had for joining the more established startup were job security and better work-life balance. Meanwhile, my passion for the new startup was evident in the email I wrote. This exercise helped me uncover my true feelings.
---
It was a very useful exercise; might be able to help someone else faced with this issue.